Razorback Mountain by Hidden Lake Lookout is a stone’s throw away from Cascade River Road. One could easily miss it with the plethora of taller peaks in the area. But what the mountain lacks in height, it delivers in dramatic views.
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Razorback Mountain at a Glance
Access: Cascade Road @ mile 2
Round Trip: 10 miles
Elevation Range: 500′-6110′
Gear: helmet, ice ax, snowshoes
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: with guidance
The Preface on Razorback Mountain
Whew! The dogs would not have liked this scramble. So many places along the ridge could use more snow to climb smoothly. Otherwise, it would’ve been a more enjoyable traverse for them.
It took a while to go up to the top from Point 5733. Plus, a few places with great exposure required me to belay using branches. I wasn’t sure how the pups would’ve handled it, but I was glad they stayed home.
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Northwest Ridge Traverse
Ultimately, it took lots of sweat and many breaks to reach Point 5733 in deep powder. But it would’ve been a relaxing two-person work, at least! It was continuous rolling terrain with lots of elevation gain and loss.
The summit block was steep and icy. I made sure to take my time to avoid any mishaps. But thank goodness for the massive krummholz for belaying me up through places with great exposure.
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Razorback Mountain Summit Views Plus Exit
What a beautiful day it was! The stunning views made up for all the cussings it took to come up here. The notable peaks included Snowking Mountain, Lookout Mountain, and Teebone Ridge.
Going down the ridge went by much faster with plunge-stepping. Ultimately, it took less than half the time to reach the roadway. Then, it was only another mile of walking the road.
See more trip photos here.