Mutton Mountain by Noble Knob on Dalles Ridge might not be notable as its neighbor. But the views from this taller high point are comparable nonetheless. Besides the dramatic sight of Mountain Rainier, Mount Adams can also be visible on a clear day.
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Mutton Mountain at a Glance
Access: Deep Creek Trailhead
Round Trip: 8.4 miles
Elevation Range: 2800′-6856′
Gear: snowshoes
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
The Preface on Mutton Mountain
We didn’t have any new place close to home to visit after yesterday’s trip. With a late morning start, our choices in South Cascades were even fewer. So I thought we’d revisit this area for the solitude.
We couldn’t include Mutton Mountain during our trip to Noble Knob in the spring of 2016. We were short on time because of yet another late morning start. Moreover, snow conditions back then were less than ideal.
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Deep Creek Trailhead
This time, there was a trail closure sign at the trailhead from this summer. Then it suddenly dawned on me that the area had been through Norse Peak Fire. Then I noticed the aftermath right from the get-go.
Lots of charred tree debris strewed the defined path in the forest. So we couldn’t go through one switchback without bypassing at least one down log. So it made walking feel more tedious than the time before.
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In the Meadow
At last, the calf-deep snow above 5200′ was enough to put on snowshoes. But the uphill tree hopping continued for another 500′. I thought we’d enjoy our time through the lower forest, but no.
Soon, we reached the meadows before the trail fork. Then we caught the impressive sight of Mount Rainier to the southwest appeared behind us. Then shortly, Deep Creek Trail ended at the junction.
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The Final Stretch
We turned right onto Noble Knob Trail and continued at the same altitude for another quarter of a mile. The trail soon moved its way over to Mutton Mountain’s west saddle.
From the saddle, we scrambled the west ridge and reached the broad summit adorned with a small cairn. There were lots of dry rocks on top because of the melting snow.
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Mutton Mountain Summit Views Plus Outro
We don’t visit South Cascades often, so I only recognized Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, Noble Knob, and Crystal Mountain. But I also saw the familiar high points along I-90 from here.
The pup and I enjoyed 45 minutes on top and left right afterward. Since we started late, it was nearing sunset when we left. But the perks of a late start included the vibrant sky colors at the day’s end.
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