Cascade Mountain North Peak sits 1.5 miles north of the main summit. Its long ridgeline separates Miller River into east and west forks. Meanwhile, Frances Lake offers the most direct and least challenging way to the top.
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Cascade Mountain North Peak at a Glance
Access: West Fork Miller River Road
Round Trip: 10 miles
Elevation Range: 1280′-5553′
Gear: helmet, snowshoes, ice ax, crampons
Route Info: Puzzlr
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: with guidance
Crossing Miller River
We walked through the same debris from last weekend and went over the washout at mile two. However, we passed the turnoff by mistake but soon returned to the big log. Using Puzzlr‘s detailed report, I found the place to cross shortly.
Holding the boots and gaiters, we forded the knee-high, frigid river. It felt like my feet had experienced a brain freeze as I wobbled over pebbles to the other side. Meanwhile, the pup swam a few laps in the water. Burr!
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Cascade Mountain North Peak North Slopes
We crossed the creek from Francis Lake to the east. A report suggested staying within earshot of the water, so we did that. As it steepened, we went up a boulder stack and suddenly found a faint trail. Then we went south at 3400′.
The slide alder over parts of the trail made it tempting to avoid it by diverging from the stream. But we fought through the mess and found the path again on the other side. Soon, we saw continuous snow at 3800′.
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Francis Lake West Shore
We reached Francis Lake after 500′ of steep gain. The snowy lake was three times the size of Gouging Lake, with a peninsula to the north. The only sounds were the two swirling ravens, so I almost felt guilty for disrupting the calm.
I marveled at the lake before moving along the west shore over old avalanche debris. The snow had the perfect consistency to traverse above the water comfortably. Soon, we reached the south end and took a break in the trees.
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Cascade Mountain North Peak North Ridge
Beyond the lake were cliff bands, which we bypassed on a steep snow ramp. Then we went up a narrow gully through the open forest. We broke out of the trees at 5000′ in the upper basin before seeing today’s goal.
Despite a warm afternoon, the snow stayed firm. Then we went south toward the top from the basin’s east and regrouped by the notch 150′ below the north ridge. Then we went on the crest, where we saw the steep east slope.
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The Final Stretch
I put on crampons and the helmet before traversing below the crest above Tumwater Lake Basin. En route, we kept steeping into the thin snow over krummholz. Then within 20′ of the summit, I started walking comfortably.
Even with dense trees in the south, almost everything was in sight on this clear day. By peering around tree branches, I saw Cascade Mountain‘s impressive main summit. The arête and cornices at the top were still visible.
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Cascade Mountain North Peak Summit Views
Despite spotty views to the south, I saw places around Snoqualmie Pass. Snoqualmie Mountain, Chair Peak, Mount Roosevelt, and Kaleetan Peak were among the lineup. As always, Mount Rainier loomed in the distant south.
Lennox Mountain, Canoe Peak, Dog Mountain, Malachite Peak, plus others in Wild Sky Wilderness were nearby. Farther east was Mount Daniel, Mount Hinman, Bears Breast Mountain, and many places I’ve yet to visit!
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Exiting via Francis Lake
Back in the basin, I couldn’t tell if cliffs were on the west ridge to take it. But we tried it on the way down and it was a much more feasible route. Then we returned to the north ridge to get the trekking poles from the notch.
The 2300′ descent from the lake outlet to Miller River took no time. Back in the trees, we stopped by the beautiful waterfall above the ravine. Then I enjoyed the sounds of the water for a while before finishing the rest of the trip.
See more trip photos here.