Excelsior Mountain by Goblin Mountain of Storm Ridge shares a saddle with West Cady Ridge. Below the north and west spans the North Fork Skykomish River. Plus, most parties scramble via the northeast ridge by the trail.
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Excelsior Mountain at a Glance
Access: West Cady Ridge Trailhead
Round Trip: 5.7 miles
Elevation Range: 2460′-4832′
Essential Gear: helmet
Route Info: Eric Noel
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Playlist: Beats
Return to North Fork Skykomish River
The only other time we’d been this far into the valley was four years ago with the yellow lab. But the fact that the road was open when I planned a hike on a whim was a miracle. Over the years, the stretch leading to Blanca Lake Trailhead seemed prone to washouts.
The great trail stayed flat until the wilderness sign by the bridge over the small gorge. It’s also the only place with spotty ridge views before losing them to the trees. Then, a little over a mile from the trailhead, we left the path as it went east toward West Cady Ridge.
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Viewing Wildsky Wilderness from Excelsior Mountain
Despite the open forest, the northeast ridge was fairly brushy but straightforward. A dusting of snow soon appeared on the ridge, with just enough windfalls to be annoying. Glimpses of nearby ridges appeared beyond 4400′, the steepest part for the next 200′.
Scenery to the east and west expanded throughout the ridgetop traverse. But the mountain’s high point past the clearing went right back into the trees. The best lookout area faced north and Kyes Peak‘s dramatic east wall at 100′-150’ below the top.
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Retracing Steps Through West Cady Ridge Trail
Spoting Stone Kingdom in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness was surprising, given the massive trees on the south. Two men showed up a while later, and one recognized me from my blog. It was their first stop before continuing to West Cady Ridge from the trail.
After soaking up the sun, it was a quick 1.2-mile descent over 1200′ altitude to the path. But it would’ve been a much shorter trip if I hadn’t decided to get video footage. Soon, we crossed the bridge and briefly admired the small waterfalls before returning to the car.
See more trip photos here.