Purcell Mountain by South Point perches near the Cowlitz River. A former lookout once stood atop this high-prominence peak in the 1930s. Meanwhile, the route via Davis Creek is ideal in winter when the northwest starting point isn’t accessible.
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Purcell Mountain at a Glance
Access: NF-6310 @ mile 5.7
Round Trip: 7 miles
Elevation Range: 2760′-5442′
Essential Gear: microspikes
Route Info: Susan Shih
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Playlist: Reels
Hiking Near Mount Rainier in Cowlitz River Valley
This morning’s low temperatures resulted in an icy drive through the turnoff by Davis Creek. The road made its way up the gorge soon after crossing the bridge to the east. It was surprisingly smooth in a car, with views of waterfalls tumbling down steep rocks en route.
At 5.7 miles from the highway was a pullout by the small creek. The hidden spur path 100′ ahead then took us through the brushy old road. Soon, we reached the more significant creek crossing, the lowest point of the trip. Back on the road was a beautiful waterfall nearby.
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Purcell Mountain South Route via Davis Creek
The trailhead started at the fallen sign with discarded culverts in the nearby stream. Small down trees soon appeared on the lower climber’s trail, one mile from the car. Then, the decent path brought us to 4000′ before snow slowly appeared.
Continuous snow was another 500′ higher, where we lost the trail below the talus. So, with microspikes, we traversed west into the open, broad gully with the sight of Mount Adams. Before long, we reached the meadow at 5000′ as the path reappeared shortly back in the trees.
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Viewing the South Cascades From Purcell Mountain
The final 200′ from the saddle gave peeks despite the woods. It was a quick scramble up 200′ through the snow from the southwest saddle. Holy isht, the views on Purcell Mountain! I hadn’t anticipated seeing everything, not even the FOUR volcanoes, including Mount Hood. Wow.
Despite trees in the southwest, the distant Mount Saint Helens still made a cameo. I even spotted High Rock through its unique shape, Tatoosh Range, and Goat Rocks. After a super long break, it was a quick 3.5-mile descent back to the road in the early afternoon.
See more trip photos here.