Mt. Daniel, Wa.

[adam]

Planning a trip to Mt. Daniel. What is the fastest way to go? Salmon Sac. Rd. via I-90 or Foss. campground road via I-2?

[To_The_Top]

Depends on where you live, and when you are going there. If you live in Seattle I-90 is the way to go via Salmon La Sac, barring any problems on the road after leaving Cle Elum.

[chucK]

When I went up to Mt. Daniel it was Death Race 2000 with logging trucks. I had to scare myself trying to not be the pokey one in front of those guys. I think I went there on opening day (deer [gun] season). There was 'bout a hunnerd trucks with horse trailers at the Salmon LaSac TH.

I think Foss Lakes route would be a lot longer.

[klenke]

Are you doing this in the winter or later when the Salmon la Sac (Cle Elum River) road to Tucquala Lake will be snow-free?

I have not done Daniel from the north side (Foss River), but I have done it from Tucquala Meadow trailhead. This is the standard non-technical route to Mt. Daniel. In the summer it is possible to do Daniel in a day car-to-car. Else, picturesque Peggy's Pond offers a good place to set up camp (making a scramble up Cathedral Rock's Northwest Couloir an interesting diversion after setting up this camp; there is or used to be a good picture in Beckey of this side of Cathedral Rock).

The Cle Elum River road is in pretty good shape. However, there are a couple of rock-strewn fords which can be problematic to cross in times of high water (like in late-afternoon). I knocked the muffler off my Honda Civic in crossing one of these fords. There are also usually a lot of pokey drivers on this road (and a lot of RVs), so the going can be slow and tedious.

The PCT to Cathedral Pass is super-easy going. The trail from the PCT to Peggy's Pond as it contours around Cathedral Rock is precarious in places but otherwise offers no problems.

The route from the pond to the summit(s) is easy. Hyas Creek Glacier is inconsequential and really only barely qualifies as a glacier. It can be circumvented, if necessary.

Mt. Daniel is a great mountain. I recommend it to a lot of people. The summit area is huge with many individual peaks all of the same height. Only the route up to the main summit would qualify as Class 3 in my book.

---Paul