Question about Lundin West Ridge approach.

[DPS]

I have a question regarding the approach to Lundin W.R. My understanding is one takes the trail towards Red Mountain up Commonwealth Basin. Does one need to leave the trail, and at what point? Thanks.

[Cpt.Caveman]

I would just leave it below the red lundin col. That's totally obvious and leaves you with open terrain you can see.

[slothrop]

I've used a different approach: up the Cave Ridge trail and then turn off into the little drainage just SE of Snoqualmie, between it and Pt. 5270'. Follow the creek, then scramble up a spur toward the east peak of Snoqualmie. From below the east peak, traverse the ridgeline towards Lundin. This is a fairly direct path to the base of the route.

 

If you go this way, you'll probably want to get back the same way: by downclimbing the route or by rapping off the summit to the east, surfing the gully, and then contouring back west on talus toward the SE rib on Snoqualmie. We decided to try to find the Commonwealth Basin trail on the descent and ended up in bushwhack hell. At one point, we were hiking in the stream because the alternative was worse.

[DPS]

Thanks!

[blue_morph]

Yes, the Cave Ridge approach is the way to go. Easy in, Easy out.

[robertm]

I would just carry on and hit the summit of snoqualmie and then down the trail. There is a tower on the ridge that is worth climbing if you have the time. It is granite (grandorite) and has some old pins. I think it is a sattelite summit of snoqualmie.

[AJScott]

Yah, I went up to the summit of snoqualmie via cave ridge after taggin guy, then over to lundin and went up the W and down the E, then found my way up to Red mountain....Finding your way down from red mountain to the Commonwealth trail is really straight forward.

 

ohh, and the W. ridge is so great on lundin...its short, but there is something about it that is really fun.

[Ben]

I've always headed up the trail towards Red Mtn pass to about 4800 feet (small pond). Here you can traverse NW brush free along bluffs and gain access to the slopes directly S of Lundin.

[chucK]

Sno Mtn. trail to Cave Ridge, up through the meadow valley, then popping over the crest into the basin south of Lundin is defintely easier than the Red Mtn trail way. The meadow is usually quite nice, but it's a little touch and go to find where to pop over the left crest. Robert's suggestion to climb all the way to top of Sno Mtn is more sure, but a bit longer.

 

You can also get to the col east of Lundin by taking the Commonwealth Basin trail all the way up and then find a fairly devious patch over and around the crags between Red and Lundin. Don't count on trying to find that way back (if you've never done it) in the dark. Once you're at the col east of Lundin though, probably the easiest way to get to the West Ridge is to summit Lundin then downclimb the West Ridge to it's base.

[Geek_the_Greek]

I just remembered - when Sloth and I were up there a couple of weeks ago, the summit register was totally full (like, back cover and everything), so we took it. If you're going up there and you care about such things, you could always contact the Mounties and get a new register (or just bring a little pad of paper) to stick in the can.