Keechelus Ridge from Price Creek Sno-park

Date: 2006/12/30
Trip type: ski
Elevation gain: approx. 2,860 feet (approx 871 meters)
Car-to-car time: 4 hours
USGS Quad: Stampede Pass

Trip Report

I parked at the west Price Creek Sno-park (the land of snowmobiles) and headed up a trail that connects to Road 4832. I followed 4832 west over Noble Creek and Price Creek to Road 124, and headed up 124. Road 124 was "groomed" by snowmobiles, but I didn't see any snowmobiles on 124 on the way up or down.

Since I was solo, I stuck to the road, many snowshoers headed cross-country NNE up the slope. At the big, four-way intersection at 4,280'+, I took the left fork (east). At the next three-way intersection at 4,440'+, I took the sharp left (NW). Soon I could see the radio tower on my right.

On the way up I ran into Northwest Hikers regulars Trail Pair, Sadie's Driver, and JimK. And then I ran into them again. And again.

I counted 14 snowmobiles sitting under the radio tower. That didn't include the snowmobiles that were zooming around.

From the radio tower I continued SE up Keechelus Ridge to its summit. I was surprised no other tracks led up there, but it went easily and was an nice ski down.

There were loads of tree-free, untracked, moderate slopes around the radio tower. The ski down the road was great, the snowmobile tracks kept friction down on the gradual parts, and when it was steeper and narrow I widened my turns to include the powder on the side of the road to burn off some speed. I'll come back to this one. I had a blast!

On my way down, I encountered many, many snowshoers, some were still heading up from the parking lot when I pulled out at 1:20 PM.

References

US Forest Service: Keechelus Ridge
rogergervin.com: Keechelus Ridge route map and pictures
Winter guide book: Cross-Country Ski Tours: Washington's South Cascades & Olympics

Driving Directions

From I-90 eastbound, take exit 62, get back onto I-90 westbound, take exit 61. Now you're in the west Price Creek Sno-park.

Travel Times

Car-to-car time: 4 hours
Ascending time: 2 hours 33 minutes
Descending time: 1 hour 2 minutes

1 hour 4 minutes driving there from Lower Queen Anne to Price Creek Sno-park
2 hours 9 minutes ascending from Price Creek Sno-park (2,515') to radio tower (5,175')
24 minutes ascending from radio tower (5,175') to summit of Keechelus Ridge
16 minutes descending from summit of Keechelus Ridge (5,370') to radio tower (5,155')
46 minutes descending from radio tower (5,155') to Price Creek Sno-park
1 hour 12 minutes driving back from Price Creek Sno-park to Lower Queen Anne

Visited

Road 124 up Keechelus Ridge

Radio tower on Keechelus Ridge (snowmobile heaven)