Trip type: scramble
Elevation gain: approx. 3,125 feet
Car-to-car time: 9 hours 12 minutes
USGS quad: Bandera
In area: South Fork Snoqualmie Drainage
Andrea and I parked on Road 9020 at the Alice Creek washout. It is a trashy dump here. We crossed Alice Creek then took the spur road that goes up the Alice Creek basin and eventually ends below the Earls. The road is much more brushy than it was a couple years ago.
At the end of the road we headed south up a loose talus field, making a long, tedious traverse to the 4,520' pass on the south side of the Duke. The final push to the pass involved steep duff scrambling where we used our ice axes and brush belays.
The Rock Creek side of the pass felt completely different than the Alice Creek side. The Alice Creek basin is logged out and not so pleasant. The Rock Creek basin felt remote and rugged and we had a nice view of a surprisingly scenic and gnarly ridge to the east. Even the talus on the Rock Creek side was more stable. There were pretty meadows. And we saw a marmot.
From the pass we dropped down 250', then traversed below rock buttresses to a steep meadow/gully that led to the summit of the Duke. The summit was a good place to lounge while enjoying 360 degree views.
References
- Northwest Hikers: Winter ascent of the Duke of Kent
- Washington Trails Association: Duke of Kent WTA reports
- alpinedave.com: Duke & Duchess - Royal Traverse
- mtnphil.com: Duke & Duchess - Royal Traverse
- Winter guide book: Winter Climbs: One Day Ascents (out of print)
Travel Times
Car-to-car time: 9 hours 12 minutes- 3 hours 31 minutes ascending from Road 9020 to pass south of the Duke
- 30 minutes descending from pass south of the Duke to talus slope below cliffs
- 49 minutes ascending from talus slope below cliffs to summit of the Duke of Kent
- 3 hours 39 minutes descending from summit of the Duke of Kent to Road 9020
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