Thursday, October 6, 2011

Snoqualmie Pass Boulders

I was recently inspired by another Washington climbing blog to check out some alpine boulders in the Alpental Valley at Snoqualmie Pass. I found a dozen or more big boulders of semi-solid basaltic rock in a sweeping talus field below a cirque of cliffs. People have undoubtedly monkeyed around on these boulders before, but I didn't see any evidence of serious bouldering. Most of the rock is decent but not inspiring, but there is one tall face that could hold a handful of really, really good lines.

I'm excited to check this spot out with pads this fall, or if the rain persists, next summer... the hike in is about three miles, and pretty gently uphill until the last half-mile or so. Here are some photos.

The Cirque
The Face on the Right is Roughly 18-25 Feet Tall
Note the Green Backpack in the Center of the Photo for Scale
Crazy Rock

Boulders
Mountain Views
Bumblebee