The Summit of Mt. Defiance, Finally

The trail to the summit of Mt. Defiance, in the Central Cascades, is a particularly hard one: so much so that I had tried to reach the peak twice before... and did not succeed (like this time). Yesterday though, finally, I made it to the very top and it was amazing.

A little bit of background: Mt. Defiance is 5,456 feet (1,663 meters) high, which means that snow stays on its slopes for a long time. In the previous occasions, as I got higher I got through some snow fields that were in the process of melting, which means that they were both slippery and hollow: in some places there was just a layer of snow covering an empty space where the ice had already melted. It was too dangerous to continue at that point, so I had to give up twice before.

This time around I did my attempt on September 1st, which means that all snow was gone for sure. Nevertheless, it is still a very tough hike: you have to walk 3,687 feet (1,124 meters) up on some very steep stretches of trail for what seems to be a mountain that keeps moving away. The final part of the trail is a scramble, where you have to grab rocks to be able to move uphill. In addition, there are parts of the trail that are very exposed: no trees, just low grasses (and flowers) on a steep side of the mountain, where you realize you're so high that the clouds are below you.

That's to say, this was one of the toughest hikes I have ever made. But the rewards were great as well: the view from the top is outstanding, you see a lot of other peaks beneath you, and you can sit at the summit just absorbing all the views around you. Moreover, there are the alpine lakes nearby, and you can see the bright blue waters from up above. Finally, Mason Lake is on the way of the mountain, which is a beautiful lake of crystalline waters that is always worth a visit.

I have to say, don't try this hike if you don't have some experience on hard trails: but, if you do, it is more than worth it. One final note: unfortunately, I tripped in the middle of trail and, even though I was fine, apparently the camera on my phone got some scratches, which you can see in some of the pictures. I hope that you still find the pictures worthy of the mountain.























Location: Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area, Leavenworth, WA 98826, USA

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