If you seek solitude in the mountains, sooner or later you’re going to end up on trails less traveled, sometimes one step up from a complete bushwhack, and sometimes in surprisingly good condition. They’re often described as unmaintained trails, abandoned trails, climbers’ trails, boot tracks, and such. So, what does it mean? Are abandoned trails really abandoned? Are unmaintained trails really unmaintained?
No. The official designations
mean that they are crossed off the list for those that receive some sort of
sanctioned trail maintenance. They’re left to suffer deterioration, overgrowth, and forest deadfall. But some were well constructed in the first place and
despite the annual incremental encroachment of nature are still very worthy of
hiking. And local hikers and climbers who choose these trails often engage in
unsanctioned and informal trail maintenance.
One good example is a section of what
used to be the old Cascade Crest Trail that departs from the Pacific Crest
Trailhead near Exit 52 off I-90 at Snoqualmie Pass. The new PCT, Pacific Crest
Trail, Section J: from Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens Pass was built in 1978 and
the old CCT was subsequently designated as abandoned. I have hiked the CCT
several times as a way of accessing Kendall Peak and the famed Kendall Katwalk.
It’s a shortcut that cuts around 8 tenths of a mile off the first section of
the PCT from the trailhead parking lot at Snoqualmie Pass. After crossing
Commonwealth Creek twice, the trail ascends switchbacks and at 1.6 miles it
encounters a weathered wood sign that says ‘Abandoned.’ It once said ‘Trail
Abandoned’ before the left half was broken off. You can either hook right,
ascend a switchback and connect with the PCT to hike to the Katwalk, or continue
up the old trail to Red Mountain and Red Pass.
This last Thursday we continued
up the old Cascade Crest Trail along Commonwealth Creek and up towards Red
Mountain. Once at the junction of the CCT with the spur that heads to the PCT
the trail to Red Mountain crosses some boggy areas and another stream crossing
with a large log. Not long after that, the hike ascends up some steep
switchbacks and we gained elevation rapidly. Although the trail is unmaintained
it is in great shape. Heading past the Red Mountain cutoff, we ascended narrow
switchbacks and crossed a talus field as the trail ran towards a ridge crest to
Red Pass.
We chose the hike because we
wanted to look at Mt. Thomson. The vistas from the ridge crest near Red Pass
far exceeded my expectations and we lingered for photos and lunch. Only two
small things marred the day: one was the smoky haze that obscured the longer
views and muted all the colors and the bugs that were persistent at the pass.
We used Picaridin with some success. After the pass, steep switchbacks descend
to the north and the continuation of the old CCT. While we did not expect to
encounter anyone, we did see four other solo hikers. Our stats: Around 7.6
miles round trip with roughly 2,300 feet of elevation gain. A very satisfying
short hike without the crowds of the more popular hikes and with vistas no less
impressive.
I took
two spherical panoramas along the ridge crest near the pass and one at a stream
crossing through Commonwealth Creek. The 360s are hosted at 360cities.net
Red Pass Ridge Vista with Trees: https://www.360cities.net/image/red-pass-vista-with-trees-alpine-lakes-wilderness-wa-state
Red Pass Ridge Vista with Peaks: https://www.360cities.net/image/red-pass-vista-with-peaks-alpine-lakes-wilderness-wa-state
Commonwealth Creek Crossing:
https://www.360cities.net/image/commonwealth-creek-crossing-alpine-lakes-wilderness-wa-state
