Longs Pass Trail Washington

[KQ]

Hiking the Longs Pass Trail offers remarkable views of Cascades

(No this is not a pic of me. It is form the FB page for the Intermountain Alpine Club)





Longs Pass DH-3 Teanaway (moderate)

Difficulty – Moderate 6 miles RT with 2100 gain/loss – elevation 6250 ft.

Four hours to the trailhead 150 miles each way 300 miles total.

This is one of the most rewarding hikes in the east-side Cascades for the time and distance.

The trailhead is located northeast of Ellensburg 23 miles up the rough dirt road known as the North Fork of the Teanaway River at a dead-end which is also the start of the Ingalls Lake Trail and others.

The trail is a non-stop staircase that starts in cool forest and then transitions to exposed rocky slopes with wildflowers and views.

Towards the top there are a few switchbacks and then the crest of a rocky windswept ridge where voila – a knock-your-socks-off take-your-breath-away full-face head-on view of Mt. Stuart.

One to two dozen mountain goats may be seen. No guarantees of course.

This trail is rated moderate -- it is a reasonably strenuous hike - for people who can climb steps steadily and maintain a decent pace without too many breaks.

Bring the essentials and hiking poles. Dress for rapid weather changes.

[phatty]

It's a great trail, especially when combined with Ingalls to make a loop. Spent a great weekend solo backpacking it a couple years back.

[mtngirl79]

Did you do that hike, KQ?

One of my favorite ski tours I did was in that areA.

[KQ]

Did you do that hike, KQ?

One of my favorite ski tours I did was in that areA.

I have not. That info came across FB from the Intermountain Alpine Club page that I follow. I haven't spent a lot of time on the interior side of the Cascades. When I lived on the west side it was mostly the Olympics and central to north sections of the western slopes of the Cascades. Now that I live in SE WA it's the Blues and Wallowas.