Alaska Mountain & Ridge Lake via Pacific Crest Trail is a 15.3-mile out-and-back near Denny Creek, WA. The route passes Ridge Lake before reaching Alaska Mountain at the turnaround, 7.6 miles in. It climbs 4,447 ft, with sections as steep as 24% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 39/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Alaska Mountain & Ridge Lake via Pacific Crest Trail
15.3 mi · ▲ 4,447 ft · 7 hr 19 min
Elevation 2,967–5,729 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Pacific Crest Trail · 47.42577, -121.41585
Weather Sep 5: Drizzle, high 62°F / low 46° · precip 29% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:31 AM · sunset 7:40 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Transit-accessible: FlixBus Snoqualmie Pass stop 90 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Pacific Crest Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Pacific Crest Tral Access, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 200 ftBear left onto Old Commonwealth Trail, heading NE.
- 1.1 miSharp right onto Commonwealth Basin Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading E.
- 4.5 miPass Ridge Lake.
- 400 ftBear right onto Ridge Lake Camp Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SE.
- 1.3 miSharp left onto Alaska Mountain Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miReach Alaska Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading W.
- 1.3 miTurn left onto Ridge Lake Camp Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 4.6 miSharp right onto Commonwealth Basin Trail, heading N.
- 100 ftSharp left onto Old Commonwealth Trail, heading SW.
- 1.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Tral Access, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.9 mi in (~156 min). Leave by 4:44 PM for the 7:40 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:31 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Transit-accessible: FlixBus Snoqualmie Pass stop 90 m from the trailhead
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Pacific Crest Trail Trailhead
- Lodge Lake via Pacific Crest Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 842 ft
- Commonwealth Basin Trail & Old Commonwealth Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 4.1 mi · ▲ 947 ft
- Red Pond & Cave Ridge Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 4.2 mi · ▲ 1,650 ft
- Guye Peak North–Guye Peak Middle, 5 summits 4.6 mi · ▲ 2,159 ft
- Surveyors Lake–Beaver Lake, 3 lakes 5.7 mi · ▲ 1,542 ft
- Snow Dome–Prospector's Cave, 4 sights 6.7 mi · ▲ 3,432 ft
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Hikes near Denny Creek, Washington