Actually F*cking Bomb at Hiking - Mount Defiance, WA
Details
This one’s for our Sh*t at Soccer regulars who asked for a hard hike for team bonding or self-punishment or something in between. We’re doing Mount Defiance, a 9.7 mile out-and-back with 3.6k feet of elevation gain. It’s got views, a lake, a summit, and a final scramble. Not for beginners, BUT anybody who comes to soccer every week should survive :)
Meet at trailhead: 9:00 AM
Hike starts 9:30 at the very latest
Route:
We’ll hike from the Ira Spring Trailhead to Mason Lake and then continue up to the Mount Defiance summit via the Mount Defiance Ridge Trail. The trail is rocky, dusty, and steep in parts, with a bit of scrambling at the top. Expect about 7.5-8 hours total including breaks.
We’ll take breaks along the way and plan for a longer rest and lunch stop at the lake.
Gear requirements (non-negotiable):
Hiking boots
At least 1 liter of water (ideally closer to 2)
Snacks/food/fuel
Optional but strongly recommended: hiking poles, layers, sunscreen
Important:
If you're more here for vibes than vertical gain, you're welcome to chill at the lake while the rest of us summit and return, which is 7 miles and 2.4k elevation since the hardest part of this hike is the top. However, if you haven’t done a 6+ mile hike in the last year and/or don’t have hiking gear, please sit this one out. We're doing a Shit at Hiking event on Oct 11 that we would love to see you at instead!
Parking:
A NW Forest Pass is required for each car - so have one, get a day pass, or carpool with someone who has one.
Directions:
(Copied from Washington Trails Association)
From Seattle, drive east on I-90 to exit 45. Turn left and cross under the highway, then veer left onto FR-9030. About one mile from the exit, stay left at the fork onto Mason Lake Road, FR-9031. Park in the lot at the end of this road, 3.8 miles from the highway. There is a privy at the trailhead.
Carpooling:
I have 4 seats available leaving from my house in the Central District at 8am. Try to arrive by 7:45am. Text me to coordinate or post in the event discussion if you need/can offer a ride or want to carpool from a different start point.
Weather:
We will cancel if rain is likely (50%+ chance during hike hours per weather.com) or if something else crazy happens with the weather. I’ll post in the discussion the day before if we need to call it off.
Rules:
- Be good at hiking, but in the spirit of shit at soccer :)
- No guys! Sorry, dudes
- Don't be the reason I have to make a third rule
Same community, different kind of challenge. Let’s finally admit that we're actually kind of good at this shit.