🏔️ Tatoosh Four-Peak Traverse

🏔️ Tatoosh Four-Peak Traverse

Lane Peak → Denman Peak → Plummer Peak → Pinnacle Peak

Saturday, July 18

A short but technical alpine day combining four Tatoosh summits. The mileage is modest, but don’t let that fool you—the scrambling and route-finding are what make this outing memorable.

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📊 Route Stats

• 🥾 Distance: ~5.45 miles
• ⛰️ Elevation Gain: ~3,022 ft
• 🕒 Estimated Time: 5–7 hours
• 🧗 Difficulty: Class 2–4
• 🚗 Meet: Green Lake Park & Ride – 6:00 AM

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⏰ Timeline

6:00 AM – Meet at Green Lake P&R

6:10 AM – Depart Seattle

8:05 AM – Arrive at the Pinnacle Peak Trailhead

8:20 AM – Begin hiking

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🥇 Lane Peak

ETA: 9:20–9:45 AM

Route Beta

• Follow the maintained trail toward Pinnacle Saddle.
• Leave the trail and head toward the obvious gully leading to Lane.
• Put helmets on before entering the gully.
• Climb the loose gully carefully, staying on the most solid rock available.
• The final summit block requires route-finding. The easiest line is generally Class 3, but drifting off route can introduce short Class 4 moves with real exposure.
• Take your time—most people find the descent more mentally demanding than the ascent.

Hazards

🪨 Loose volcanic rock

⚠️ Rockfall from climbers above

⬇️ Exposed downclimb

🪖 Helmet strongly recommended

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🥈 Denman Peak

ETA: 10:20 AM

Route Beta

• Descend back to the saddle from Lane.
• Follow the ridge toward Denman.
• Mostly easy scrambling with occasional use of hands.
• Stay near the ridge crest where practical.

Hazards

• Loose talus
• Minor exposure on a few ridge sections

Take a short break before continuing.

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🥉 Plummer Peak

ETA: 11:00 AM

Route Beta

• Continue east along the ridge.
• Mostly hiking with a few easy Class 2 moves.
• Straightforward summit with excellent views back toward Lane.

Hazards

• Loose scree near the summit
• Easy to wander onto steeper slopes—stick to the ridge

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🏆 Pinnacle Peak

ETA: 11:45 AM–12:00 PM

Route Beta

• Return toward Pinnacle Saddle and pick up the climber’s path.
• The lower route is straightforward.
• The upper section involves steep basalt ledges and exposed scrambling.
• Most parties keep it around Class 3, though some sections can feel like easy Class 4 depending on the exact line.
• Reverse each move carefully on the descent—don’t rush the downclimb.

Hazards

⚠️ Exposure

🪨 Loose rock

⬇️ Downclimbing is often the crux

🍴 Enjoy lunch and summit photos before heading down.

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⬇️ Descent

12:30 PM – Begin descent on the maintained trail

1:45–2:15 PM – Back at the trailhead

2:30 PM – Depart

4:15–4:45 PM – Return to Green Lake Park & Ride

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🎒 Gear Checklist

Essentials

• 🪖 Helmet
• 🥾 Approach shoes or trail runners with excellent grip
• 🥢 Trekking poles
• 💧 2–3 L water
• 🍎 Lunch + snacks
• 🧥 Light insulating layer
• 🌧️ Rain shell
• 🕶️ Sunglasses & sunscreen
• 💡 Headlamp
• 🩹 Small first-aid kit
• 📱 Offline GPS (AllTrails/Gaia/CalTopo)

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⚠️ Decision Points

Lane Peak

If the summit block feels beyond the group’s comfort level, there’s no shame in turning around there and continuing the traverse.

Pinnacle Peak

If weather deteriorates or the rock is wet, the exposed upper scrambling becomes significantly more serious. Be willing to skip the final summit block if conditions don’t look right.

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🏔️ Objective Summary

• ✅ Four Tatoosh summits
• ✅ 5.45-mile alpine scramble
• ✅ ~3,000 feet of gain
• ✅ Mostly trail with short but engaging off-trail sections
• ✅ Technical highlights on Lane and Pinnacle
• ✅ Back in Seattle by late afternoon