Winter Scramble - Annette Lake

Meet at the Issaquah Transit Center parking garage NE corner at 6:45 AM

Original plan was to go to Mt Catherine, but due to stupidity on our part, we tried to drive the last 200 yards to the parking lot and got stuck.  Then when finally getting back to the T, we were blocked a stuck truck. Having lost two hours, we decide to just go to Lake Annette, which turned out to be very pleasant.  We also went around the lake an ascended up the slope on the far side for awhile, but did not reach the base of Abiel before we turned around.

Mt Catherine is between the Summit East Ski area, and Silver Peak.  We will ascend it by hiking up the Lake Annette trail (I-90 Exit 47), which if the weather forecast holds, should be well stomped.  Near 3100' we will leave the trail and ascend open slopes to the plateau area at 4000'.  There we find a network of cross country ski trails, which we follow over to the west side of Catherine and then ascend its west ridge.

MSR snowshoes and Microspikes are required.

Plan on a full day trip with the possibility of hiking out on the trail in the dark.