Cannon Mountain/Southeast Approach

Geting There

Drive US-2 to Leavenworth and turn onto Icicle Creek Road at the west end of town.  Turn left into Snow Lake Trailhead. 

Approach & Ascent

Take the Snow Lake Trail to the lakes (apx 9 miles and 4,500 gain). This is a great place to camp if you have permits. Continue on the trail up and into the core Enchantment zone. Once reaching Lake Vivianne, continue following the trail past Leprechaun Lake, then Sprite Lake and Perfection Lake. At the north side of Perfection Lake take the turn off up to Prusik Pass (~7,463 feet).

Once at Prusik Pass contour NW around the slopes at 7,400 - 7,300 dipping when needed due to rock features. You may find snow coverage early season and rocks late season.  Make your way past the Loreli Lakelets staying on the left (west) side. Continue heading north here and head up to the rib at 7,900-8,000. From just below 8,000 turn, heading NW up the steep slopes to the plateau.  Reach the Druid Plateau at 8,350 and the summit will now be in view. Head across the plateau, lots of water here early season when snow is melting. Take the western slopes to the summit block. 

Scramble the friction slab, via ramp located on the south side of summit boulder, that leads to the summit. See the white streak that goes down the middle, where folks have traveled before. Approach shoes or rock shoes can be helpful for some on the summit scramble. There are not a lot of features for hands and feet for this ~15 feet section. Also, having someone at the base spotting and calling out where to place hands/feet when coming back down can be very helpful. There are rocks near the base of the summit boulder that are great for enjoying the views and eating a snack. Depending on the time of year, you may even see a swarm of ladybugs enjoying the sunshine.

Retrace route on the descent. It's about 9 miles and 4,000 elevation gain to Snow Lakes (to the bridge leading up into the core), then 12.80 miles and 4,500 elevation gain round trip from western edge of Snow Lakes to Cannon summit and back to Snow Lakes. Then 9 miles and 450 elevation gain out back to the Snow Lakes trailhead.  

notes

• There are no trails to Cannon Mountain and getting to it involves significant cross country travel, initially through thick, steep brush, then steep snow, then a challenging ridge scramble to the summit block which is a friction slab.
• This scramble is for those who are very fit with extensive experience in all scrambling skills and with the fortitude to work through a goodly amount of miserable brush bashing and dead-fall hopping. 
• Generally the earliest would be late May (avalanche danger in high snow years) but normally by late June through late October (depending of course on the weather)
• All the routes into the Cannon Mountain area are feasible.  The North Couloir variation route that is off of Northwest Ridge gives the possibility of an early season hike/climb depending on if any avalanche danger is present.

• Suitable Activities: Scrambling
• Seasons: May, June, July, August, September, October
• Weather: View weather forecast

• Difficulty: Strenuous 5, Technical 4
• Length: 29.0 mi
• Elevation Gain: 8,976 ft
• High Point: 8,638 ft

• Land Manager: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests
  The Enchantments, Wenatchee River Ranger District (OWNF)
• Parking Permit Required: Northwest Forest Pass
• Recommended Party Size: 6
• Maximum Party Size: 8
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 8