Seattle MAC Winter Scramble

Youth activity: Mountaineers Adventure Club

Seattle MAC Winter Scramble - Norse Peak

Join MAC for a scramble of a peak or summit in the Cascades which includes travel on rock, snow slopes, or has sections of steep off-trail terrain that is not easily categorized (such as scree, dirt, heather, etc). This trip has prerequisites, see leader's notes for details.

  • Strenuous 3, Technical 2, Snow Scramble, Winter Scramble
  • Challenging
  • Mileage: 8.0 mi
  • Elevation Gain: 2,900 ft

Trip Sheet and EAP to come

Weather ForecastsWundergroundNOAA

Prerequisites: Students need to have experience moving over snow with snowshoes, microspikes, and/or crampons and with winter recreation. Students should know how to self arrest using an ice axe.

Important Note: This is a more demanding scramble. Failing to bring the required gear will result in being turned back.

Borrowing Gear: If you need to borrow gear from the gear library, please let do so by filling out this from by February 18.

All cars will meet at the Norse Peak Trailhead by 7:30 am and start hiking at 8.  

Carpool signup. If you plan on driving, please offer open seats to other students.

Getting There: The trailhead is located at the beginning of Gold Hills Road. It is about four miles up Crystal Mountain Blvd and about 2 miles before the ski area.  Lat and long coordinates of the parking area: 46.96420, -121.48276

Northwest Forest Pass required for parking.

Route/Place

Norse Peak



  • USGS Norse Peak

    Green Trails Bumping Lake No. 271

    Green Trails Mount Rainier Wonderland No. 269SX
  • See full route/place details.
Roster
Required Equipment

Required Equipment

  • The Ten Essentials 
  • Leather hiking boots for snow or mountaineering boots
  • Microspikes
  • Crampons
  • Snowshoes
  • Gaiters
  • Poles (with ski baskets)
  • an ice ax
  • a helmet,
  • ski goggles
  • Full size backpacking packs (a day pack will not be sufficient)

  • Layers to be comfortable in cold or warm Winter weather.
    • thick leather mittens
    • lighter gloves
    • a balaclava or buff or something to protect their face in case of strong winds
  • Strong sunglasses and ski goggles

  • Sunscreen
  • Chemical hand warmers
  • Lunch, snacks, and 2 liters of liquid
    • a thermos of hot tea or soup is optimal
  • Any avy gear you own and know how to operate (shovel, probe, and beacon).
Trip Reports