Overview

8/22, Saturday, 8:30AM arrival

Silver Peak trail is one of the best hikes I’ve been on! I know it’s incredible when it makes me feel like I’m in an Lord of the Rings expedition.

Destination: Grand 360 summit view

Drive: 1 hr 15 min from Seattle

Distance: 6-7 miles normally, but I backtracked two times and parked some distance away from the trail head so it was 11 miles for me.

Worthiness: HELL YA! The trails are pretty with vibrant greenery and wild flowers. The summit view is impeccable.

Difficulty: It’s hard. There’s some Mount Doom looking trekking to do, and at the end there’s a scary I-will-die-if-I-slip scrambling. It’s the perfect hike if you’re feeling really adventurous, otherwise you’d not make it to the top.

Getting there

After getting off I-90, there’s some slower-speed-limit-driving that creeps up the mountain. Then, there is a sharp left turn with large chunky rocks. Despite driving a SUV, I decide not to risk it because that turn looks VERY rough. I park before that patch which was 1.7 miles away from the trail head.

There is a bit of signal there so I am able to start recording the hike on the Alltrails app. That is a life saver, or else I would’ve gotten lost so many times.

First Part: PCT

The start of the trail head diverges left from the main road and is not marked, so it’s important to have a map.

The first section is part of the Pacific Crest Trail and is very visually stimulating; the greenery has depth. It’s hard to explain but it’s way more interesting than the predictable switchbacks. There are beautiful little wild flowers and the trail is mostly shaded. Yet, the space feels very open. The incline is pretty moderate.

Second Part

Then there is a trail that diverges to the right and off the PCT. I am on the look out for the “small rock pyramid” but still missed it the first time because it is so unnoticeable, and have to backtrack.

On this trail, the incline gets steep and I can really feel it in my legs. It had been raining in the morning and the previous night. However, thankfully, the trail is not muddy.

My first uh-oh moment is at this steep section, where it’s essentially a wall that requires scrambling. I put on some big-girl pants and get over it and keep trekking.

Mount Doom thing

Eventually, I get to the bottom of this steep Mount Doom looking peak where there’s a faint zig-zag path over a mountain of loose rocks. Staring up from the bottom, I have my second tumultuous holy sh*t moment but I just gotta go slow and plant my steps with a turnout.

I thought this is the challenge. But no wait!…there’s more. This is only what they call the “false peak”.

The Scramble

The real challenge begins here. It’s a steep scramble all the way up to the real peak. In retrospect, that was so badass and exciting. However, this being my first scramble ever, I am just internally freaking out because I could actually fall to my death if I slipped. On the positive side, the rocks are big and sturdy enough to grab and climb on.

You’re you close. You have to do it. Get it together.

Summit

The peak is SO WORTH IT. My head is literally in and above the clouds. Is this why it’s called Silver Peak? I feel extra accomplished to have overcome my doubts.

Coming back down the scramble seems scary, but it feels way easier.

Things to pay attention to

• The hike is doable in running shoes but hiking shoes are highly recommended.
• You should check your map every time there’s a diverging path because chances are the right-looking path is the wrong path.
• Northwest Forrest Pass required.