To celebrate the end of the week, I hiked a short loop past Midway via the Squilchuck and Pipeline Trails. This jaunt of just under 3 miles and 500 feet of vertical gain was just right to get some fresh air outside without overexerting myself as I seek to recover from an embarrassing ultimate frisbee induced injury.
Leaving from the Mission Ridge Base Area, I started off on the Squilchuck Trail and was soon ascending steadily into the forest. This beautiful stretch of trail never gets old. As we meander into early July, the trail remains bustling with life. Today’s highlight was a pair of Western Tanagers, including the male with his recognizable fire-orange head and flash yellow-and-black plumage. I paused for a few minutes to watch them as they flitted about the conifers.
Lining the trail nowadays are a new crop of flowers: monkshood, Columbia lilies, and the early stages of some fireweed blossoms.
About about half a mile in, I hooked left onto the Pipeline Trail. The Pipeline stays pretty flat as it works its way back toward the ski area boundary. This section is smattered with lupine and paintbrush at the moment as it traverses the mountainside.
Eventually, I intersected the Summer Road, following it another quarter mile or so up to Midway. Here, the shady forest is traded for sunnier openings, providing sweeping views into the Mission Ridge Upper Basin.
On the drier and rockier aspects lining the Summer Road, we’re seeing fleabane (that little daisy-shaped flower with the yellow center and purple petals) and scarlet gilia adorning the undergrowth.
I returned via the Summer Road, a simple 3/4 mile descent that ends right by the Hampton Lodge. This route was a good use of an hour or two on a beautiful sunny day on the mountain. If you’re looking to get to Midway via a shadier route that feels a bit more secluded, here’s an excellent alternative that adds just a mile or so to your roundtrip journey as compared to a traditional Summer Road ascent. We’re excited for a great holiday weekend here on the mountain!
Base Area Forecast
Saturday 7/4: Sunny, with a high near 70. West wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Sunday 7/5: Sunny, with a high near 73. West wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable.
Chair 5 Pub Schedule
The Chair 5 Pub will be closed on the Fourth of July, but we’ll be open for our regular Friday and Sunday hours: Friday (7/3) from 4–9pm and Sunday (7/5) from 9am–2pm. Hope to see you up here for some part of the holiday weekend!
No chairlifts run during the summer season.
Summer Access Policy
During the summer season (May–October), public access within the Mission Ridge Special Use Permit area is permitted except where restricted due to maintenance and construction. We love seeing the Mission Ridge community in the mountains and on the trails year-round, but please make sure to check out the full access policy by clicking the link below.
