Today was a classic fall day on the mountain, right up until winter decided to stop by for the afternoon.
The morning started cool and crisp, yet clear with a hint of sun, which made for great hiking weather. Beams of light filtering through the clouds lit up our western larches, which are just about hitting peak colors in the highest elevations. Lower down, the transition from green to gold is hastening along faster every day, with some trees fully gold and others working their way through the shades of lime green.
The walk up to Midway is gorgeous right now. There’s fall color all along the way, and the views into the bowl above showcase some of our densest and most colorful stands.
This afternoon I joined Carlos, one of our Tamarack Festival hiking guides, on the guided trek up to Lake Clara. It’s a stout climb of about a thousand vertical feet, and it was well worth the effort. Carlos brought his trademark enthusiasm, great vibes, and a real wealth of knowledge about the mountain. We had a big group making for some lively energy, but there was still plenty of room to slow down and enjoy the quiet. Along the lake, the larches are arriving at peak color, reflected beautifully in the serene water.
As the afternoon went on, winter decided to inject itself into the mix. Clouds rolled in and added some drama to the ridgeline, and then the flakes started falling, all the way down to the Base Area. That’s the first real flurry we’ve seen below 5,000 feet this year. The higher slopes picked up a visible dusting from the same passing showers.
More could be on the way tonight. While skies have partially cleared temporarily, the forecast is calling for snow showers overnight with around an inch of accumulation possible at the summit.
Those cold temperatures will keep pushing the larches along, and the peak color will continue working its way down the slopes over the coming days. Next weekend should be absolutely prime for larch viewing at those middle elevations – near Midway and just below Clara.
If you’re up here right now, Wandering Souls is just getting started after a great afternoon set from Micah J. Day two of Tamarack Festival has been a lively one, and thank you to everyone who came up to join us. Fall is entering its peak, winter just sent us yet another preview, and we’ll see you up here for the rest of Tamarack Festival. For all the details on the festival, click here.
Summit Forecast
Tonight 10/10: Snow showers. Low around 26. Light north wind becoming northeast 9 to 14 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of around an inch possible.
Sunday 10/11: A slight chance of snow showers before 11am, then mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Northeast wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph.
Monday 10/12: Sunny, with a high near 35. Northwest wind 1 to 5 mph.
Chair 5 Pub Schedule
Saturday 10/10: 11am–9pm
Sunday 10/11: 9am–2pm
Friday 10/16: 4–9pm
Saturday 10/17: 11am–9pm — This is the final day of Tamarack Festival, with live music, guided hikes, food, and activities for the kids, plus the Tamarack Festival Gear Swap in the Base Area from 2–6pm.
Sunday 10/18: 9am–2pm
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.
