This morning, I ventured up to Midway via the Summer Road, a round trip jaunt of about 1.5 miles with roughly 500 feet of elevation gain. Leaving directly from the Mission Ridge Base Area, a trip to Midway is a great option for folks looking to get out on the mountain for an hour or two. The road is in good shape right now: dry and firm underfoot, but not yet dusty. It made for well-graded gravel walking all the way up to Midway.
The weather had a nice early-June feel to it. Cloudy skies hung over the mountain, keeping temps ideal for hiking, with just a few flecks of mist coming down now and then. As refreshing as the spring sun feels, I welcomed a bit of moisture to help keep the mountain looking green, fresh, and spring-like for a little while longer.
Despite the fairly short distance, the Summer Road offers up a lot of scenery en route to Midway. As it climbs out of the Base Area, the route opens up views down the drainage and across the slopes toward Castle Peak and Castle Face. Looking uphill, Wenatchee Mountain (Microwave) sits above the resort with the upper terrain unfolding below it.
The spring bloom continues to develop along the road as well. Right now, the purple shades of bushy penstemon are the dominant color in many spots, mixed with smaller flecks of red, blue, and yellow from other flora. The greenery has filled in quickly over the past couple of weeks.
By the time I reached Midway, the view up into the mountain’s main bowl was well worth the walk. The slopes that many of us think of as Chair 2 and Chair 3 terrain in winter are now looking fully settled into spring. The tamaracks have returned to bright shades of green across the mountain, from the lower elevations all the way up through the higher stands.
For anyone who wants a longer adventure from here, you’re in luck: the access road keeps going all the way up to the top of Chair 2, which would make for a roundtrip journey of just under 10 miles if you went all the way. But for me, it was time to turn back. I retraced my steps, popping out just above the Hampton Lodge about 20 minutes later.
Around the lodge, activity is returning in anticipation of the Chair 5 Pub’s summer re-opening, which is now just 2 days away. The tents are going up on the deck, the picnic tables and lawn games adorn the grounds, and Chef Rey is making his final preparations to start serving us up some delicious mountain dishes. We’re counting down till Friday at 4pm, when we’ll welcome everyone back to the lodge. Whether it’s food, drinks, or outdoor adventure that brings you up here this summer, we look forward to seeing you soon!
Base Area Forecast
Thursday 6/4: Sunny, with a high near 61. West wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Friday 6/5: Sunny, with a high near 55. West wind 13 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Saturday 6/6: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.
Sunday 6/7: Sunny, with a high near 58.
Chair 5 Pub Schedule
The Chair 5 Pub at Mission Ridge opens for the summer on June 5th! Standard hours are Fridays from 4pm–9pm, Saturdays from 11am–9pm, and Sundays from 9am–2pm. Visit the Operating Calendar to view a full schedule.
No chairlifts will run during the summer season.
Summer Access PolicyÂ
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.
