Mt. Defiance

Push past the popular shores of Mason Lake to reach the expansive wildflower meadows carpeting the summit of Mt. Defiance as well as vast views of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness interior and the Snoqualmie Valley below.

Since it was first blazed in 1958, the Mason Lake Trail #1038 has had a reputation for being steep and dirty. Over the years thousands of boots had badly eroded the trail, and hikers were forced to negotiate long uphill stretches over rocks and boulders. At the urging of wilderness advocate Ira Spring, a new route was proposed to address the trail damage, the steep grade, and the rocky obstacle course. Between 2003 and 2004, a small army of volunteers in coordination with Forest Service made the trail a reality. With the passing of Spring in 2003, the new trail was dedicated the Ira Spring Memorial Trail.

There's a lot more to Mt. Defiance, and you can learn all about it in Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide, Hiking through History Washington: Exploring the Evergreen State's Past by Trail, and Washington Wildflower Hikes: 50 Destinations. You'll find a trail map, route descriptions, history, and more for this and many other hikes throughout the State. Help support hikingwithmybrother.com and the work we do by picking up a copy!