Photo: The Pacific Crest Trail's Kendall Katwalk crests the ridge in fog.
I had never before hiked a trail just for a feature of the trail, and Kendall Katwalk was worth every step. A popular stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail, Kendall Katwalk is a mile-long segment that crosses a knife ridge just below Kendall Peak. Because of the steep slope near the crest, the trail had to be blasted out of the granite cliff. The valley floor, just one fatal step away, is about 1000' below. On a nice day, the ridgetop would offer nice views.
Today, however, the cloud level dropped to just above the trailhead and I was walking in mist, then rain. It definitely thinned the crowds. Once above timberline, winds whipped up from both sides of the ridge. My planned lunch at the summit turned into a wet sandwich with a wind chill of about 30F. But then, I like the mountains in fog, and I got some good photos.
This trail starts in woods at Alpental and at about 2 miles passes the abandoned Commonwealth Basin trail. At 3 miles you pass the last water until Ridge Lake, which is the first stop for northbound through-hikers on the PCT headed for Stevens Pass. If you get a late start, there are trailside camps at about 3 miles and again at 4.3 miles. At 3.5 miles is a clearcut (what were they thinking?) and a view up to the trail as it climbs toward Kendall Peak.
Getting there: Drive I-90 to the West Summit exit and turn north toward Alpental. A sign very close to the freeway guides you to the trailhead parking lot.
Stats: 5 miles to the Katwalk summit, elev. 5450'. Trailhead elevation 3000'. Quads: Snoqualmie Pass and Chiwaukum Mtns. Permits: As of this report, ALW permits were available by self-registering at the trailhead. That could change in 1997.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. Any trail can become very dangerous in winter conditions. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions. Please read Terms of Use.