Mount Daniel (Ellensburg)

Mt. Daniel is an easy summit, great for a "First Summit". A six mile hike from the trailhead will take you to the first of three possible campsites. The hike is straightforward, except for a traverse under cathedral rock that demands attention. This campsitem on a grassy field, has good access to running water, and is a 15 minute walk from the the permanent snow fields. Another possible campsite, is up by the lower snowfields. The third possible camp, is about 20 minutes (without a pack) up rock and snow terraces. This put you right at the base of an enormous snow bowl. From any of these camps, you continue into the snow bowl. From ther you can continue up to the right, up a 45 degree gulley. After the gulley, you turn left and head up a snowslope with a nice runout up to the East Summit. From there you traverse down the South to a gap in the ridge, where you cross over the ridge, This is where the second route meets the first route. The second route bears left in the snowbowl, and continues up a gentle slope, not requiring ropes. From there, you traverse right until the notch in the ridge. From the ridge it is a short rocky traverse on an at times non-existent path. From there a short snow slope takes you to the final level ridge to the summit. The true summit is about 40 feet up loose grade 5 rock.