McClellan Butte — Monday, Jul. 7, 2025

We attempted the butte about a month ago and after a postholing nightmare we turned around close the the summit ….we didn’t bring snowshoes. 
Fast forward to yesterday. Everything looks so different!  The avy chutes which seemed huge and super formidable were choked down with fresh vegetation and flowers. The crossings which were steep and hard were now easy walks across. What a pleasant experience in comparison. The gain up isn’t much different than Mt Si except Si is steady grade. McClellan offers some steeper grade here and there and a nice almost flat section as you wind around the mountain to the summit. Wildflowers are out in full force near the top but you didn’t come here to hear about that. What about the scramble?  Is is tough?  Scary?  Well that all depends on you!  I would say good grippy footwear is important. As you go up stay climbers left. There are a lot better foot and hand holds.  The exposure is real here. It’s a long ways down and a slip could be fatal so take your time. Keep three points of contact. Don’t get cocky thinking it’s an easy walk up. It is but often mistakes happen when we let our guard down. Once at the summit the 360 views of surrounding peaks and Mount Rainier are amazing. Bug spray will be your best friend this time of year. Enjoy your views and head on down. The way down requires just as much care. Hand holds and footholds should be secured before taking your next step. Walk, slide down on your butt while holding rock and repeat. Don’t go too fast down in a few minutes. Enjoy and be careful.