Alpine Scramble - Mutton Mountain

We started on the trailhead on Road 7174 and set off at 7:45. We gradually descended the trail to the bridge across Deep Creek, and then hung a right onto the Deep Creek Trail. The trail pretty quickly enters the burned area from the Norse Peak Fire and most of the ridge up is all like this. However, all but one big blowdown have been removed and the trail has a nice tread and is easy to follow up until the snow line. The trail at times has gentle switchbacks and at times traverses the side of the hill up the ridge. Patchy snow began around 4000 feet and got consistent at 4300 feet. We were able to hike further up onto the ridge at 4700 feet which is where we put on the snowshoes. From here the ridge alternated between steep and level sections. We stayed right along the top of the ridge until about 5900 feet where the trail meets the Noble Knob Trail. This is around where the snow was getting softer and deeper. From here you can follow that trail due east as it cuts across a minor knoll above. We came to a grand view north toward the Stuart Range and Snoqualmie region, and to the east Mutton's bald summit awaited across a large basin. We dropped east into the basin and crossed through the basin, then right up the ridge of the open western slopes of Mutton to the summit a bit over 5 miles from the TH. The views are quite remarkable.

Heading down the snow got much softer so we kept our snowshoes on until we got to the end of the steady snow at the 4300 foot level. A bit over 10 miles RT with 3800' of gain in 7.5 hours. http://www.movescount.com/moves/move266725368