Hex Mountain

Hex Mountain rises to 5,050 feet in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, accessed via the Salmon La Sac road east of Snoqualmie Pass. The tour follows a ridge route through low-angle terrain, making it a reasonable choice for early-season shakedown days when higher objectives carry too much avalanche risk.

The approach begins from a pullout just below the trailhead, climbing at a mellow grade that requires few switchbacks. The ridge route stays on lower-angle terrain, avoiding the steeper 35-degree slopes that flank either side. Snow coverage thins at lower elevations where bushes poke through, so timing matters: too early in the season and the base is incomplete, too late and the snowpack has consolidated above.

The descent follows the ridge for the best snow quality, though the low angle limits the thrill. Creek crossings in the valley below make loop options unreliable; plan for an out-and-back along the ridge. The skiing is mellow, the vertical is modest, and the terrain forgives mistakes. That is exactly the point. Hex Mountain is where you go to shake the rust off your skins and remember how your edges work before committing to bigger lines.

A Sno-Park pass is required. The road is typically plowed to the trailhead, with parking for roughly ten cars at the pullout.