At Snoqualmie Pass the trailheads were in the same place as today, but prior to the 1960s the trail north followed Commonwealth Creek upstream to Red Pass (a trail built in 1890 by a prospector and repaired by The Mountaineers in 1921), then a treacherous steep drop to Goldmeyer Hot Springs (where "hippies" burned down the lodge in 1969). Then it followed the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River up to Dutch Miller Gap, around Lake Ivanhoe, and down to Waptus River bridge where it connects with today’s PCT.
The alternate route was to depart the current trail at Stampede Pass. Today that is Forest Road 54, then Kaches Lake Road to the trailhead of Little Kachees Trail, to the Mineral Creek Trailhead on Cooper Road, dropping down to the west end of Cooper Lake, then hiking straight up Tired Creek over Polallie Ridge, through Waptus Pass to the east end of Waptus Lake.
From Waptus Lake both routes followed the Trail Creek Trail to the Cle Elum River valley just downstream from Hyas Lake, then up to Deception Pass where it connects to today's PCT. North of Deception Pass the PCT follows the old CCT route to Stevens Pass.
By 1962 most people were avoiding the treacherous descent from Red Pass to Goldmeyer by instead hiking to Snow Lake and descending the Rock Creek valley to the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River. Today that is still a wonderful route (prepare for crowds up to Snow Lake).
The final route change was completed in 1978 with the completion of Kendall Katwalk and the section of trail from Snoqualmie Pass to Waptus Lake via Spectacle Lake.
Note, the PCT south from Snoqualmie Pass to Lodge Lake is the route created in 1919 to access The Mountaineers lodge there.
In 2009 a spring flood wiped out a 50' bridge over Lemah Creek (on the new route) and that bridge has never been replaced.
Go to Red Pass to Suiattle Pass
