Hiking Labyrinth Mountain near Stevens Pass
Contents
Labyrinth Mountain Hike Information
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8Km (5 Miles)
Elevation Gain: 800m (2,625 Ft.)
Highest Elevation: 1,907m (6,256 Ft.)
Average Gradient: 20.00%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Moderate / High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 4 – 6 Hours
– Moderate: 3 – 4 Hours
– Fast: 2 – 3 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: Yes
Season: Summer
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
Labyrinth Mountain Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 47°49’41.3″N 121°01’46.4″W
Labyrinth Mountain Overview
Labyrinth Mountain is a summit located near Stevens Pass in the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness, Washington. Thanks to the ability to park at around 1,150m, this short yet steep hike has a fairly high bang for your buck as it’s not long before you reach Minotaur Lake where the views open up for the remainder of the hike. From Minotaur Lake it’s a short climb up to Labyrinth Mountain, offering 360 degree views from the top.
The entire hike follows an obvious trail, with no scrambling required, and is fairly popular with campers thanks to the abundance of camping options around Minotaur Lake.
Access to Labyrinth Mountain is from Rainy Creek FSR off of US route 2. This FSR is mostly just gravel and should be suitable for all vehicles. Given the requirement to drive this FSR, Labyrinth Mountain is only accessible once the snowline has receded to a level where the FSR is snow free. As such Labyrinth Mountain is predominantly a summer only hike, with July to October the peak season. June may also work, but you’ll typically have snow to deal with along the way at this time of year.
There is no requirement to buy a Northwest Forest Pass for this hike, and it’s pet friendly as well.
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Is Labyrinth Mountain worthwhile?
Labyrinth Mountain offers some surprisingly good views relative to the effort required to get there. It’s a short, steep forest grunt to Minotaur Lake, after which the views open up and the remainder of the climb to the summit is a rewarding one, with nice panoramic views from the top. If you’re looking for a quick outing with a worthwhile reward, this is a great option.
How difficult is the hike to Labyrinth Mountain?
With a 20% average gradient there is no doubt this is a steep hike, however it’s also fairly short lived. It’s around a 500m climb up to Minotaur Lake, where most parties will stop for a break to enjoy the views, before circling the lake and climbing another 300m to the peak. With the ability to break this hike up into two sections, most parties should find it very manageable.
Technically speaking the hike is simple, with an obvious trail basically the entire time. At no point is there really any scrambling or exposure.
Labyrinth Mountain Route Information
The trailhead for Labyrinth Mountain is from Rainy Creek FSR off of US Route 2. The FSR is mostly well groomed, with the odd section of washboarding that you may have to deal with, though it shouldn’t cause any issues for anyone. The parking is really just on the side of the FSR once you reach the end, and there is plenty of space for many vehicles.
At the end of the FSR you will find a trail leading into the forest, where you’ll perhaps be in for a rude awakening as you’re immediately thrown into a steep forest grind. Over the first 1.5km or so you’ll ascend over 400m with nothing of interest along the way. The trail is easy to follow, though steep, so it’s just a matter of powering through.
After this steep grunt the gradient mellows off a little, with the dense forest giving way to stretches of meadows. Shortly ahead you’ll reach the southern tip of Minotaur Lake with the ridgeline behind acting like an amphitheatre. The trail to Labyrinth Mountain goes clockwise around the lake, but most parties will begin by going counterclockwise to a broad viewpoint of the whole lake and the ridgeline behind. This is a great place for a rest before continuing on.
When you’re ready to continue you’ll work your way back to the southern tip of the lake, hop across some rocks to cross the outflow of the lake, then continue following the trail as it works around the eastern side, mostly following flat trails. You’ll pass by a few campsites (with nice views!) as you follow a ridgeline with a steep drop down to Theseus Lake. There’ll be several viewpoints of Theseus and the mountains beyond as you hike along this stretch.
Soon enough you’ll leave the flat forest trail along this ridge and once again continue to climb. The forested section now gives way to open slopes of heather and boulders, with an obvious trail cutting through. There’s not much left now, it’s mostly just a case of putting one foot in front of the other once again.
The climb up to the summit becomes quite steep, but at no point are you really required to use your hands. You’ll eventually find yourself just below two peaks, wondering which one is the summit. The official summit is climbers right, though the summit climbers left was of identical height according to the altimeter on my watch.
The views from each summit are largely the same, and it’s easy to cross over from one summit to the next either way. On a clear day you’ll be able to see both Minotaur and Theseus Lake down below, with panoramic views in every direction. You’ll even be able to see Glacier Peak on a particularly clear day.
After resting at the summit you simply head back down the same way you came.
When should I hike Labyrinth Mountain?
As noted, Labyrinth Mountain is primarily a peak summer hike once the road has cleared of any snow. Even then, due to the steep climb to the summit you’ll probably want the whole hike to be free of snow, so most people will go between July and October.
Top Tip
In the early summer the bugs can be horrific on this hike, so don’t forget your bug spray, particularly between late June and mid-August when they’re usually at their worst.
