88. Three Way, 6796' (S)
Three Way Peak is a challenging scramble. Though the route is 90 percent on trail and footpath, the final ridge approach has modestly challenging rocky outcroppings and some exposure on the summit block. Three Way is not named on USGS or Green Trails maps but is named and described in Fred Beckey’s Cascade Alpine Guide, volume 1. Three Way is named for the three boundaries that come together on the peak (MRNP, Pierce, and Yakima Counties) and perhaps for the three ridges leading to the summit.
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Driving
Drive SR 410 4.1 miles south of the Crystal Mountain ski area turnoff to the Crystal Lakes trailhead. Park on either side of the road. Park entrance fee is not required.
Route
Leave from the Crystal Lakes trailhead (elevation 3520'). In 1.4 miles (elevation 4600'), the trail divides, with the left branch going to Crystal Lakes. Go left and reach Lower Crystal Lake at 2.5 miles from the trailhead and Upper Crystal Lake at 3 miles. At Upper Crystal Lake, go left partway around the lake until you come to an obvious footpath heading left at a bearing of approximately 45 degrees. Continue on this footpath until you reach a saddle. From the saddle, continue on the footpath, dropping 100' until you intersect the Pacific Crest Trail. Once on the PCT, head in a northerly and northwesterly direction until you are directly south of the col (and about 200' below it) on the east ridge of Three Way. Leave the PCT and scramble northerly to this col. From the col, turn west to the summit. Initially you will encounter some rocky outcroppings, which are modestly challenging to work through. (Henry Romer reports skirting the rocky outcroppings staying on the loose slopes to the left, before finding a gully route up to the flatish ridge.) Beyond the rocky outcroppings, there is easy going on the flattish sandy ridge leading to the summit block. The Three Way summit block and final 50' are somewhat exposed but not technical.
An alternate approach (especially if you are only climbing Three Way) is to leave from Chinook Pass and hike the PCT past Sheep Lake and through Sourdough Gap. This route saves about 1000' of elevation and is less than 8 miles round-trip. It is also possible to do a traverse entering from Chinook and exiting via the Crystal Peak trailhead. One could also pick up Silver King after climbing Three Way. Of course, cars would need to be set at each trailhead.
Comments
Three Way Peak can easily be combined with Silver King for a two-fer. The two peaks would make for a 4500' (3500’ if approaching from Chinook Pass) 9.5-hour day. We recommend helmets for the final approach from the col to the peak, and a scramble rope would benefit scramblers uncomfortable with exposure.
Vital Statistics: Three Way
Skill: Difficult scramble
Beauty: 8
Effort: 7
Round-trip distance: 8 miles; 10 miles with Silver King
Elevation gain:
3600'; 4500' with Silver King;
2600' via Chinook Pass
Total time: 7 hours; 9 hours with Silver King
Best season: July through September, or first snow
Equipment: Scramble gear, helmet
Three Way Topo
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Three Way Photo
Off-trail route from Pacific Crest Trail