Kendall Peak 

• Destination: Kendall Peak (5784')
• Date: November 17, 2002
• Difficulty:  4-
• Payoff: 4
• Starting Point: Snoqualmie Pass, PCT North ( c.3000') 
• High Point: Kendall Peak Summit (5784')
• Round Trip Distance: c.10 miles
• Equipment: The ten essentials  
• Mountain Skills: Route finding (minimal)

This is a simple and easy ascent that took me about five hours round trip under non-ideal conditions. I arrived at the trailhead a little before 8:00am where there was a thin layer of slush suitable for swinging the back of my imported micro-SUV from side to side before parking. I started up the PCT heading north. I reached the junction where the old PCT branches right but decided to take the high and dry path known as the new PCT. I followed the PCT past the Commonwealth Basin Trail, then across an avalanche path, then on a long traverse to the north where there are two switchbacks NW of Kendall Peak. 

In the area of the second switchback (the PCT is again heading north), I left the trail and headed toward, then up a broad, shallow gully. The rain at the trailhead was now graupel and plenty had already fallen. There was snow below the several inches of graupel that had a melt/freeze crust. It was almost like a snow pack up there (unfortunately the forecast is for 8000' plus snow levels for the next several days). After reaching the top of the gully, I turned right expecting a "short scramble" but found nothing that resembled a scramble. Nothing in the immediate are seemed higher to the north but maybe to the south...

References:
Cascade Alpine Guide, Volume 1, 2nd Edition; Fred Beckey