McClellan Butte
Hiking with a bit scrambling to a accessible peak near North Bend
Chutang and I originally planned to climb Gunn Peak today. But when I woke up around 5 a.m., the forecast showed about 0.1 inches of rain every three hours across most models. We decided to switch plans and pick a closer, easier peak that also happens to be on the Smoot list—McClellan Butte.
We arrived at the upper trailhead just around noon. The road to the trailhead is a bit rough, so I’d recommend a higher-clearance vehicle. The parking is very limited on upper trail head, I would say around 4 cars. Starting from the lower trailhead only adds about 600 feet of gain, so it’s not a big deal if you park there.
The trail was in surprisingly good condition, and it stayed that way all the way to the summit. At the end of the trail, there’s a short scramble with minor exposure. It’s very straightforward—mostly easy class 2 terrain. It even looks like someone has carved or improved small ledges into the rock, which makes the scramble feel more trail-like. It is easier than Mount Si. I think most decent hikers who aren’t afraid of heights would have no problem making it to the top.
