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About this place
With an elevation gain of 3,556 ft, Baring Mountain is the third steepest peak in Washington. Challenging terrain makes for a great workout and rewards you with great views of the Central Cascades and adjacent valleys. This is also a popular base-jumping location.
Don't let the low mileage trick you – this is not an easy climb. Give yourself plenty of time to summit this beast of a mountain.
Starting at the Barclay Lake Trailhead, be careful not to jump onto the Barclay Lake Trail. The path to Baring Mountain is hidden down a path leading from the bathroom at the trailhead. Follow this path until you reach a creek, then look up the hill to your right. Your trail starts along the creek.
The first part of this trail consists of an 1800' elevation gain within a mile of climbing, and the trail being mostly roots, steep sections of dry loose dirt, or slick mud. At some points people have even set fixed lines to help you up, due to just how steep the terrain can be (see photo above). At the end of the mile, you will pop out onto a ridgeline.
Follow the ridgeline another mile, roughly, to the beginning of the next climb. You will ascend another 700' in the same type of terrain before you pop out at a nice rock shoot.
This rock section consists of grade 3 scrambling to climb the next 600'. Make sure to test the rocks before putting full weight into them, as a wrong step/grab could cause injury. At the top of this section, you will climb north to reach the summit.
There is still more scrambling to be had to reach the summit. Continue to follow the walls up until you have reached the top. A summit diary awaits for all who have made the journey.