"With fresh powder dropping everywhere of interest in the cascades, and still no snowshoes, my eyes turned to a few small knobs near Enumclaw. I started the day with St Paddy's Peak just South of Kanaskat-Palmer State Park. From 343rd Ave SE I took the second left and parked at the gate. It drizzled as the Automan and I ascended the grassy logging road the 1.3 miles to the summit. We were greeted with better views than expected from such a low peak. Next stop was nearby Baldy Hill, where I met up with 2 friends with a schedule for the day. It should be noted that the Hancock Timber Co. purchased this land from Weyerhauser and now charges for motorized and non-motorized access. After turning South up a well-beaten path just past the power lines, the hike turned into a serious bushwhack. This summit provides substantial views to the Southwest and Southeast, including Pinnacle Peak, Mud Mountain and The Three Sisters. While researching the hike I came across records of late 19th century newspaper articles which reported explosions and smoke from Baldy Hill, and speculated that it erupted. Three things are certain: 1. It has been confirmed that the peak was once volcanic..." — Jeb • Dec 22, 2012

"I had to be somewhere at noon today, but since I hadn't been able to hit the trail in a while I couldn't fight the urge to try and squeeze something in. My buddy Jake and I headed for St. Paddy's Peak first, hoping we would be able to access the old road to the top, but with a few backup plans in mind. Luckily it worked out and before we knew it we were standing in the clearing on the summit taking in the views of the surrounding peaks, all with a nice dusting of white on the upper half of them. You can see McDonald Mountain, Sugarloaf Mountain, The Issaquah Alps, and even Cedar Mountain, which I've never actually gotten a good vantage point of from anywhere before. There were traces of snow here and there, but nothing substantial. The road is covered in grass and MUDDY. " — Al-Rashid • Dec 21, 2012