[Martin S]

Wonder Mountain is the highest point in the eponymous wilderness area in the southeast corner of the Olympics. As such it earns a place on the list of Washington wilderness high points so I thought it deserved a visit on this past sunny weekend. Armed with some helpful beta from Paul Klenke, I drove up the South Fork Skokomish to near Steel Creek and started out.

Wonder

Don't do like I did and succumb to the temptation to drive higher up the road up Steel Creek; you'll just have to bash your way down and across the creek anyway. Best to start from the road spur that's bermed just before crossing the creek. Follow a way trail across Steel Creek and immediately head uphill.

Wonder Mtn south slope. Ascent treed rib between the two streams, right of center.

I was expecting a serious battle with steep southern Olympics brush but was pleasantly surprised to find relatively open timber or bald rock outcrops most of the way. Just stay between the two brushy creek beds and go straight up.

Wonderous open timber

I hit a patch of slide alder at 4000 ft, veered left for a few hundred feet, and soon popped out in a big meadow.

Open meadow below summit

I ascended the meadow to the eastern edge of the summit labeled 4848 on the map and picked my way across the several candidate high points hidden in a mass of dense trees. At the western edge I spied this just to the west:

West summit from just below the central summit

Unlabeled on the map, it has a 4800 ft contour so is within striking distance of the elevation of the mapped high point. It sure looked like it could be higher so I decided to head over to it. Unfortunately there's a steep notch between the two summits, and I had to drop about 200 ft below the notch to find a way down into the gully leading up to the notch. From there it was steep slippery grass up to the notch, then some class 3 climbing with brush belays and a final scramble to the top.

Crux on the west summit

Here's the view back to the central summit; you make the call as to which is higher.

Looking east to the central summit(s) from the west summit

Whichever is higher, the western one is certainly the more interesting one. On it I found a summit register, placed in 1976, showing only 12 ascents since then. The most recent was 8 years ago. Surprisingly few visits for a peak you can drive to less than a mile from the summit.

Most recent page in the register

Headed back the way I came, down into the oppressive heat, humidity, and bugs. Time: 5 hours car-to-car.

[JVesquire]

Nice. I've been taking a look at this wilderness area for a visit this year.

[Phil]

Well done! In my first visit to that wilderness I made it to the summit ridge you describe but didnt find a way to get over to the register like you did. The route I took involved first switchbacking up the old road after steel creek, THEN straight uphill once the road ended. Got me up there but your route looks like a more ready way to get the summit.

[Stefan]

On a Monday? Hmmm... Anyhooo...great!

[iron]

[Martin S]

Oops, got the date wrong in the title. Fixed it. This was on Sunday. BTW, a few entries in the summit register talked about climbing the gendarmed west ridge. That looked... interesting, so I'd be curious to hear from anyone who did that.

[Sadie's Driver]

No WONDER no one goes up there . . .

[Magellan]

Awesome!

[ranger rock]

Interesting route, thanks for posting. I hope to get up there this year, maybe in September.

[HumpnoocheeGirl]

Thanks for the info and route instructions. The best I've seen for this spot yet.

[puzzlr]

If I ever find a reason to climb this (a long shot!) I'll be sure to use this report for beta! It's great to live in an area where there are more mountains than anyone could ever climb.

[ranger rock]

I'm headed up to the Lakes on Monday with another person for a one night trip. PM me if you want to join in on the fun.