Trip Date: December 10, 2006

Big Chief Mountain Snowshoe Climb

Yodelin Knoll
Big Chief Mountain (5858 ft)

Trip Report Summary

Region: Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Upper Icicle Mountains

Area: Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest

Starting & Ending Point: Old Yodelin Lodge parking lot on Highway 2 (Elev. 3600 feet)

Way Points: Yodelin Knoll & Big Chief Saddle & Big Chief Mountain summit (snowshoe trek)

Summit: Big Chief Mountain (snowshoe climb via North Ridge)

Approximate Stats: 4 miles traveled; 2800 feet gained & lost; 2.9 hours up; 1.7 hours down.

Full Trip Report

Here are some photos and map from Sunday’s snowshoe ascent of Big Chief Mtn with Eric. The weather on the west side of Stevens Pass was pretty grim (very rainy), but things improved immediately upon gaining the east side. We had intermittent light snowfall in the morning, heavy snowfall in mid-afternoon, and beautiful powder snow on the ground all day.

Starting at the old Yodelin Lodge parking lot, we ascended overgrown roads to Yodelin Knoll, then followed a delightful ridge crest southward for 1.5 miles to the summit. This crest features some interesting little horns and notches, but it’s definitely tractable.

We had partial clearing while on the summit, with Jim Hill Mtn, the Chiwaukum Mountains, and The Bull’s Tooth each making brief appearances.

For our descent, we cut most of the road switchbacks and enjoyed a direct romp down interconnected glades to reach the car.

Equipment Comments

For more information regarding the various equipment that I used for this particular trip and that I typically use for this type of trip, see my gear discussions and reviews on the following pages:

>>> Trail & Mountain Snowshoes

>>> Backcountry Ski & Snowshoe Packs

>>> Wintertime Comfort Accessories

Route Map

Photo Gallery

Click to enlarge…