Trip Date: October 2-5, 2014

GOLDEN LARCH OUTING:  SAWTOOTH MOUNTAINS

North Sawtooth Climbing Trip & Trail Traverse:  Prince Creek to Purple Creek

Lake Chelan / Prince Creek Landing
Star Pass
Baldy Mountain (7810 ft)
Star Peak (8690 ft)
Star Lake
Fish Creek Pass
Courtney Peak (8392 ft)
Gray Peak (8082 ft)
Lake Juanita
Boulder Butte / Lookout (7350 ft)
Purple Pass
Stehekin Landing

Trip Report Summary

Region: North-Central Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Sawtooth Mountains

Areas: Lake Chelan – Sawtooth Wilderness & Lake Chelan National Recreation Area

Starting Point: Chelan Lakeshore Trailhead at Prince Creek Landing on Lake Chelan (Elev. 1100 feet)

Way Points: Prince Creek & North Fork Prince Creek Shelter & Star Pass & Star Lake & East Fork Fish Creek & Tuckaway Pass & North Fork Fish Creek & Deephole Springs & Deephole Pass & Lake Juanita & Purple Pass & Purple Creek (trail hike)

Ending Point: Purple Creek Trailhead at Stehekin Landing on Lake Chelan (Elev. 1100 feet)

Campsites: North Fork Prince Creek Shelter & Star Lake Meadow & Lake Juanita

Summit: Baldy Mountain (off-trail hike & rock scramble via Northeast Ridge)

Summit: Star Peak (off-trail hike & rock scramble via Southwest Ridge—West Spur)

Sidetrip: Fish Creek Pass (trail hike)

Summit: Courtney Peak (rock scramble via Southeast Ridge)

Sidetrip: Tuckaway Lake & Horseshoe Basin & Oval Pass (trail hike)

Summit: Gray Peak (off-trail hike via Northwest Ridge)

Summit: Boulder Butte (hike via Lookout Trail)

Approximate Stats (excluding sidetrips): 31.5 miles traveled; 10,000 feet gained; 10,000 feet lost.

Approximate Stats (including sidetrips): 39 miles traveled; 14,700 feet gained; 14,700 feet lost.

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Full Trip Report

For this year’s Golden Larch Trip, I headed into the Sawtooth Mountains with Fay, Doug H, Steve, Deb, and Eileen. The larch trees rolled out their best autumn regalia for us, and the weather was a bit unsettled but generally mild.

Day 1: Fields Point to Prince Creek to Prince Creek Shelter

We rode the Lady of the Lake to Prince Creek Landing, then hiked up the Prince Creek Trail. This is a wonderful old trail that mostly stays high above the creek, traversing steep slopes and rocky outcrops on natural or cut ledges. Despite not getting much traffic, it remains in very good condition. We encountered a few downed logs across the trail, and there are no bridges at the two crossings of Prince Creek, but these issues were no problem.

Day 2: Prince Creek Shelter to Star Lake + Baldy Mtn + Star Peak

We all continued northward along the Sawtooth crest trail until reaching Star Pass. Doug made an early push onward to Oval Peak, whereas the rest of us hiked and scrambled up nearby Baldy Mountain. This is a modest summit, but it delivers excellent views in all directions. I particularly admired the Chelan, Entiat, and Stehekin Mountains laid out end to end to end, in one continuous chain of high peaks.

After returning to the saddle, Fay headed off to a northerly solo camp, which would put her in good position to climb Twin Peaks the next day. Steve, Deb, Eileen, and I scrambled up Star Peak—the crown jewel of the Sawtooths, in my way of thinking.

In late afternoon, we marched into Star Lake basin (7.5 hours from Camp 1) below the huge cirque of Star Peak. There are unlimited camping options in the vast meadows here.

Day 2 (Late PM): Courtney Peak

With a couple hours until dinnertime, we took a sidetrip up to Fish Creek Pass and on to the summit of Courtney Peak. Oval Lakes and Star Peak are quite striking from here.

Back at camp, we hooked up with Doug, who had just returned from a successful jaunt out to Oval Peak. It was a warm evening, and the setting sun turned the Star Lake basin ablaze with larch color.

Day 3: Star Lake to Lake Juanita + Gray Peak

We proceeded northward along the crest trail for a few miles until reaching a side trail that took us up to Horseshoe Basin, Tuckaway Lake, and Oval Pass. A well-trodden path led up to the summit of Gray Peak. This excellent viewpoint probably offers more reward for your effort than any other vantage point in the Sawtooth Mountains.

Our afternoon was spent hiking through beautiful grassy meadows and larch basins enroute to Lake Juanita. Dark clouds moved overhead, threatening serious rain, but they never produced anything more than heavy sprinkles. We arrived at the lake basin around 6pm, finding that Fay had our camp waiting (9.4 hours from Camp 2).

Day 4: Lake Juanita to Stehekin to Fields Point

The morning was clear and mild, prompting all of us to hike up Boulder Butte for one last rooftop view. From this former lookout site, a line of 8000-foot peaks rises straight up from the western shore of 1100-foot Lake Chelan. Morning sun brought out exquisite textures and colors in the hillsides. The only downer was knowing that we needed to plunge over 6000 feet in order to catch our boat back home.

If there is a way to drop 6000 feet with minimal pain, I suppose the Purple Pass Trail might be it. This well-maintained trail gets the job done with great efficiency…and continually great views down to Lake Chelan. We strolled into Stehekin minutes before noon to end a splendid Golden Larch Trip.

Route Map & Profile

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Photo Gallery

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