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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Location : 20 miles North of Winthrop, Wa. off West Chewuck Rd.
Access / Maps : GTM - Doe Mtn and Coleman Peak
Stats : 12.5 mi, 4600' r/t
North Twenty Mile Peak - Lookout 7437'
We had planned on driving up the night before and camping at Camp Four then hitting the trail early, but that didn't happen, so as we drove beyond Twisp we looked through the binoculars at the peak and while there was some snow on top it was very patchy. I remember looking over at it about a week ago and it looked open through my zoom lens across the long N-S ridge at the top. My main concern was the drainage below, but most drainages are opening at that elevation and Steve thought it might have been burnt out from the Tripod Fire awhile back.
We arrived at the access, the TH is actually .75 miles and 300' lower than what is shown on TOPO or the GTM. The road is bermed, but a sign points in the direction and a small parking lot exists.
The skies were blue, the sun was out, and hot, and we were heading on a steady uphill grade directly into it. The fire had indeed come through here and burned quite a bit of the forest out and though there were plenty of healthy trees left, we were left unshaded. There were maybe 4 very small side streams that will be gone in time and this will be a hot and dry trip.
Honeymoon Creek. The forest was thinned out down in the drainage, with a lot of ghost forest in sections up higher from the Tripod Fire.
We did have some breeze blowing up the drainage at times and down lower the open slopes made for some nice wildflower habitat, there was a section we came upon that had quite a few Rock Roses along it.
We eventually made our way up the trail which is in decent shape with an occasional blowdown and appears not to get much traffic to the upper plateauish ridge where we had to put on some gaiters and negotiate some remaining soft snow at times, but not much and finally up to the summit.
There are two Lookouts the original from the early 1920's and the taller one from the 1940's, the benchmak recognizes two distinct summits an East and West near each Lookout. The number of June bugs was incredible on each summit, so we had lunch between them on some large flat rocks. The spot was somewhat recessed and gave us some cover from the growing wind speed.
We went up to the top of the lookout which was open and walked around the sides getting unobscured views, it was incredible, then headed back down and just looked around and took our time. I don't think I have ever spent 1.5 hours on a summit on a dayhike, but it was just that nice, and the views were incredible.
Spur Peak Tiffany with Clark in the background. Windy Remmel Andrew Peak Lake Creek Drainage One drainage away and doable Kay, Coleman, Reed all 7.5k' peaks and Meadow Lake. Cathedral Big Craggy Nice angle on Reynolds. Cathedral, has to be done.
Eventually we made the return and once in the drainage the clouds moved in and the winds picked up, so good timing. Great day and trip.
A lot of wildflowerss down low, but thw wind through the drainage wasn't conducive to taking many pics. A section of the lower trail had Rock Roses everywhere. The most I have ever seen in a single stretch. North Tenty Mile and Lookout from about tewenty miles away. Burgett, Isabella Ridge, Big Craggy, Eightmile Peaks from the East Kangaroo - Snagtooth Ridge - Silver Star - Vasiliki Ridge Looking across the next drainage at Kay, Coleman, and Reed, all 7500' peaks. Pasayten Pano Summit Pano 1 Summit Pano 2 Rock, Middle Tiffany, Tiffany, Clark, and Freezeout Ridge from the North. Wowza !
Living in the Anthropocene
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twodogdad Member
Joined: 21 Nov 2006 Posts: 846 | TRs | Pics Location: seattle |
Impressive views: I'm surprised you got such a good view of Cathedral. A worthy outing.
In Summit Pano 3 (and the 3 separate shots that went into it) are the mountains, left to right, Tower - ?? - Robinson? N
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Those are quite a bit North and West of Tower, we are some 24 miles North of Winthrop, they are some big guys for sure. The zoom lens makes Cathedral look like an early morning dayhike with time to hit Apex, Andrew, Remmel, and Three Finger Jacks for lunch. Nice to get out and get some altitude.
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Magellan Brutally Handsome
Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 13116 | TRs | Pics Location: Inexorable descent |
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Magellan
Brutally Handsome
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Mon Jun 14, 2010 3:35 pm
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One of my favorites near Winthrop. It's fairly unique with two existing lookouts. I like the ancient potty also.
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BeyondLost Crazy Bob
Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 3601 | TRs | Pics Location: Whidbey Island, WA |
Sorry I could not give you any help with the road and trail conditions. Looks like you did just fine without my help.
Great day and great shots. Looks like rain and snow moving in here tonight so you made it there at just the right time.
I need to get up there before it gets too hot.
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loper Member
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 453 | TRs | Pics Location: seeking the sun |
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loper
Member
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Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:17 pm
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Gorgeous! Flowers and the views both!
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Movenhike \m/..mmmmetal\m/
Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 642 | TRs | Pics Location: Leavenworth, WA |
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Movenhike
\m/..mmmmetal\m/
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Mon Jun 14, 2010 7:30 pm
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Great report
"Make it your Friend" -John Bull
"Make it your Friend" -John Bull
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Eric Peak Geek
Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 2062 | TRs | Pics Location: In Travel Status |
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Eric
Peak Geek
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Mon Jun 14, 2010 8:41 pm
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Nice TR. Any chance for a pic of the old lookout?
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Eric wrote: | Nice TR. Any chance for a pic of the old lookout? |
I actually had half of the old lookout in a pano, Steve is going to send me some pics of the June bugs which were on both summit areas like a swarm of bee's, I'll have him forward a pic of the old lookout, it might be one of the oldest, maybe the oldest still standing.
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marzsit Dork
Joined: 29 Apr 2003 Posts: 884 | TRs | Pics Location: kent, wa. |
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marzsit
Dork
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Tue Jun 15, 2010 6:08 am
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actually, the oldest standing lookouts in washington are on mt. bonaparte and columbia mountain. both were built in 1914 but the one on bonaparte is in better shape....
the d6 cupola lookout on north twentymile was built in 1923.
the l4 tower was built in 1947.
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Eric Peak Geek
Joined: 21 Oct 2002 Posts: 2062 | TRs | Pics Location: In Travel Status |
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Eric
Peak Geek
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Tue Jun 15, 2010 9:45 am
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The ones on Columbia and Bonaparte may be older but to me they are far less interesting pyramid structures that look more like a shed or a cabin than a lookout. The North Twentymile cupola has got character.
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
June Bugs Rob on the new lookout deck. The old lookout.
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BeyondLost Crazy Bob
Joined: 07 Jul 2007 Posts: 3601 | TRs | Pics Location: Whidbey Island, WA |
OK I freely admit I'm not from around here.
But, is it a local custom to call lady bugs June Bugs?
June bugs every place I've ever lived are completely different.
http://www.cirrusimage.com/beetles_June.htm
IMO, June Bugs are nasty and Lady bugs are cute.
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
BeyondLost wrote: | OK I freely admit I'm not from around here.
But, is it a local custom to call lady bugs June Bugs?
June bugs every place I've ever lived are completely different.
http://www.cirrusimage.com/beetles_June.htm
IMO, June Bugs are nasty and Lady bugs are cute. |
I may be inaccurate again, but I have used the two terms interchangeably, there were so many that when you came close they flew off and onto you, so instead of picking a dozen at a time off we found the middle ground for lunch.
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HitTheTrail Member
Joined: 30 Oct 2007 Posts: 5455 | TRs | Pics Location: 509 |
Looks like another great hike. Nice pics and TR.
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