Forum Index > Trip Reports > Twin Peaks Fall Loop 10/6
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wildernessed
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Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostSun Oct 07, 2007 6:34 pm 
Location : Wenatchee Access : Miller St. to end of #2 Canyon Rd. Maps : GTM - Mission Ridge / Wenatchee, Custom TOPO Stats : 7 miles, 2200', 6.5 hr
Twin Peaks Loop
Twin Peaks Loop
I wanted a scenic, fair weathered, leisurely, fall hike so this area that I have visited from most every direction, and offers beautiful terrain and views sounded just right and Steve thought so to. up.gif We were on a slow paced, late start (0900) hike meandering here and there with an early temp in the mid fifties under partly cloudy skies. We started on the old forest road lined with colorful brush and trees...
A.M. colors
A.M. colors
Elderberries
Elderberries
Eroding basalt rock formations.
Eroding basalt rock formations.
Pleasant fall road walk.
Pleasant fall road walk.
It isn't far to the beginning of the lower meadows...
Lower meadow and old homestead site.
Lower meadow and old homestead site.
Leaving the road to explore the meadow.
Leaving the road to explore the meadow.
Where we left the road and walked through the tall grass of the meadow enjoying the changing colors of brush, aspen groves etc...
Meadow
Meadow
Meadow
Meadow
PICT0012-1_edited
PICT0012-1_edited
Aspen Grove in the tall meadow grasses.
Aspen Grove in the tall meadow grasses.
Mission Ridge / Peak
Mission Ridge / Peak
We walked West until we came to a tree line and regained the flat road which was in excellent shape. We gained our elevation using it all the way to the North summit...
Fall color on the slope.
Fall color on the slope.
Fall color on a slope.
Fall color on a slope.
Meadows to the SE.
Meadows to the SE.
Looking at the SE ridge and the Columbia River.
Looking at the SE ridge and the Columbia River.
Sweet view across the W. side of Twin Peaks.
Sweet view across the W. side of Twin Peaks.
Twin Peaks South summit  4621' from it's North Summit 4586'
Twin Peaks South summit 4621' from it's North Summit 4586'
We took in the views which usually stretch from Mt. Rainier to Glacier Peak and beyond, but today were limited due to cloud cover to more local sights, then hiked over to the South summit which is slightly higher.
Miller Peak.
Miller Peak.
Ingalls Creek Basin with Three Brothers to the left and cloud enshrouded McClellan Peak and Little Annapurna.
Ingalls Creek Basin with Three Brothers to the left and cloud enshrouded McClellan Peak and Little Annapurna.
Foothills to the South with Mission Ridge and Lillian Ridge in the background.
Foothills to the South with Mission Ridge and Lillian Ridge in the background.
Early Larch changes.
Early Larch changes.
Snow dusted Three Brothers.
Snow dusted Three Brothers.
Steve walking along the  S. summit area.
Steve walking along the S. summit area.
The wind had died down and the sun was out, it was quite pleasant, so we had a unhurried lunch and enjoyed the views. In time we decided to head South via a ridge, which was going our way and seperates the Wenatchee area from the Cashmere area of the foothills. We figured we would drop down to the meadows and wander through them before looping back. To our surprise there is a unmarked, unofficial trail that is in great condition that we came upon and we followed it the entire way. This would be real nice in the Spring or Fall on a bluebird day, the ridge offers frequent views into the Teanaway - Ingalls Creek - Enchantments - Icicle Ridge areas and beyond.
View West across foothills.
View West across foothills.
Lower meadows and Aspen Groves from the S. shoulder of Twin Peaks.
Lower meadows and Aspen Groves from the S. shoulder of Twin Peaks.
New trail we found leading along the ridge towards the lower meadows.
New trail we found leading along the ridge towards the lower meadows.
A sweet trail we found winding it's way along the ridgeline.
A sweet trail we found winding it's way along the ridgeline.
Looking W. from Twin Peaks S. ridge.
Looking W. from Twin Peaks S. ridge.
Section of the trail we found running the ridgeline.
Section of the trail we found running the ridgeline.
Foothills S. of Cashmere, Sheep Rock (center) with cloudy views of Teanaway to Icicle Ridge.
Foothills S. of Cashmere, Sheep Rock (center) with cloudy views of Teanaway to Icicle Ridge.
Following the easy ridge from the Twin Peaks summit  S. towards a 3900' highpoint.
Following the easy ridge from the Twin Peaks summit S. towards a 3900' highpoint.
Mission Ridge / Peak from a ridge seperating Wenatchee from Cashmere.
Mission Ridge / Peak from a ridge seperating Wenatchee from Cashmere.
We dropped down off the ridge at an unmarked trail jct. just North of a 3900' highpoint and descended down into the meadows again.
Tall grass of the meadow.
Tall grass of the meadow.
Another Aspen grove in the meadow.
Another Aspen grove in the meadow.
Aspen grove
Aspen grove
Twin Peaks in the distance.
Twin Peaks in the distance.
Got Elderberries ?
Got Elderberries ?
Loooking through the colorful meadow at the SE ridge of Twin Peaks.
Loooking through the colorful meadow at the SE ridge of Twin Peaks.
Highpoint along the ridgeline circling the meadows.
Highpoint along the ridgeline circling the meadows.
Aspens near the mouth of the meadow.
Aspens near the mouth of the meadow.
After exploring some more in the pleasant falll weather we found a trail that took us back to the forest road we came in on and were back to the TH (forest road gate) shortly after that.
Rocky prominence near TH.
Rocky prominence near TH.
Cliff and fall color near the TH.
Cliff and fall color near the TH.

Living in the Anthropocene
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Scrooge
Famous Grouse



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 6966 | TRs | Pics
Location: wishful thinking
Scrooge
Famous Grouse
PostSun Oct 07, 2007 7:36 pm 
...... smile.gif ......... Nice one, Wildernessed. One of my favorites, only I always do it the day of the Apple Blossom Festival parade. Circumnavigating Horse Lake Mountain That's my TR from last spring. A few of the pictures should look familiar. Most years I do a route that's more like the one you just completed.
2004 Horse Lake Mountain loop
2004 Horse Lake Mountain loop
balsamroot
balsamroot
Only the last few years I've started leaving the road at the meadow and cutting across to the ridge to intersect that bike trail. A couple of times I've even met bikers on it, though for some reason they're always coming down. winksmile.gif You said you've visited the area "from most every direction". Me too. agree.gif To the point that I'm having trouble finding new variations. I've run all the connecting ridges from Yaksum over by Monitor to Horse Lake to Castle Rock to Saddle Rock to the the Pitcher and the Cockscomb ........ with variations. rolleyes.gif Every spring it's how I find out what condition I'm in. So far so good. For the rest of you, it's a great place to wander. When the mountains further west are still buried in snow, Horse Lake Mountain's 4600 foot summit is usually completely snow-free by May 1st. ....... And odds are the balsamroot will be in bloom.

Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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wildernessed
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Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostSun Oct 07, 2007 10:07 pm 
Sweet Scrooge, Now we came down into the meadow, but could see the trail went up to the 3900' point. Does that trail follow the ridgeline around the meadow and drop down as you have in your map ? We did a monster dayhike from the NE ridge starting at Sage Hills TH, you could connect both and have quite the hike. Without the clouds the unobscured views are just fantastic along with the diverse terrain all around you.

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wildernessed
viewbagger



Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostSun Oct 07, 2007 10:08 pm 
Earl Peak
Earl Peak
View to the South of Twin Peaks
View to the South of Twin Peaks
tView to West of Twin Peaks
tView to West of Twin Peaks

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Scrooge
Famous Grouse



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 6966 | TRs | Pics
Location: wishful thinking
Scrooge
Famous Grouse
PostSun Oct 07, 2007 10:47 pm 
Wilderness asked
Quote:
Does that trail follow the ridgeline around the meadow and drop down as you have in your map ?
There's a very short stretch over the last knob (it would be about Point 3780) where there's no real trail (but there's always deer tracks). The route from the knob is down this slope ......
route down    :)
route down wink.gif
....... and while you're coming down you can see the spur that will take you to the saddle where the No 2 Canyon Road crosses the ridge (which is what I followed to close the loop). You can also continue across the saddle following another spur, which turns into a trail .......
Spur at top of No 2 Cyn
Spur at top of No 2 Cyn
Ridge line track
Ridge line track
....... but parts of it you've just got to follow the ridge; other places you pick up spurs that provide access to continuations of the ridge. Eventually you go past the Pitcher above the Herd farm, and then on around to Saddle Rock.
Herd farm from near the Pitcher
Herd farm from near the Pitcher
Saddle Rock
Saddle Rock
That loop I did the TR on was pretty much the reverse of your Sage Hills hike. I prefer to get a lift up to the gate on No 2 Canyon, so I only have to do that half of the 4000 feet going downhill. biggrin.gif I do envy you the fall hike. When ever I get over there at this time of year, the grandkids have always got sports or a show or something that takes precedence over Grandpa's hiking. agree.gif

Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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Get Out and Go
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Joined: 13 Nov 2004
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Location: Leavenworth
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Member
PostMon Oct 08, 2007 8:13 am 
Rob, I like the picture "Pleasant Fall Road Walk". Looks more relaxing than my situation on Saturday...Ah, Well...The people must be served drink.gif and served drink.gif and served drink.gif dizzy.gif dizzy.gif dizzy.gif

"These are the places you will find me hiding'...These are the places I will always go." (Down in the Valley by The Head and The Heart) "Sometimes you're happy. Sometimes you cry. Half of me is ocean. Half of me is sky." (Thanks, Tom Petty)
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wildernessed
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Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
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PostMon Oct 08, 2007 1:03 pm 
I do envy you the fall hike. When ever I get over there at this time of year, the grandkids have always got sports or a show or something that takes precedence over Grandpa's hiking. _ Scrooge We will have to try and remedy that next Spring, when the wildflowers are out, then the views over the foothills into the mountains to the West. up.gif GOG that would be a good early season trip. Me and three old guys, I'll bring the portable defibrillator just in case. embarassedlaugh.gif

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Scrooge
Famous Grouse



Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 6966 | TRs | Pics
Location: wishful thinking
Scrooge
Famous Grouse
PostMon Oct 08, 2007 2:24 pm 
Get Out and Go wrote:
Rob, I like the picture "Pleasant Fall Road Walk".
To which Wildernessed replied
Quote:
GOG that would be a good early season trip.
And Scrooge added, "See". wink.gif
Spring
Spring
Fall
Fall
edit - No defibrilator for me, but I may have to get a cart to push my oxygen bottle. ...... It should be quite a trip. dizzy.gif

Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you....... Go and find it. Go!
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