[wildernessed]

Location : SE of Winthrop, Wa. Access : SR 97 > Little Beaver Creek Rd > Finley Canyon Rd. > FR 300 Maps : Partial on GTM - Twisp and GTM - Loup Loup Stats : 5 mi, 2000' r/t

Finley Mountain 4591'

We had our eye on this after going up Leecher Mountain, to the South earlier in the year, and knew the views should be pretty good. Wildflowers and views would be even better, along with a decent forecast. We were able to drive the dry forest road to 3000', it was dry further up on the N side, to drive any further would have made it less of a hike than it already was, but it was off trail, and left us with time to do some needed recon up the Entiat River Valley. The skies were clear blue in Wenatchee, but after Chelan, we could see clouds to the North, we had sunshine for the most part going up the steepest part of the ridge (of course) and started to see rain bands, but remained untouched during our trip, though when the sun was eclipsed by the clouds, it cooled down quite a bit.

Wenner Lake (one of three, all private)

The hiking was predominantly open keeping on the high ground with a few saddles, some rocky areas, and the views were exceptional. While there are no official trails listed on any maps, and we didn't expect any we found a bike trail, and a rarely used hiking trail we intersected with and used occasionally. The bike trail starts about 100 yards South of where we headed up on the map and runs to the summit. Very nice trip, it was quiet the whole day, and as usual we saw no one.

End Mountain's northface has some really impressive relief.

Oval

Cheops

Gardner Ridge and Storey Peak

Storey Peak at the end of Gardner Ridge.

Reynolds

Finley Mountain_0307_edited-1

Robinson Mountain

Steve looking across the Methow Valley at the Sawtooths from End Mountain to Reynolds, to Gardner Ridge.

One of the many different faces of Hoodoo.

Looking right up the Methow Valley at Driveway Butte.

Part of Isabella Ridge, Big Craggy etc... up Eightmile Creek drainage.

Finleys lower south ridge

Big Craggy and peaks near Eightmile Drainage

Finley Mountain Pano 1

Sawtooths Pano

Entiat River Road Recon : The road is free and clear of snow to the North Fork Entiat Road intersection, the North Fork Entiat River Road is open at that intersection, beyond that I don't know we did not drive it. There is patchy snow on Entiat River Rd. after that to the 35 mile marker where it is impassable with 8" - 2' of snow on the road so your within 3 miles of the end. We did go up Tommy Creek Rd. along the North and East side of the ridge and got to about 3500' before we hit snow again up to 2'. The main determinant seems to be tree cover and recessed areas, because we walked the road higher and it was bare where there was no obstruction to sunlight. Campgrounds below Silver Falls were open.

[Highwalker's Daughter]

I always walk that Beaver Creek Road but haven't gone far up Finley - feel a little nervous as a lone female on a road people can drive. My in-laws live right across from the cemetary of Beaver Creek so I walk it whenever I'm there. No-one in that family is a walker/hiker so I'm always alone, but I truly enjoy the area. I'll have to go up Finley I guess. I'll be there this weekend so maybe I can talk someone in to walking some of it

[RichP]

Nice, Rob. It's amazing how much snow is still on those high peaks compared to the springlike conditions of your hike.

[wildernessed]

Yeah, it's been a cold to cool, windy Spring, not much liquid precipitation, and not much sunlight, there has been frost on the ground in the valleys still some mornings. It's been mainly in the 50's - with some 60's, but this weekend here come the 80's. But Rich, are you rubbing it in, just because those peaks are 3-4k' higher

[Hikingqueen]

Great photos, Ahh the North Cascades..I will see you again.. so many areas to hit this year...

[puzzlr]

Good to see you getting out grabbing some of those telephoto shots again.