[wildernessed]

Location : Twisp / Winthrop Area Maps : GTM : Loup Loup, Doe, and Tiffany. Wa. Gazetteer South Twenty Mile Peak 6670' hike, 5 mi, 850' r/t First Butte Lookout 5491' drive up (road open and snow free to the summit) Starvation 6772' drive up (road open snow free to the summit)

South Twenty Mile Peak 6670'

We knew the forecast was rain and t-storms, supposedly with a higher probability to the North, so we would play it by ear. Tuesday morning it was a dark overcast, every direction I looked, so I just drove to Steve's house as planned noticing on the way a high cloud deck >9k over the Enchantments, if nothing else we could recon the forest roads and take off points for some trips we were looking at. It was pretty warm and humid, but no sun. As we made our way up SR 153 and into the Methow, first the sprinkles, then the heavy rain, with a massive cloud over shadowing Loup Loup Pass - Granite - Starvation, that was option 1, hiking the SW ridge of Granite 7366' and seeing the status of the road and TH at Starvation, but it didn't look like it was going to end soon, but to the North blue skies and white clouds, so I asked Steve, "What about South Twenty Mile ?" a new peak and views into a lot of areas we were wondering about, so onward we went. After driving through a quiet Winthrop and leaving on the East Chewuck Rd. we could see where there had been washouts, now repaired, the same with Boulder Creek (Rd 37) where we also saw several slides that had come down and had recently been repaired. Boulder Creek was raging compared to normal. We followed Bromas Creek Rd (FR 800) which has been rerouted and could use some better signage, and never did see an official TH, but navigated towards the peak via GPS, stopped, and ran the ridge to South Twenty Mile Peak 6670'. The entire road and the hike to the summit was snow free.

Reynolds

We did stumble upon an old trail, unmaintained when we hit the main ridge, but this trail doesn't jive with the trail on the GTM, we passed some cows and headed for the high point through the ghost forest. We found no remnants of a lookout, but Steve went a little farther East and there were signs on some of the trees and a wide path / corridor which looked well kept, maybe they are abandoning the Western TH ?, It might be a better hike starting from Boulder Creek Rd. where this trail ultimately empties out and hiking in from the East. The views are spotty due to the trees except for a few open slope areas, and we had lunch on one of those while looking through the binoculars and taking pics.

Silver Star

Big Craggy

Sunrise

Steve on top of a big stump.

We had times where storms looked imminent then from somewhere, blue skies and sunshine, so this place panned out pretty well. It looks like Falls Creek, Farewell Creek, Lake Creek, and Andrews Creek drainages are free and clear for travel, though some of those stream crossings, such as Andrews Creek might be hazardous to your health about now. We left the way we came and on the drive back stopped at First Butte 5491' with great views to the West and North.

First Butte Lookout

Old Baldy

Big Craggy, West Craggy, and Eightmile Peaks

Big Craggy

Remmel

Isabella Ridge

Doe, Ike, Farewell with Billy Goat Pass to the left.

Tiffany

From there we made it back to Loup Loup and up FR 42 to FR 4235 all the way up to Starvation's summit 6772' which was free and clear of snow and in good condition until you hit the summit and there is a small patch that will be gone, but that you can go around. There are some great views a long the way, but incoming weather diminished them for us, again we checked out the TH and route from Starvation to Old Baldy.

Summit area of Starvation. Helipad, weather station, and TH to places North.

Not as much hiking as we would have liked, but we know where things stand around the area.

Cedar Creek Drainage - Kangaroo Ridge - Snagtooth Ridge - Silver Star - Vasiliki Ridge etc...

Cedar Creek Drainage

Isabella Ridge and Big Craggy

Looking Southwest at the Sawtooths from South Twenty Mile

Looking up Falls Creek Drainage with Doe-Ike-Farewll to the right and Billy Goat Pass in the distance

Looking West from Starvation

Sawtooths from South Twenty Mile Peak

Sunset - McLeod - Sunrise

Uniques view of Isabella Ridge Big Craggy and West Craggy from First Butte

West from South Twenty Mile

[raising3hikers]

Thanks for the report. As always, nice big wide open pics

[HitTheTrail]

You guys ever stay home? Not as much hiking as you would have liked? With all those destinations! Nice recon and set of beta photos for hiker's who follow. With that much snow on the flanks of Remmel I'll bet Andrews Creek is high. I remember how much trouble we had crossing it last summer when things were almost snow free.

[wildernessed]

Yeah, Andrews Creek would be a real show stopper right now, every creek and river we passed or crossed was full and flowing fast, but this should be the year for Cathedral, Amphitheater, and Apex as well as some of those other big guys and lakes back there.