[wildernessed]

Location : Twisp, Wa. Access : SR 97 > Twisp River Rd. to the end just before Roads End CG Maps : GTM - Stehekin Stats : 9.2 mi, 3500' r/t

Lincoln Butte

Hit the Trail and I were on the trail a little later than we hoped, but before 0900 under mostly cloudy skies so it was a cool and not so sun baked start up the Twisp Pass Trail with some light winds. We made good time up a long the Lower East flank of Lincoln Butte with great views up the South Fork Twisp River Valley and the surrounding peaks and increasing wildflower displays all the way to the Pass.

Lincoln Butte from the trail early on.

We headed North at the Pass on the trail, then veered off and around the tarn, which was full for this time of year and did a rising traverse up to the saddle which is actually just a break in Lincoln Buttes ridgeline.

Rising traverse from the tarn near the Pass.

We had looked at the mountain and considered going to the top of the break and the over to an open vegetated gully, but somewhere a long the way with all the brush, we decided to head up steeper, quicker, using the path of least resistance. I don't know that we accomplished any more efficiency, but we did get to a point where the ridge widened out, kind of, in time, and it was more interesting.

Path of least resistance.

Hit the Trail scrambling through the crap.

Once high we moved sideways and came upon on a high flat area only to rise up and find the true summit was still farther beyond.

Lincoln Butte 7065' summit area

We scrambled over towards it and saw the vegetation filled gully we were going to take from below, and it looked like a possible climbers path might have been winding up through there, still crossing over to the true summit through another break in the ridge we saw another gully right next to the summit that appeared to go all the way down, and you could see the trail. Once on the summit the views were nice, the sun had come out, all though there were low clouds draping some of the peaks, but it was warm and the winds were calm. A relaxed lunch and picture were in order.

Gilbert

Black

Goode

Looking through the break in Licoln Buttes ridgeline back at Jack knife and Switchblade peaks.

Twisp (near) and Hock (background) peaks

Crescent Mountain highpoint 7900', higher than the benchmarked summit.

Twisp Pass - Bridge Creek Drainage

Copper Pass - Kangaroo Ridge - Early Winter Spires - Liberty Bell - ?

Wallaby

Hit the Trail enjoying lunch and views.

Copper

Beaner Lake in Crescents North flank.

Gilbert summit

Upper Twisp River Valley

Crescent Mountain summit.

Dagger Lake

When it was go time we decided to go after looking at the topo lines on the maps, and getting a pretty good view of the length of the gully, it was steep, but not to steep and no cliff lines. So we headed down through the usual gully crap, and everything went well for m until we hit about 6" grass on top of loose dirt and scree and the lightweight tennis - hikers were more inclined to surf than walk that down, I was on my back more than once, and the going became slow and tedious, until I could find some talus, which of all things was easier to travel downward on. But, we finally hit the trail, and this would be a great direct route up to the summit from the Twisp side.

Looking down the gully, you can see the trail from the top, it's 1400' down, steep, but no cliff bands.

Looking up the gully we came down. If you go up this gully the summit will be just to your right.

We made a pleasant fast paced return back to the vehicle. It turned out to be a great day nice weather, wildflowers, scenery, class 1-3 scrambling, and good company. Pretty awesome.

Stiletto - Jacknife - Switchblade - Copper - Kangaroo Ridge

Stiletto to Bilbert from Lincoln Butte

View up South Fork Twisp River Valley from the Twisp Pass Trail

[HitTheTrail]

Another high spot with the Wildernessed dude. This one turned out to be a great hike, except for parts of the summit block. First there was some confusion about location the true summit. After lunch we made our “shorter but not necessarily better” descend down through a near vertical gully filled with scree on top of highly friable base rock and occasional patch of slick heather. Other than that a good outing with good company. Thanks for the idea and driving.

Nice trail work

Wildernessed thinks he is on the summit

Wildernessed on wrong summit

Looking for correct summit

Grouse

Twisp Pass

Twisp Pass Saddle

[wildernessed]

Our descent route would make the best option for a scramble ascent route to the summit of Lincoln Butte, good beta for future peakbaggers who are interested in Sawtooth peaks.

[RichP]

How were the bugs?

[wildernessed]

All most no bugs at all, even around the wet areas of the streams and surprisingly the large tarn.

[RichP]

[Backpacker Joe]

Nice work guys. Going to hit Stiletto lake in the next week or so. Looking forward to it.

[wildernessed]

Stiletto is a beautiful lake, we were in there several years ago and did Stiletto Peak and paid the lake a visit in the Fall, the peaks around it Jack knife and Switchblade are pretty awesome. Nice Larch, heather, and slabby rock.

[Get Out and Go]

That area looks like a great fall destination. Nice trip guys.