Wow! What I've been missing! Year after year I intended to get out and go to EchoRidge and today I made it happen for the first time. It's about an hour and a half drive from Leavenworth, but well worth it. There are some "luge course" shaded portions on the road after turning up Boyd Road between Chelan and Manson. At 10:00 AM there were only 2 cars in the parking lot...on a Saturday morning! It's $10, self-pay, and there I am with a $20 bill. Who pulls up, but people from up the street in Leavenworth to give me change. *Remember to bring cash/check for this area. I started out on the wide-open sun-drenched "No-Where to Hide" trail, immediately impressed.
EchoRidge Trails
Stormy Mt. Across Lake Chelan
Eastside Cross-Country
After a few K's, I hit some shaded, icy, hilly sections, that required valor, both up and down.
Frozen Hardpack Here
Russell's Butte (foreground) & Washington Butte (?)
What's not to like?
Map in hand, I looped around, got back in the sun and went up to Point 3825 for lunch.
Off-Trail to Point 3825' (Wells Summit)
Tools of the Trade
On Point 3825'
Lunch Rocks
I started seeing a handful of people by now and I understood: A long spell without new snow here , they were waiting for the afternoon softening of conditions. Still only a dozen cars in the lot when I left. Give some love to EchoRidge!
"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)
0
"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)
Here's a link for information/maps on EchoRidge: http://www.lakechelannordic.org/index.php?page_id=212
Keep in mind:
* Bring exact amount for self-pay.
* Check the groomer's report. If there is no new snow, one might plan a later arrival to avoid early morning frozen hardpack.
I think my "Unknown Peak" photo might be Moses Mountain.
"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)
0
"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)
Nice place to do some winter X-C. But don't go up there in the summer without a trail map. It is such a rat maze of trails you can easily get confused. A few summers ago my wife and I and one of my cousin's and her husband were within a half mile of our car but could not figure out which trail to take back even though everything is well marked with signs. She finally called her hotel and ask them to look at the map on their wall and give us directions.
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Year after year I intended to get out and go to 
It's $10, self-pay, and there I am with a $20 bill. Who pulls up, but people from up the street in Leavenworth to give me change. 
