[RichP]

Ten days ago I visited the same area with my hiking partner Don and vowed to come back for another try at the high point of the ridge when we could drive a bit further up the road. Here is the report on that hike which I posted in the "lazy trip reports" section: Manastash Ridge April 15, 2016 The road is drivable for any vehicle up to milepost 5 on FR 31 (continuation of Manastash Rd) at 3400' due to lingering snow in shady areas. There is some rock fall on the road above this point as well. We did see a couple of high clearance vehicles go another 1/2 mile before being stopped. We walked about 1.5 miles up the road to 3900' and bushwhacked up the south side of the ridge for 1400' vert through dense second growth forest with occasional stands of old growth until reaching the top. Snow is still present in places but not much. We used snowshoes above 5500' for a short while and made it up to about 5700' before calling it a day. The 6335' high point of the ridge was still about 2 miles away from our turnaround. The area is a favorite of the ORV crowd but has nice hiking options too, especially in early and late season. I wished we had brought overnight gear when I saw several potential scenic camp spots under the pines atop basalt cliffs. With snow banks for water, now is the perfect time.

The South Fork of Manastash Creek.

Impressive columnar basalt in Manastash Canyon. This feature is called The Island.

Manastash Ridge scene at 5400.'

A memorial sign on Manastash Ridge.

Pines, clouds, snow and sage brush.

Claw marks reach about 9 ft.

The largest body of water in the area, Manastash Lake 5063.'

Point 5897 on Manastash Ridge.

A large snow covered meadow at about 5700' on Manastash Ridge.

Lion Rock/Table Mtn area across the Kittitas Valley.

Manastash Ridge/Lake April 25-26, 2016 Ten days later we were able to drive 4 more miles up road 31 to just before milepost 9 where an icy section stopped us. I got out of the car at about the 8 mile point to inspect a snow patch for possible passage and immediately saw an older Slim Pickins looking character in cowboy boots, a ten gallon hat, equipped with a big ole knife and a big sidearm strapped to each hip walking down the road. He had gotten his Jeep stuck in the icy section and was walking out to get help which was a good 10 miles away. I told him to get in the car and we would see what we could do to help. At the icy section a mile up the road we saw his Jeep stuck just a few feet from where he would have been able to continue on up to wherever he was going. The only tool he had was a hatchet that must be what he uses when the gun and Bowie knife fail, so we began to chop the ice away from around the wheels and put some gravel around them to create a surface for some traction. We thought it odd that his tires were nearly bald and he was attempting to drive a high mountain road in early season without chains. He told us he was headed to Naches or Cliffdale but we suspected he was slightly off route. We finally got Slim unstuck and he wisely decided it best to not try his luck any further on this lonely mountain road. We backtracked and found a nice camp spot right at milepost 8 but wanted to check out a high basalt plateau called The Island we had seen on our last visit back down the road before setting up camp for the night. We accessed a road off of 31 on the north side of the crossing of the South Fork of Manastash Ck where a cave can be seen in the basalt and drove this about 5 miles where we parked at a snowbank. We then walked south on a spur road out to the beginning of The Island. We had to backtrack about a mile to get to the top since a deep ravine on the north side prevents access earlier. In reality, The Island is more of a peninsula since it's connected to the main ridge comprising the north side of the canyon. The wind was blowing during the walk and we didn't get too close to the cliffs due to sudden strong gusts.

Walking out to "the Island" atop basalt cliffs.

On the way to "The Island."

Flower on The Island.

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Flower on The Island.

Nearing the top of The Island.

Columnar basalt on The Island.

Looking back down the ridge.

A marker on the high point of The Island 4251.'

Marker on the Island.

Looking down to the bottom of Manastash Canyon and forest road 31. The South Fork of Manastash Ck also in view.

Sagebrush Violet on The Island.

After the drive back down we returned to the spot we had chosen for a camp and settled in with a roaring fire which felt good on a chilly night.

Our car camp at milepost 8 along forest road 31.

The morning dawned clear and we relaxed about camp until 9am before the drive up the road to the icy spot where we had rescued Slim the day before. We took a spur road that follows the outlets of Manastash Lake and Lost Lake until it petered out and continued upslope toward Manastash Lake. The forest was more open than our last trip up here and we soon found the trail just before the lake.

After parking the car at just past milepost 9 on forest road 31, we took this spur road (112) that follows the outlet of Manastash and Lost Lake.

A clearing on the way to Manastash Lake.

We soon found the trail to the lake.

An enormous Western Larch along the trail just before Manastash Lake.

The Larch splits into 3.

Manastash Lake 5063.'

Manastash Lake.

Bench at south end of Manastash Lake.

After lunch and a long break, we followed the trail up to the top of the ridge at about 5600' where we were surprised to find tire tracks in the snow.

We followed the trail up to the top of the ridge at about 5600' where ORV'ers have already started their season.

On Manastash Ridge.

We continued up to a play area for ORV's at Point 5897 and made a critical mistake in our quest for the high point of Manastash Ridge. Instead of continuing westerly along the ridge we took a spur ridge that runs south toward Point 6115. The right ridge was out of view when we made this mistake and we only realized the error when Mt Rainier in all its glory came into view not on our left, but on our right. Needless to say a feeling of disorientation came over me at this point. We were not lost, but definitely not going in the direction we had intended. After making it to 6115 we backtracked down to the rocky area and discussed options. We could have continued on the right ridge but it was now after 3pm and we decided that rather than risk walking out in the dark we would return another day with a more direct route to the summit.

The area where we were mistakenly lured toward Point 6115 instead of the high point of Manastash Ridge. We should have gone right here instead of left.

Rocks near Point 5897. this is an ORV "play area."

Walking near Point 5897.

Near Point 5897.

Near Point 6115 when we saw the true high point of Manastash Ridge 6335.' The low point right of center is called Rocky Saddle.

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A closer view of the high point of Manastash Ridge.

It was a moment of frustration for me but also a reminder that it is easy enough to get turned around sometimes, no matter how much experience one has, Slim and myself included. We dropped back down to the lake and regained the logging spur back to Rd 31 and the car content with the hike anyway which is more important in the end than making another summit.

The trail we used up and down from Manastash Lake.

Snowmobile tracks on Manastash Lake.

Farewell old Larch.

There are some gems in this area to explore and I shall return.

[Mountainfisherman]

Wow. Great TR and timely info for me. Thanks.

[Mountainfisherman]

Wow. Great TR and timely info for me. Thanks.

[wildernessed]

It changes so fast, at least this year, we are heading back to thr 80's over here.

[Mountainfisherman]

I like to come into Manastash Lake from 410-a couple of different routes, but usually on the 1701, then walk on the ridge on the 694 and then down the trail to the lake. Generally around Memorial Day weekend or the weekend after it's doable. But with another round of 80 degree temps and from looking at the pictures, I'll bet my mid-May it'll be close. Of course, last year, you could get in there now if not sooner.

[Naches Hiker]

That's some fun area to explore up there, but you need good tires and a small rig. The jeep trails can be nasty without lockers, especially on the 410 side of the ridge. Done some of them in my Toyota that I wish I wouldn't have gone on.. I'd be cautious of driving any road or trail that is marked a 4wd trail as they are seasonally closed until mid June. Btw, that jeeping area is called funny rocks. Look it up on youtube. I often see the Yak county sheriff and other members of SAR playing up there.

[RichP]

[puzzlr]

That area looks a lot more interesting in photos than on the flattened view in Google Earth. You're sure getting around this spring!