[cartman]

Kristy and Ed really wanted to see the golden larches this year, and I thought a loop trip to do Seance and Beefhide could offer some good larch viewing, though I'd never been in the Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness in fall. I had no idea it would be this good. I have never seen so many larches or this many BIG larches. This area has larches in the basins, on the slopes, on the ridges...everywhere we looked was a visual feast. Day 1: East Fork Buttermilk Trail to Seance Camp We all met at my place at dark o'clock for the long, long drive to the East Fork Buttermilk TH about ten miles west of Twisp. I last walked this trail coming out on a six-day Sawtooths peakbagging extravaganza with Matt and co. a decade ago in July, and it had always stayed with me how lush this trail was for the east side. It wasn't as lush in fall but is still in very good shape,

East Fork Buttermilk Trail

though needing some big logs cut out mostly to the first stream crossing. The two stream crossings were pretty easy, but would be problematic during snowmelt season. Around 4-5 miles in shortly after the second stream crossing at ~6100' we turned upslope aiming for the upper slopes of Seance. Larches soon came into view across the way.

First larches

Wild notch

Hoodoo Pass

The brush lasted for several hundred feet, mostly easy alder-like shrubs, then opened into better forest.

Good woods on Seance

Here we encountered our first larch:

Lone larch

And a small stream.

Little falls

Some easy slabs and the larches began to outnumber the evergreens,

Larches and slabs

and led to a fine small basin with lots of room for flat camping.

Larches!

Good running water tempted us to camp right there, but we decided to drop packs and look around the area. We checked out the small ridge to our right and then up a bit, admiring the entrancing beauty of this golden wonderland.

Kristy and larches

Kristy and larches

Seance and larches

Not far above the flat spot is an interesting open marshy area surrounded by even more larches.

Marsh hummocks

Sawtooths tundra

Nice larch

Seance

We returned to our packs in the now shadowed flats, and decided to move uphill about a hundred feet onto a good flat spot on the ridge at 7100' for later light.

Camp

After setting up camp we had plenty of time to wander around and take some good scenic pics in the early evening light.

Late afternoon light on Bigelow

Evening sun on Bigelow

Alpenglow on Bigelow

Alpenglow on Raven Ridge

Dark comes too soon this time of year, but we were all still too jazzed up to sleep, so we gathered in Kristy's spacious tent where she taught us gin rummy--using these really cool cards with different climbing tips on each one--where the boys proceeded to skunk her three straight hands. The starlit night was cold and peaceful, nearly windless. Day 2: Seance and Beefhide With a big day ahead we got a nice alpine start upslope at 9:30. Oops. Unused to waking to frigid mornings, we slept in past first light and took our time packing up, moving only slightly faster than this guy:

Moss worm

Temps inside my tent read 38 degrees, and the night was so still condensation formed inside despite being on a ridge. As we slowly warmed up we roamed around taking more larch photos.

Beautiful morning

Larch scenery

Golden day

Both big and small were worthy of our attention.

Saguaro larch

Shorty

Good news was by the time we got going it had warmed up considerably and soon we were down to a layer or two as we moved uphill.

Beefhide

We went up the ridge a few hundred feet then transitioned sideslope into the upper basin well above the marsh. The morning sun was filtered through thin clouds yet provided good light for more photography.

Magic camera box

Must be good...

Contrast

Larches...

...larches...

...and more larches

Looking down, we could see the entire marsh surrounded by its golden mantle.

Marsh basin

Marsh basin closeup

Marsh Gremlins

Continuing upslope scrambling on mostly solid white granite boulders,

Up to Seance ridge

we gained the ridge for yet another perspective of this amazing area.

Up to Seance South Ridge

Looking toward Beefhide

Beefhide ridge

Golden spine

Larch crest

Larches everywhere

The South Ridge of Seance is all white granite with a few larches dotting the crest.

Looking up the ridge

Ridge larch

High on Seance

And up to the broad, gentle summit of Seance, 8067'--Kristy and Ed's first Sawtooths peak.

Kristy climbs the ridge

Kristy nears the summit

Seance summit

Seance happened to be a bit of a personal milestone--my 750th summit, a fact I'd forgotten was forthcoming until later. Finally we had views of the western reaches we'd not seen until now.

Star

Oval

Star, Courtney, Buttermilk Ridge

Finney

Bernice Lake

After a leisurely summit break we began the easy scramble directly down the west face. The first 150' is on large boulders, but then traversing directly right we gained the western ridge and good scree terrain.

Seance west wall

Just another gorgeous larch basin

The way down

Kristy and Prince Creek headwaters basin

The slope was fun plunge stepping on shallow scree/dirt into yet more golden trees.

Working her way down Seance

Larch slope

Down to the basin

We gained the basin well to the south of the lake and over to the good way trail, and good views of our route just traveled.

Seance

Looking back

Great day

Taking the way trail downhill,

On to Beefhide

we left it a little too low and continued across the eastmost fork of the Prince Creek headwaters and traversed toward the Southwest Ridge of Beefhide. A faint path led toward the shallow col above.

Lower Beefhide West Ridge

Seance

Once the path enters the forest it becomes a very distinct trail, but doesn't go to the little col, instead traversing the north side of the ridge until gaining it at 7400'. Here we were treated to the first views of Dry Lake Basin:

Dry Lake Basin

With a slightly bum knee Ed chose to hang out here while Kristy and I went up the moderately loose but easy ridge sans packs toward the summit of Beefhide.

Beefhide West Ridge

Having fun!

The summit was a bit farther away than it initially appeared, the ridge teasing us with little rises before shyly revealing the next higher slope. After weaving through easy krummholz the true summit appeared ahead,

Near the top

and we gained the summit of Beefhide, 8030'.

Kristy nears the summit

Great summit pic

Not quite as great summit pic

Beefhide provided yet another interesting perspective of the big peaks in the northern Sawtooths.

Seance

Star

Finney and Surprise Lake

Surprise Lake

Hoodoo and Raven Ridge

Bigelow

After signing the first summit register of the day--we found none on Seance--Kristy and I started down the 600' back to a well-rested Ed to continue the way trail traverse.

Kristy downclimbing

The trail leaves the ridge at 7400' and traverses toward the next ridge. It looks like one could also carry over Beefhide and scramble easily on/near the top of its north ridge. As we traversed above Dry Lake Basin,

Dry Lake Basin

Vistas

we decided to leave the trail and drop into its spectacular larch-filled environs,

Down into the basin

Larch nursery

Kristy approves

and its golden nursery.

Ain't they cute?

Adopt-a-larch

Dad

Crossing the basin,

Having a great time

we regained the way trail up to the next ridge. As we crested the ridge we had our last look at one basin,

Looking back at the basin

and our first look at yet another wondrous parkland of golden larches.

Chipmunk Basin

Upper Chipmunk Basin

More traversing,

"Hello?"

led to more views,

Chipmunk Basin

Basin flats

and a chossy traverse over to the shallow pass above the basin below Bigelow.

Bigelow Basin

Bigelow and Cheops

Upper Bigelow Basin

From here we booted talus down into the basin past even more fantastic groves.

Wonderful larch slope

Now in the basin, we gazed at more big ones before continuing towards Hoodoo Pass.

Larches in Bigelow Basin

Larches in the basin

Old roots

Looking toward Hoodoo Pass

We chose to scramble easy and pleasant rock and grass slopes up and right toward the west end of the pass, gaining the ridge leading to it about a hundred feet above.

Bigelow Basin

Baby larch

Hoodoo Pass is a gentle, rocky saddle populated by, yep, more larches.

Larches at Hoodoo Pass

Balanced rock

Here we finally returned to the East Fork Buttermilk Trail and began the 6.5 mile walk back to the car.

Looking down from Hoodoo Pass

Looking back to the pass

Balanced rock and larches

Seance

The upper trail is in superb condition with no deadfall leading to the first of three stream crossings and a fine campsite.

Nice campsite

We managed to reach near the last stream crossing before turning on headlamps, then walked out the final mile or two together. What a spectacular area. Our first visit to the Sawtooths in larch season provided everything we could have wanted and so much more. Never have I seen such a variety and proliferation of golden larches over so many miles, or in so many gorgeous basins and slopes. I'm glad we took our time to gaze and saunter unhurriedly through this marvelous alpine wonderland. The Sawtooths will definitely provide future autumn trips to further explore this glittering treasure of the Cascades. Eternal thanks to Kristy and Ed for being such great companions on one of the most amazing trips ever, and to Kristy for the marathon driving. ~16 miles, 5800' gain Eric J. Johnson

[dicey]

Stunningly beautiful larch photos!

[mehitabel]

That was amazing. Thanks for sharing

[Larry]

Simply gorgeous. Everything. And your images are superb as well.

[Sadie's Driver]

Nice! You posted even more pics than I did! (they were better, too!) Definitely the weekend to be out.

[Matt]

Looks great, Eric. You hit the larches right at their peak color. That has to be your personal record for most photos posted, but they were definitely worth it. Larch jackpot.

[RichP]

Awesome. Glad you had a great trip.

[Michael Lewis]

This looks amazing

[marydave]

Stunning!

[Backpacker Joe]

Im going to start calling you Larchman.

[bobbi]

awesomeness! someday i will have to make the trek over to see the larches! thank you for sharing your beautiful photos

[cartman]

Thanks, y'all. Must have been pretty good to roust dicey into posting! Having been on over a dozen larch trips in the Pasaytens and Entiats, I thought they were good for larches--and they are--but this is the best I've ever seen. I burned through two camera batteries on one overnight trip. Had to put my card in Kristy's camera for the last dozen pics after she burned through her card. Definitely the most pics I've ever taken on a two-day trip.

[Bedivere]

Gorgeous. Been wanting to get into that area for years but it's just such a darned long drive. Thanks for going and getting a bunch of great pics!

[Dalekz]

Just got back from doing your trip in reverse. The larches were beautiful and in their peak form, but we had high winds for a couple of nights and some of the needles were now on the ground. Great place to camp surrounded by a golden larch forest.

[ree]