[wildernessed]

Location : NE of Peshastin Access : Derby Canyon Rd. (FR 7400) to around 1500' trail comes down to the road on your left Maps : TOPO Stats : 8.8 mi, 3700' loop (our trip using ridge to summit, out via forest road)

Humility Hill 4358 via Xanadu Ridge

Hit the Trail and I did Humility Hill last fall and I thought that on a blue sky day the views would be terrific, and taking Xanadu ridge which undulates above two canyons while gaining elevation, but has open views would be pretty cool. We did jump the gun and hit it before peak wildflowers were out, but it was well worth the early cooler weather and those views. We had some warm up reps before starting because despite an on-board vehicle gps, my gps, and most importantly missing the right turn marked 7400 we went left and parked on the wrong road at around 1500'. There was a series of consequences before we realized we were on the wrong road, we then headed back and turned up Derby Canyon Rd. (7400) at around 1500' several hundred feet from where we were to our North. We had never been up Xanadu so we headed up an obvious bike trail before realizing that this near identical ridge was again wrong and we saw the trail heading up the next ridge to our East. So down we came after over 2 miles and 1000' of gain ready for the hike and headed up the correct ridge. In the past we had all made that mistake going left instead of right on previous trips, but the right is plainly marked 7400 and above all it has a gate. Go through the gate. The map, and landmarks showed us the other problem when we got our elevation there was a ridge between us and Humility Hill so we had to be over there. Once we got started on attempt three the third time was the charm. It was a cascade of mistakes in an area we had driven and hiked many times. I am calling it a "Near Senior Moment". But anyhow, Xanadu Ridge is an expert level mountain bike route which means it's also a hiking route there were quite a variety of wildflowers down low and the Balsam Root were just about ready to bloom, the ridge trail was dry, and we did have expanding views as we gained elevation. The sounds of gun fire and motorcycles filled the air early on, but eventually there was just silence. Around 3900' we started getting into some patches of soft snow which we could circumvent until we turned East and headed up the West ridge to the summit ridge. The snow was soft so we post holed quite a bit with gaiters on, but not enough to warrant snowshoes. Some portions of the summit ridge were walkable. We had lunch and coffee on a coolish summit due to some West winds, but the sun off set some of the chill. Terrific and expansive views. I will probably be back once the wildflowers break out, good exercise, nice terrain, and again great views. You could run a loop up there. We returned the same way but dropped down off the ridge onto a forest road and hiked out with good views most of the way down to Derby Canyon (The way bikes come up to drop into the ridge trails). Good trip.

Temple

Icicle LO

Spring Beauties

Couloir routes up to Cannon.

Stuart peeking at us.

Hit the Trail and Steve grinding out a highpoint on the ridge.

Steepish West ridge the snow was sloppy.

Looking North at Entiat Ridge and Chumsticks.

Dirtyface and Glacier.

Looks like Bandit from this angle ?

Buck

Maude Complex

Mt. David

Nearing the summit of Humility Hill from the North side ridge still plenty of snow.

Cashmere

Big Chiwaukum and...

Fortress and Chiwawa

Most of Xanadu Ridge

On Xanadu Ridge looking across the canyon at Humility Hill's lower ridge and Blag MOuntain to the right.

Rock - Howard - Mastiff

[HitTheTrail]

This the first time I have I gotten a days’ worth of exercise before finally getting to the main hike. Then I started having a foot problem not too far below the summit so I let Wildernessed escort Steve on up to the top while I ate lunch. I am starting to listen more to what my body is trying to tell me and I had already been to the summit just a few months earlier anyway. But I had a most enjoyable lunch with expansive views. Not a problem at all in my books. Another good trip guys!

Destractions right out of the gate

Distractions on the bike trail

Trail marker

Heading up the bike path

Snow on our destrination

Easy route finding

[RichP]

[Distel32]

Nice pix

[wildernessed]

[wildernessed]

A year ago today no snow until 3900' plus.

[fourteen410]

Was thinking about doing this one last weekend, but figured there'd be lingering snow. I think I'll save it for when the gold starts popping ;-)

[Brushbuffalo]

[wildernessed]

The section of snow free Ridge is above 4000'. Right now farther East a 3900' fully exposed Pitcher Mountain is snow covered.

[wildernessed]

[cartman]

Nice dry hike. So what are the actual miles & gain if doing the loop correctly without the false starts?

[wildernessed]