Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington

Global climbing legend Fred Beckey once said, "[Mount Stuart is] without a rival as the crown peak in the central Cascades of Washington, Mount Stuart has been pronounced the single greatest mass of exposed granite in the United States".To ascend the mountain by is easiest route, the Cascading Co...

The trail starts out poorly, following a jeep road under high-tension wires. Shortly, though, the trail begins to switchback up the south face of Rock Mountain and the views, as well as the wildflowers, are remarkable.After switchbacking up the mountain, follow a ridge-line towards the upper basi...

There are a couple different ways to tackle this hike through the stunning Central Cascade region. I recommend checking out this handy resource for more detailed info. Bottom line: this is an absolutely amazing hike for people willing to take a little bit of an ass kicking. Aasgard Pass rises 1,...

Begin this hike at the Lake Stuart trailhead at the end of Eightmile road just outside of Leavenworth, Washington. The trail follows Mountaineer Creek and leads you across a log bridge over the falls. After the bridge, the trail narrows and steepens through several switchbacks. After 2.2 miles...

Getting There From Leavenworth, WA, drive Icicle Creek Road for 8.5 miles until you reach Bridge Creek Campground. Turn left here onto Forest Service Road #7601 signed for the Stuart Lake Trailhead. The pavements ends and the road gains elevation quickly as your car transports you high above the ...

Getting There From Leavenworth, WA, drive Icicle Creek Road for 8.5 miles until you reach Bridge Creek Campground. Turn left here onto Forest Service Road #7601 signed for the Stuart Lake Trailhead. The pavements ends and the road gains elevation quickly as your car transports you high above the ...

To reach the trailhead, turn onto Icicle Creek Road from US2. Drive 8.4 miles and turn left onto Forest Service Road 7601. Follow the potholed dirt road 3.7 miles to the Stuart Lake trailhead. Parking for about 20-30 cars and a toilet are available in the lot. Northwest Forest Pass required. The...

“These fleetingly rare sights offer a recipe for what I call ‘the Quest.’ The Quest is the force that motivates us to travel. It’s putting oneself in the perfect place at the perfect time. It’s the insatiable urge to find that quintessential moment.” - Washington AAA Journal The arrival of “gold...

Getting There: From US2 in Leavenworth, Washington, turn onto Icicle Creek Rd. Drive 8.2 miles and turn left on Forest Service Road 7601—you might be able to spot it more easily as the turnoff for the Bridge Creek Campground. In 3.7 miles, you'll arrive at the Stuart Lake Trailhead parking lot; w...

From Leavenworth, head south on Icicle Creek rd for 8.2 miles until you reach USFS rd 7601. This road isn't plowed and is blocked by a locked gate about one quarter mile from where it intersects with Icicle Creek Road (usually from November to May), so parking at the intersection is probably your...

The Enchantments is one of the most beautiful spots in Washington, but rarely visited outside the summer months, when access is merely difficult. But for those brave souls with the knowledge and determination to ski these hallowed slopes, the experience is surreal.The approach up Aasgard Pass is ...

Start at the Stuart Lake trailhead, which at 3400' is a full 2000' higher than the Snow Lake trailhead you'll finish at. Put 2.5 easy miles under your feet along Mountaineer Creek before turning left on the trail up to Colchuck Lake. The trail steepens for the next 1.5 miles before popping you ou...

This is a S5 T4 scramble that involves some routefinding past the alpine lakes. We did this as a day trip and we were out and back in about 12 hours. There are multiple routes to get to Chikamin, one from the PCT, which is 24 miles RT and the other is from the Mineral Creek Trailhead (47.4176, -...

From Leavenworth, WA head down Icicle Creek road and head to the Eightmile Lake Trailhead.The backpack starts at roughly 3270 feet of elevation and the highest point of the hike is 6300 feet. To start you will hike through a very beautiful and forested area for a while before getting into a burn ...

Beginning at the trailhead, fill out a self-issued permit allowing you to stay overnight. Start your trek heading upwards at an elevation of 3300 feet. As you become adapted to the trail, you will start to realize it is maintained and well groomed. In addition, The 1300 feet of elevation gained t...

To get to Cashmere Mountain, drive east towards Leavenworth on Highway 2 and turn right on Icicle Creek Road. After 8.5 miles, turn left onto Eightmile Road for 3 miles, and park at the Eightmile Lake trailhead. The hike begins at Eightmile Lake Trail. After 2.8 miles, just past Little Eightmile ...