A return visit to First Butte to check on the condition of the lookout and see the rapid deterioration of the once photogenic ground house.
Over the Memorial Day holiday I had an unplanned summit of Muckamuck Mountain, the site of a former D-6 cupola lookout. I also had a chance encounter with a fan club of sorts in the middle of nowhere!
Not to be deterred by one of the worst September storms Seattle has ever seen, I packed my rain gear and met up with my crazy friend Annette to bag a peak on Sunday. Sounds like a perfect outdoor hiking weekend, right?
Clark Peak (7,890') just south of Tiffany Mountain in the Tiffany Highlands has an incredibly steep north face and makes a great peakbagging destination, especially during the summer wildflower show.
Driveway Butte is a fantastic former fire lookout site just west of Mazama. The route is notoriously dry and hot and will test your legs but reward you with gorgeous views of the North Cascades, Pasayten, and spectacular Goat Wall.
Another great ridge line ramble to an old fire lookout site, this time to Setting Sun Mountain (7,253') 5 miles northwest of Goat Peak near Mazama.
A great ridge traverse of the Golden Stairway trail from Starvation Mountain to the Old Baldy lookout site with some of the most amazing views of the North Cascades I've ever seen!
The Enchantments Death March, a one day thru-hike gaining over 6k in 18 tough, rocky, granite-filled miles is simply stunning and a mountain goat paradise.
The old lookout site atop War Creek Ridge west of Twisp River Road is a steep cross country outing through thick brush and ticks but the spectacular views are worth the type 2 fun!
The Thrapp Mountain fire lookout site may not be the most photogenic summit but lookout footings still remain and it's a worthy objective for peakbaggers and lookout enthusiasts.
While I might not recommend the awful gauntlet of a deadfall route required to get to Ramsey's summit, exploring the Methow Wildlife Area is always a quiet, beautiful experience.
A wonderful ridgeline traverse to McClure Mountain, not only a prominent high point in Twisp but also a former fire lookout location.