A novel loop route:

Lake Ethel, Chiwaukum Lake, Ladies Pass, Frosty Pass, and Chain Lakes from White Pine Ck trailhead #1582.

USGS Stevens Pass & Chiwaukum Mts. 7.5’ quads

Green Trails Wenatchee Lake, Chiwaukum Mts & Stevens Pass 15’ quads

Alpine Lakes Preservation Society 2002 (3rd. ed.)

This describes a 40+ mile loop route from the White Pine Creek Trailhead #1582 over Ladies Pass, Frosty Pass, the Chain Lakes, and back to the trailhead via the abandoned upper White Pine Creek Trail. It can be shortcut via Wildhorse Ck Tr #1592, skipping the Doelle & Chain Lakes (this would be a pity). The key is a “recent” logging road not shown on the 1986 Green Trails map which I noticed on the 2002 Alpine Lakes Preservation Society map (3rd ed.). It requires ability for steep off-trail bushwhacking and map & compass navigation, but this is only about 1/2 mi. and straightforward, even with a 15’ map. I’d advise doing this in a clockwise direction, else you would be committed to an unknown descent at the end of your trip (although the bushwhacking is easier going downhill). Be aware that, as with any loop route, after your point-of-no-return, you are committed to completing a route over unknown terrain, so do your homework. Make sure the White Pine Ck crossing at 2.5 miles is doable.

I took 3 days; it might be more fun with 4 days and an extra night in the Chain Lakes area. I attempted it unsuccessfully July 1,2007. A wonderful ramble.

STEP 1: White Pine Ck Trailhead to Chiwaukum Ridge crest

5.2 mi. 3500’ gain 3.5 hrs. (moving fast and knowing the way)

Park at White Pine Creek Trailhead #1582. Start early, it’s a north slope, a long day, and you want to do the steep ascent in the cool of the morning. 0.9 mi before the trailhead, on the left (S), is a gated logging road. Ascend this to the end of the 6th switchback (keep careful count; it IS possible to get lost on a logging road!). The road forks almost immediately after the 6th switchback; take the LEFT fork. I missed this on my first try 7/1/07 because the left fork is largely filled by rockfall and I mistook it for a gravel pit. Do NOT proceed to the end of the RIGHT fork; you will end up traversing left over very steep terrain in heavy brush back into the left-hand ravine. Take the LEFT fork and go to near the end of the 9th switchback, where the road, largely overgrown with alder, enters a brushy clearing in the ravine formed by the stream that defines the east edge of the switchbacks. There will be big rocky cliffs visible above on your left. At a hard-to-see culvert, enter the brush and diagonal upwards and leftwards across the ravine. There is a large clearing in this brush, invisible until you find it, which will save you a lot of trouble [see photo #1. The road end is in the centerline of this photo, at the far end of the brush, invisible from above.]. Diagonal upwards to the left (E) side of the ravine and then go SSE straight up to the ridge crest. Estimated 151 degrees True, 130 degrees Magnetic. Up above, there seems a tendency to go too far to the right; use your compass and follow the bearing. If you don’t have a frame pack, it’s serious but fairly straightforward bushwhacking, not as bad as it gets, essentially straight up the ravine. Steep. Some steep talus and convenient snow gullies 7/1/07; I did not bother to get my ice axe out then but it was too steep to fall on. 7/1/07, there was a good spring just below the ridge crest at the base of a talus slope; no snow or spring 9/1/07. 9/1/07, the center stream across the road was still running.

I had to retreat this way in July. From the ridge crest notch, just follow the ravine NNW to where the slope noticeably lessens in a brushy clearing and pick up the road on the left (W) side of the stream in thick alder. The overgrown road is not visible from above, but it's just below and Left (NW) of the little clearing in the brush [see photo #1]. The corgi followed with minimal help, all 3 times.

STEP 2: Ridge crest to Trail #1585, #1584 & #1574 to Chiwaukum Lake

6.6 mi. 1000’ gain 3.5 hrs.

Just SSE of the ridge crest, there is a curious “sinkhole” depression. From here, descend SSE through easy brush and you will soon meet the Lake Ethel Trail #1585 in about 1/4 mi. This might be easy to miss if it’s under snow in early season. There may be some confusion because of a new shortcut trail from the “new” logging road 6930 (not shown on my older maps). Look for blazes. A metal sign near some red paint blazes helpfully informs you that this area is closed to motor vehicles, motorized equipment and hang gliders. If you got this far, you can find this trail.

I followed Tr# 1584 to McCue Ridge (#1574). Old trails and new roads provide confusion. My very old Green Trails map and the 2002 ALPS map disagree on what is Tr#1584 and what is #1584A (I believe #1584A goes to Lake Julius). At the #1574/#1584 junction, a 90-degree signpost pointing to Lake Julius and Chiwaukum Lake was loose in July, rotated 90 degrees out of place. I corrected this. The #1584 trail to the NE is not shown on the 2002 ALPS map. According to my ancient USGS map, Trail #1574 originally continued east down McCue Ridge, but I saw no sign of this and the current trail is obvious. Nearing Chiwaukum Lake, you begin to encounter blowdown, nothing serious. This whole stretch is very simple.

STEP 3: Chiwaukum Lake to S. Fk. Chiwaukum Ck., on Tr #1591

4 miles -1900’ 2.0 hrs., moving fast

Between Chiwaukum Lake and Glacier Creek, there is more blowdown and it’s very brushy, slowing progress; unmaintained presumably because the bridge is out near Glacier Creek.

In July, I was unable to cross Chiwaukum Creek near the Glacier Creek junction due to high water (without a 24 lb. corgi in my arms, I probably could’ve crossed it, but there were other reasons for turning back). The 1996 Green Trails Chiwaukum Mts. map shows a triangle here, so there may be an alternate crossing but I saw no trace of it, only a washed-out bridge. 9/1/07, no problem.

Saw a beautiful head-sized, head-high paper wasps’ nest 10’ off the trail: something to think about in late summer when you’re thrashing around a windfall in the dark in dense brush; what if you panic and ditch your pack and lose your headlamp?

STEP 4: Trail #1571 from Chiwaukum Ck to Ladies Pass (end of Day 1)

7.0 miles 3400’ gain 5 hrs., moving fast

Fast, easy trail. Midsummer 2007 reports say the river was too high to cross in the cirque below Flora & Brigham Lakes; no problem 9/1/07. Plenty water 9/1/07 at the stream a mile below Ladies Pass; I filled the water bag and camped on a rock above the pass at 10:30 PM. This was a 14 hr., 23 mi., 8000’ day. One might shorten it by camping at Timothy Meadows or Lake Flora (bugs?), but it’s great to start Day 2 up high.

STEP 5: Day 2, Play Day. Cape Horn, Ladies Peak, Mary’s Pass, Snowgrass Mtn. area.

Don’t skip Cape Horn or Ladies Pk; they are low-angle, Class 2 at most (maybe occasional use of hands), easier than they look from the pass. Many rambling possibilities up here. We took the trail above Upper Florence Lk and over Mary’s Pass (here, note the contact between the Chiwaukum gneiss and the granite to the SW). From Mary’s Pass, the trail descends over 200’ along a broad rib, then switchbacks almost 400’ down a headwall. I left the trail and followed the first stream gully ENE 200’ up into the obvious basin ENE of Lake Mary, where a curiously straight stream drains due W into Lake Margaret. Many people, including kids, descending from Snowgrass Mtn. here. A most fragile area, but we tiptoed around on rocks and found a scenic bare-bedrock minimum-impact bivvy. One could easily ascend Snowgrass from here (one might also ascend the east slopes of Snowgrass, a scree bomb in late season).

STEP 6: Day 3, Frosty Pass to “Doelle Pass”(?), Tr# 1570

About 4.5 miles over 500’ gain about 3.75 hrs.

This abandoned stretch of Tr #1570 is a real treat. It is easily followed but I was glad to have a 7.5’ USGS map. This trail is not shown on my old Green Trails map, but is shown on the 1996 No. 177 Chiwaukum Mts 15’ map, from which I carefully transcribed it. Brushy but easy to follow, quite serviceable. Continued neglect will kill it; the brush is forcing the tread downhill. If you start a work party, let me know, I'm in.

From Frosty Pass, follow the sign W & NW to the horse camp, from where it continues contouring NW. It contours around two corners, drops a bit into a little basin, then crosses left through a 5730’ notch, passing two more knobs on their left. After the second knob, the trail turns left (W), but there is another obvious trail leading right (N) through a narrow notch, and this continues north (it would be fun to explore, possibly to Brule Ck??). #1570 turns W and traverses the S slopes of Pt. 6125, exposed, steep, and might require an ice axe with snow. Stunning views of the Bull’s Tooth (Teeth?). It descends NW into a charming marshy bowl, skirts this on the uphill side, crosses the stream and ascends its left (SE) bank up a rib to the map edge.

You could water at lower Doelle Lk, but 9/3/07 there was fine water from a spring in the rockpile above the upper Doelle Lk. Trail switchbacks to the 6200’ pass. NOTE: if coming from Chain Lakes, turn RIGHT at the pass; LEFT will take you down the yucky scree slope. I left Frosty Pass at noon and left “Doelle Pass” at 3:40.

STEP 7: “Doelle Pass” to jctn. Icicle Tr #1551 & Whitepine Ck Tr #1582

3.2 mi. 2400’ loss, 600’ gain about 3.25 hrs.

From the pass, drop 2400’ to Icicle Ck Tr#1551 in 3.2 mi. Descend W under crag 6604 and catch your breath when you look up at its S face. From the outlet of the upper lake, it’s worthwhile to ascend social trails up the knob to its W for the view. Re-gain 600’ in 2.1 miles to Whitepine Ck Tr #1582.

STEP 8: Whitepine Ck Tr #1582 back to trailhead

8.5 mi. 300’ gain, 1900’ loss 3 hrs.

The junction is prominently signed, and the trail promptly disappears in a grassy meadow, but follow it straight across a log in the middle of it. There are a couple of prominent blazes. This 6 mi. trail to the river crossing is “abandoned” and very brushy with a few sketchy spots, but I was able to follow it easily enough (the lower 3 miles in the dark with a feeble headlamp). 40 min. below the pass, a wet, thick, sketchy place ends at a mossy rockpile (trail literally moss-covered). A few troublesome windfall and avalanche tangles, but it’s fast and open in some impressive old growth lower down.

Cross the river right where the trail first meets it. There is a sawed log and a log bridge abutment on the upstream (NW) side. An easy ford in Sept., but maybe trouble earlier, so try to get info before you leave. The final 2.5 mi. is a welcome cruise.

Day 3 was 13 hrs, about 20 mi. 4 days with an extra night at Chain Lakes would be nice. Just walkin' the dog.



landmark Tr# elev. gain net gain mi. total

White Pine Ck Trlhd 2,800 n/a n/a 0.0 0.0

road start 2,400 -400 0 0.9 0.9

road end (est) 4,600 2,200 2,200 3.8 4.7

ridge crest 5,850 1,250 3,450 0.5 5.2

Lk Ethel jctn. 5,500 -350 3,450 0.5 5.7

map edge 1584 5,800 300 3,750 0.6 6.3

Roaring Ck 1584 5,200 -600 3,750 2.0 8.3

McCue Ridge 1584 5,900 700 4,450 1.5 9.8

Chiwaukum Lk 1574 5,300 -600 4,450 2.0 11.8

Glacier Ck 1591 3,800 -1,500 4,450 2.4 14.2

S Fk Chiwaukm R.1591 3,400 -400 4,450 1.6 15.8

jctn 1575 1571 3,700 300 4,750 1.4 17.2

Index Ck 1571 4,100 400 5,150 1.6 18.8

Ladies Pass 1571 6,800 2,700 7,850 4.0 22.8

1571 6,800 0 7,850 0.0 22.8

Ladies Pass 1571 6,800 0 7,850 0.0 22.8

Uppr Flrnce Lk col 6,700 -100 7,850 0.7 23.5

Frosty Pass 1570 5,700 -1,000 7,850 1.7 25.2

map edge 1570 5,800 100 7,950 3.0 28.2

Doelle Pass 1570 6,200 400 8,350 0.7 28.9

Chain Lks 1570 5,800 -400 8,350 0.5 29.4

Icicle Ck 1551 3,800 -2,000 8,350 2.5 31.9

jct WhitepineCk 1582 4,400 600 8,950 3.0 34.9

pass 1582 4,700 300 9,250

map edge 1582 3,600 -1,100 9,250 1.0 35.9

Wildhorse Ck Tr 1582 3,200 -400 9,250 2.5 38.4

map edge 1582 3,200 0 9,250 0.5 38.9

White Pine Ck 1582 2,800 -400 9,250 2.0 40.9