Yellow Aster Butte #699
Sep 18, 1999
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Yellow Aster Butte
- Region: North Cascades -- Mount Baker Highway
- Agency: Mount Baker Ranger District
- Trails: Yellow Aster Butte (#699)
- Avg Rating: 4.28
Forest Service has done an effective job of shutting down Trail 699, the old way (""Keep Kool Trail"") to Yellow Aster Butte and Tomyhoi Mountain. Parking is now on the main road (Twin Lakes Road). No signs, of course; it's about 2.2 or 2.3 miles from State Highway 542 at the Department of Transportation maintenance depot.
The short road from here to the former trailhead has seen a good deal of attention from a backhoe operator; thank-you-ma'am's are plentiful along the few hundred meters to the former carpark. The U.S.F.S. has removed all trailhead signs, but the trail is not hard to find. It is somewhat overgrown in the lower portion, and the middle region has about eight blowdowns significant enough to draw irate attention. Otherwise, the trail is in good shape.
It's clear that the Forest Service wants this trail to be abandoned. We descended the new way, using the new trail that cuts over to the Tomyhoi Lake Trail not far below Gold Run Pass. This is an excellent trail and is currently in excellent condition. We benefited from a great deal of recent trail work, mostly the removal of numerous blowdowns, mostly on the Gold Run Pass trail. This approach to Yellow Aster Butte is easier than the old Keep Kool Way, and we met a great many hikers, perhaps a hundred or so, many not carrying any pack. (The new trailhead is about two miles farther than the old along the Twin Lakes Road.)
However, this new cutoff from the Gold Run Pass/Tomyhoi Lake Trail is NOT a good replacement for the old way, even though it is well constructed and scenic. The reason is that the trail crosses steep terrain where winter snows will linger late into summer. Even now, a good deal of the track is snow-covered, although these passages are not steep and the route is now very safe. But earlier in the season some of the traverse would be quite dicey for anyone lacking ice axe competence.
So, although the U.S.F.S. probably will not appreciate the suggestion, I would ask the question whether it wouldn't be nice if some numen or trail angel might adopt the old route, to keep the brush down and either clear downfalls or establish circumventions. Just a question. I wouldn't want to advocate activity in opposition to the will of the Forest Service.
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