Trip Reports

What a glorious day! We drove 2 1/2 hours from Bellevue to the trailhead. The 4.5 mile dirt road (Twin Lakes Road) from Mt. Baker Hwy 542 is in good shape and we easily made it in our Camry.
Lots of cars at the trailhead, parking along the road. This hike is popular and for good reason. Old growth in the first mile of forested trail, opening up to slopes of blueberry bushes, full of fruit still, and red fall color. The trail splits after a long 1.4 miles (seemed more like 2, since it was all uphill to this point). We went left for the Yellow Aster Butte, saving Tomyhoi Lake for another day.
With all the berries, I was watching for bear; the early snowfall likely sent them into their winter dens. (No snow on the trail for 99% of the hike.)
Views of Baker, slightly clouded at the top, Shuksan (fully exposed) and Tomyhoi and bowls of fall color, rock outcroppings, tarns, ponds, snow patches made me feel like I was on vacation. Two hours passed and we were at a 360 degree overlook of Tomyhoi, Baker, Shuksan, the Butte, and a bowl below of tarns. Stunning.
The guide book indicates the hike's turnaround at this 5800 ft saddle or bench below the Butte. It's about 1/4 mile down to the tarns and the same up to the Butte, equally steep down or up. But the views from this spot make sitting and gazing as enticing as continuing up or down. I sat. Bill & Scout went up the Butte's face. Steep and snowy in the trail's tread. I decided to go up part way and met them coming down. While waiting, I watched a falcon soaring off the top of the butte. Not sure what kind. I was disappointed I left my Olympus camera at home and only had my iPhone to capture all the beauty.
On the way back, Bill & Scout turned left to Tomyhoi Lakes up to the pass (1/2 mile) while I plodded down, down, down. Still gorgeous and lots of backpackers coming up. The trail was getting its last glory days of use for the season and I was so glad to be part of that.
Still no wildlife to see or hear, maybe one bird on the way down. This was the best hike we did this season in the State of Washington. It rivaled our Canadian Rockies vacation in August.
8 miles RT to Saddle, Bill did ~10 with Scout. 2200-2500 elevation gain, ~5 hours of hiking, stopping and taking pictures. ~5 hours driving.

Fantastic fall colours, a bit of snow to contend with, but all in all still a great late season hike.
We made a late start from the trailhead - around 1:30pm. Trail climbs briefly through alternating old growth forest and open rocky sections, to the junction with the T.... Lake trail. Heading left, the trail traverses the valley the drops into a basin - some snow here, but nothing to write home about. Trail the opens up with great views of Baker. Blueberries are still present and surprisingly tasty for this time of year.
Yellow Aster Butte is actually the second of the peaks - after the Y juntion, head right up a steeper area. The first "peak" you reach is not yellow aster - although on this day it was enough for us. There is some snow between here and the actual peak, with some steeper dropoffs that are NOT recommended for those with a fear of heights (me). So we settled for almost-to-the-butte on this hike

All in all, a spectacular display of fall colours - get there before the snow sets in - if there is still time!!

Yellow Aster Butte trailhead is just under 4.5 miles up the Twin Lakes road 3065
that begins at the highway maintance buildings on Highway 542. Many other WTA reports list the boring stuff. For me the trail, a bit stiff at times, was a highway to a wonderland. The fall colors are working towards their peak very soon. The whole area is a geological Disneyland. You see quartz blocks weighing 100 pounds, rocks streaked with copper, obsidian and a lot of others I can't name. The meadow where you camp has 10-15 little lakelets or tarns and everywhere you look there are amazing views of Shuksan and Baker. Baker in the morning is unreal with intense gold over white. The american border peaks reflected in the sunset is equally amazing. Hawks were constantly putting on an aerial show as they searched for dinner. Grouse were frequent too but although it should be prime Bear and deer country I didn't see any for the three days I was there. Conditions are very dry up there no streams were running except between the tarns and other than a couple when I climbed Tomyhoi, the place was dry.Both nights were so warm I could sit outside my tent with no jacket and be amazed by something you rarely get to see anymore.. The milky way and so many constellations. very wonderful place...shh..don't tell a soul. My photos are 8 MB. I just caught on that they are too big to put on here...sorry, they are great.

Well, our group did go to Yellow Aster Butte and then we kept on going! This was an overnight with Yoyo, J.Gazelle, Cascade Dreams, and Ike. The idea was to scramble Tomyhoi or at least enjoy the route as far as it was fun. It was fairly frightening arriving at the trailhead and finding at least 50 cars parked alongside the road. Well, maybe forty. I didn't count them, but it was a lot. I love Yellow Aster Butte and the lakes below, but I've never seen this many people. Must have been a convention. Anyhow, it seemed like it since most of our group saw at least one person that they knew along the way. Kind of like Mt. Si. Well, you just had to get into the social mood so we did. I've hiked this trail a couple of times, but I had hiked the old trail about a hundred times and I still have mixed feelings. The new route is definitely easier and still very scenic. However, it just doesn't seem right to end up above the lakes and having to back track down the old trail to see them all. So we didn't. We had a quick break at the junction of the trail to the butte and scooted past the lakes and on up toward Tomyhoi. For those who haven't been: the trail into Yellow Aster Butte and lakes is very scenic with views starting about 1 1/2 miles in. It's also well graded and in great shape. Very different from the old beloved trail of much suffering, but great rewards. The trail ends at a junction where you can either descend to the lakes or climb up to the butte. Both are musts and both are friendly. There were lots of people hanging around the lakes and swimming on this very warm day, but only about five tents. Still, this is a very fragile subalpine area and I cringed at all the activity. I'm not sure how many sweaty bodies these lakes can support or how many stomping feet these heather meadows can tolerate, so please take it easy up here. After a short break at the overlook, our little group decided to find a more secluded place to camp so we kept on going up the ridge toward Tomyhoi. The views are even better here and there is a little water, but you've got to work for it. I"d thought about not mentioning this area in my report. I'd thought that maybe it would keep people away from these wonderful meadows and preserve them a bit, but the lakes around Yellow Aster Butte have suffered enough and why should they take all the abuse? So, if you camp here, please, practice all leave no trace principles and stay out of the water. Maybe just soak your toes, but otherwise, any little tarns like these with no in or out flows just can't handle it. Well, that's the lecture for the day. Tomyhoi turned out to be a bit more than Ike, J.Gazelle and myself wanted to tackle that day, although Yoyo and Cascade Dreams polished it off just fine. Just like I knew they would. Stars were fabulous Saturday night and exploring was wonderful on Sunday. Some blueberries were to be found, but not much wildlife except the ptarmigans and marmots. Fall color is beginning in earnest here, especially the huckleberry. Sunday was an altogether different day for us in that everyone was gone out of the basin. We had a very nice and quiet hike out. Dinner at Milano's. Where else would we go?

After a high summer visit to Yellow Aster Butte in 2008, Natasha (a.k.a. Faisel) and I arranged a late summer backpacking trip there this year. To get to the trail, head north to Canada, east on 542 in Bellingham, and then north on the unpaved road just past the highway maintenance buildings at about 12 miles east of Glacier. Five miles up on a decent dirt road brought us to the trailhead parking area. In contrast to July-August parking nightmares, lots of space was available, even at 9 am on a Saturday.

Once sufficiently caffeinated and packed, we embarked on the initial switchbacks, with pleasant views and fireweed going to seed. After half a mile or so, the way enters the forest as it aims towards the meadows below the Yellow Aster Butte-Tomyhoi Lake trail intersection. With full packs our progress was slow, and slowed further by numerous patches of perfectly ripe blueberries and huckleberries. Yum. At the two mile intersection, we took the westerly track to Yellow Aster. This stretch runs under the ridgeline, with super views to Shuksan and Baker, a snowfield crossing, fields of moptops (anemones), and groupings of purple penstemon, yellow monkey flowers, and white pearly everlasting. Purple-blue asters were plentiful, but Natasha found only one or two small gatherings of yellow asters. Hmmm. Prior to the three mile mark, the route curves around a shoulder of the butte and opens to views of Excelsior Ridge and numerous lakes. Shortly thereafter, a side trail leads to the surprisingly steep short switchbacks down to the lakes.

Several tents were visible in the basin, but the gods were with us: Natasha and I claimed the premier campsite on the hillock just past the first lake. Views were unimpeded. Twirling clockwise we could snap shots of Shuksan, Excelsior Ridge, Tomyhoi Peak, and the American Border Peaks. Below reposed the nearest meadow- and rock-bound lakes. After setting up, Natasha napped while I filtered water. Then we visited lakelets, wading in cold water in the warm afternoon. We since discovered that Carol and Greg, friends who coincidentally were on the butte, took long distance photos of our campsite in the late afternoon, but we never crossed paths. Near dusk, during cocktails and dinner, a fireball shot across the western sky, too fast for a comet, too bright for a meteor. Web reports corroborated our observation and have implicated an asteroid. Very cool. Later, Natasha and I collected wishing stars. I quietly put mine to use. Then we slept under the Milky Way.

Sunday ascended with bright sunlight and tons of huckleberries and blueberries in our morning oatmeal. We dawdled till eleven and then wended our way past lakes to the east, towards the steep path zig-zagging through grass, flowers, and berries up the first shelf to Tomyhoi Peak: we were happy to have our hiking poles here. Once up this steep stretch, every other step showed new panoramas. Shuksan, Excelsior, Baker, Tomyhoi, Yellow Aster, American Border, and dozens and dozens of more distant North Cascade Peaks took stage. We ate lunch on Tomyhoi surrounded by them and collected ice from one of the few remaining snowfields before heading down. We wandered past our campsite towards Excelsior Ridge, finding the remains of a small quartz (?) mining operation above one of the Western lakes. Natasha picked glitttering stones while I gathered berries. We carried our respective treasures back to camp and admired them over now iced cocktails and dinner. Natasha showed me each wishing star as it came out, and I put all mine again in a single basket. After that, we took to our sleeping bags and constellations took over the sky.

We slept late Monday morning, partly because the basin had become a bowl of fog. After coffee, berries, oatmeal, and packing up, we retraced our steps steeply up to the shoulder of Yellow Aster Butte, and along the long foggy slide back to the trailhead. We stopped for a pleasant early dinner at Graham's in Glacier, and recounted each minute of our wonderful trip.

Natasha and I will be back. Wishing stars will see to that.

As the alpenglow peeked its way over the butte the first morning; matte black and flat with serenity, my heart sung with the glory of this destination. Throughout our stay, Yellow Aster Butte held its promise of golden hillsides, bursting aromatic fall fruit, sensuous mountain shadows, autumn breezes to keep the bugs at bay and lavish sunshine to fill one's spirit and quell the darkest of northwest winters. Promises one can count on, that cannot be redacted or changed.

My friend Urie and I journeyed up the mountain to marmot whistles and spectacular mountains that blissfully embraced for three days and two nights; providing a place of comfort, beauty and sharing. Our time was filled with well needed rest, plenty of adventurous exploring and stars that lit the sky with a brilliance only a waning moon can deliver.

As I snuggled warm in my sleepy cocoon in the open breeze, peering back into the past of the midnight sky, the whisper of night danced into my spirit and planted its seeds of solace. Such magnificance surrounds us on this planet and we are meant to share in it’s grace and breathe it’s essence with all who are able to see it.

I am no Han-Shan upon a mountain top...kicking shale upon the masses. At Yellow Aster Butte, there will be other travelers seeking the divine in it’s golden landscape abundant with tarns, grassy meadows and majestic circumference of mountains. We shared our camp with other humans beings, beautiful in their imperfections; just as the mountain shared her berries, wild residents and wisdom with imperfect me. Yet, as the crystal rock needs light to gleam and the moss needs the water to sprout, we need one another for true peace and harmony. Within this love of humanity...letting others into our spaces, our minds and hearts, alleviates the very need of escape and delivers the gift of coming home.

Namaste. May your travels be light and your hearts be open in our beautiful Northwest backyard!

This is a great hike. Unfortunately both of the times this year I have tried to go up it have been turned around. This time on Labor Day I left at approximately 12-30 pm and the weather was pretty overcast. I could see snow in the upper parts of the ridges and mountain tops around including the ridge above the trail itself. The hike is very well maintained and other than mud was in great shape up to about the 5000 ft level. There I began running into snow and about a 1-4 mile before the junction with the Toyhoi Lake trail snow was on the trail. I proceeded past the junction about ¾ mile but realized that the views were not going to be good so turned around there. Unfortunately there was no view of the butte or of Mt Baker. I then went from the junction up to the ridge on the Tomyhoi Lake and then down the trail.

I look forward to next year on a good sunny day to go on this trail all the way to the butte top and down to the tarns and finally enjoy all it has to offer!

What a treat! Yellow Aster Butte is a great hike which is not too hard and has fantastic views. I had an old green trails map and was getting a bit confused on what we hiked on the ground verses what the map shown. Then my friend told me that the trail was rerouted a number of years ago. The trail first climbs at a good rate through forest and open slopes until you get to the junction of the Tomyhoi Lakes trail. At that time it levels out some and traveres through south facing slopes of heather meadering towards an overlook of the tarns. We found a spot out of the wind and had lunch, and then followed the boot beaten path to the top. From the top we had a wonderful view looking towards Canada and south to Mt Baker. This time we did not head down to the tarns, but will some other time. social trails criss crossed the whole area.

First off, a big thank you to those who worked on this trail - it was in excellent condition and the effort put into it this year was very noticeable and much appreciated!
We hit the trailhead about 1pm on Tues the 18th. It was hot and the flies were incredibly thick - I wonder if there had been a recent hatching. Once we were a bit past the turn-off for Tomyhoi lake and out of the woods the trail was easier, the wind picked up and there were fewer flies - all good things!
Views of Mt. Baker and Shuksan along the way were amazing as was the view over the tarns from up high on the last half mile or so of trail as we skirted around the butte before descending to the camping areas. The trail was snow free all the way though we saw some patches here and there. There were a few water sources along the way that made it easy to filter water as needed and minimize how much we had to carry for the hike in.
We camped near the first few tarns for 3 nights and spent the days exploring the other tarns scattered around the ridges. The blueberries were ripe and wonderful. The weather was hot but beautiful until Thurs night when the clouds moved in and the temp dropped. But that turned out to be a great thing when we packed out on Friday late morning walking inside thick fog with no bugs to contend with.
Didn't see any sign of bear but still hung our food as a precaution. We kept our packs light, packed everything out and left no trace behind.

A classic Mt. Baker Hwy hike! We were warned at the ranger station about how awful the bugs were, but we found them no worse than many a summer day in the mountains. We had lightweight long sleeves and long pants, and used a herbal bug juice. We also were hiking by 9:30 am. We got back to the car by 3 PM and the bugs were getting worse the last mile in the trees. But hiking up, on top and at the tarns, they weren't bad. I even rolled my pant legs up for the rest of the day.
The trail is in great condition with just a small patch of snow left. Road is passable with 2WD car. And wildflowers are still beautiful; lupine, penstemon, paintbrush, monkeyflower.....