Started from the Thirtymile trailhead and took Chewuch, Boundary, Tungsten, Chewuch, summiting Amphitheater, The Pope and Apex along the way. Full report and photos on my blog, below. Relevant trail conditions: Chewuch River trail: lots of dead fall through the burn (50+); decent shape after that. All streams can be crossed staying dry. Boundary Trail (Cathedral to Tungsten): Good shape, no issues. Good stream below The Pope, most others were trickles. Tungsten Creek: OK shape, some dead fall/blowdown, but better than Chewuch.

North East Pasayten Loop #510 Chewuch River, #534 Tungsten, #533 Cathedral, #565 Remmel and back to #510 Chewuck to Thirtymile TH. Aug 26 – 31, 2012 We began our trip at the Thirtymile Trailhead out of Winthrop. A must see before the trailhead is the memorial to the 4 firefighters who gave their lives back in 2001 which is on the left just before the trailhead. The end of August is always our annual trip to somewhere we have not explored before and we were not disappointed with this choice (as with all the others). The weather was quite agreeable with only some minor rain along the way and virtually no bugs the entire trip (another late August choice). The first day took us to the junction of 534 and 510. As you can imagine the burn out is quite visible for most of this section but the Chewuch Falls and the swimming pools above were exceptional. Open meadows along the way and lots of new growth made it a bit better than expected. Day 2: We headed north along 534 and found the trail to be muddy in spots with some overgrowth but quite passable. We stopped and explored the old Tungsten Mine that was abandoned during the Great Depression in the early 1900’s. Nearby were the old bunkhouse and cabin that is still in pretty good shape thanks to many who have restored this site over the years. The outhouse was a 2 seater with brand new seats … amazing! We continued north and setup camp in a nice meadow area just beyond the intersection on trail 533 and below Wolframite Mountain. Day 3: We continued west on 533 over Apex Pass on the way to Upper Cathedral Lake. Along the way we were treated to spring like flowers that were plentiful as we got closer to Cathedral Pass. Incredible views were also a big treat as we made our way along a very good trail. We setup camp at the west end of Upper Cathedral Lake having learned that the east end was typically very windy. A mother and her baby Mountain Goat kept us company for the 2 days we stayed here and we also had Deer drop by. Day 4: We explored the area and went up to the top of the mountain range to the north alongside Cathedral Peak. At this point you are looking into Canada and can see where sections of demarcation actually show you where the border is located. We also saw a Canadian patrol helicopter flying right along the border line. Some of us spent more time climbing while others went back to the lake for some good fishing. I attempted to climb Cathedral Peak 8,601’ and had to stop about 100 feet short due to the loose rock and ice having made it past the first snow field (backside of summit at 8,515’). Day 5: After waking up to frost and below freezing temperatures (lake is at 7,400’) we began our ascent along the west side of the loop. Trail signs are lacking and you have to be very careful when trying to figure out which trail to take in places. Green Trails does not show many of these which is to be expected. We ended up taking a left trail that took us partially around the backside of Amphitheater Mountain. As it turned out this gave us a nice walk thru open fields to pick up the trail with no real delay. We took the left portion of trail 565 (unmaintained) which takes you past the east side of Remmel Lake which you can’t see. As the forest cover is quite dense you have quite a long hike with no real view along this section. Once we merged with 510 along Remmel Creek it was much the same until we got to the Four Point Creek intersection close to where we setup camp for the night Day 6: The trail along this route has many sections of heavy and loose rocks so be careful of your footing along the way. Quite the test to keep from twisting an ankle or falling along this portion but very passable as long as you look down at all times. Also there are sections with much undergrowth on the trail so good eye protection is a must. Our intention was to hike about 5 miles and end up with an easy hike out on the following morning but the further we got the less opportunity for a flat camp area next to water existed. We ended up going the distance of about 12 miles back to Thirtymile TH and drove to a camp site by the Chewuch River for our final night.

I decided to get legs in shape for upcoming Alaska trip and test gear too. And take a few photos as well. After reviewing my choices, I decided on the Pasayten Wilderness and I have to say I threw the kitchen sink at it and the Pasayten chewed me up and spit me out as usual. After an overnight car camp at Chewuch Trailhead I spent full day on the trail and made it to Upper Cathedral Lake via Remmel Lake. The Remmel trail is a bit bushy with cottonwoods but the shade was nice with the full sun out. Cathedral Lake provided great photo opportunities for me and the mosquitoes. A bivy sack was the wrong choice for such a heavy bug count. And because of the bugs and my not having a tent, I decided to head back out the next day via Tungsten trail (making this a loop hike). The last 2 miles out via 510A to Chewuch Trailhead was brutal in full sun, 1,000 feet up... My parting suggestion would be to wear good hiking shoes/boots as horse trails can be a real challenge for hikers. Lots of loose rock, creek beds called trails, etc. A boot with ankle support and that can get wet from streams would be best in my opinion.

Chasing a favorable forecast, hardy hiker spouse and I bit off the 6-hour drive from Issaquah to finally hike the boundary trail from Iron Gate through Horseshoe Basin to Cathedral Lakes. Due to the late season we lucked out and hit the peak of the wildflower season (and, unfortunately, the mosquito season too) along the hike. It's definitely worth the drive! The drive mostly followed highway 97 up the westside of the Columbia and then along the Okanogan River. First time up there and we were amazed at the lush extent of the orchards! In Tonasket we turned left on 4th street, then left on highway 7 which turned into Loomis-Oroville Road. Passing through Loomis (don't blink!) we drove along a lovely reservoir and side valley, then turned left on Toats Coulie road which alternated (bumpy but patched) pavement and (washboardy) gravel several miles to a sign on the right for 'Iron Gate Trailhead'. Shortly after the sign, FR 500 cuts off - the infamous Iron Gate access road. It lives up to its reputation with a very narrow track, lots of rocks and deep runoff-ruts. Still, our passenger car was able to make it just fine going slow and aiming precisely to avoid getting high-centered. I would not want to do this with a low-clear car, but 4WD is not required (at least not during dry weather). After climbing steadily about 30 minutes on 500 we rounded a corner and there was the trailhead parking area, with three horse trailers and about 8 cars - UH OH!! Crowds? Horse piles? Still, we resolutely loaded up and set out at 2:05 PM on the trail which was clearly marked at the northwest corner of the parking area, along an old abandoned roadbed. The trail started in lodgepole pine-fir forest and proceeded that way for about a mile, passing the junction to the Deer Lake and Windy Pass/Clutch Creek trail crossing, before passing into a very large burn which continued for nearly 5 miles almost to Sunny Pass. Skeleton trees but very vigorous regeneration of lodgepole and fir seedlings underneath, and lots of fireweed and lupine. The first 5 miles climbed gradually, then more aggressively, up successive steps first to a field of large picturesque white boulders and finally rounding a bend into the expanse of Sunny Pass with great views south and also north to Albert peak and Horseshow Basin meadows. A couple of lovely camps just before the pass. The junction for the Windy Pass loop (back to Iron Gate via Clutch Crk trail) cut off right at the top, though there was no sign for the pass. Continuing straight we arrived at Horseshoe Pass 2.5 hours and 6.4 miles later. Again no sign for Horseshoe Pass, just a sign for Goodenough Mountain trail going right. Meadow expanses in all directions and a very nice camp just up to the right of the junction, where we met some women who had come with horses and offered us some fresh cherries from their trees - thanks ladies! Turning left there to continue on the boundary trail, we crossed a creek and more meadows and found Louden Lake on the flank of Rock Peak about a mile past Horseshoe Pass. Footpaths everywhere but no obvious camps - you really have to look! Someone had found a camp up above the lake to the right, and we wound around behind the lake on the left to find a couple of nice camps, choosing one to pitch our tent. Few good options to hang food, a consistent situation throughout this hike, as were the swarms of mosquitoes, but great views and I really enjoyed the evening sitting on the hill looking out over the lake. The next morning we set out with Scheelite Pass as our objective. The trail rounds Rock Peak with views far north into Canada, descending slightly before passing around a small tarn and climbing up and south onto the shoulder of Haig Mountain. Once at the top the views really opened up to the south and west and we could see not only Windy Peak towering to the south but also Remmel Mountain and distant peaks of the North Cascades crest. The forest type throughout the high country was a fascinating and lovely mix of subalpine fir, lodgepole pine, whitebark pine, spruce (Englemann?) and lovely freshly-flushed subalpine larch, very open and interspersed with grassy meadows and white boulders as well as charred snags. The trail rounded Haig Mountain, descended and then climbed slightly traversing back into creek drainages and then back out around the shoulder of Teapot Dome (you only know you're there when you can look up and see the black-streaked dome above you). Some very nice camps heading up to and around TEapot Dome, with plenty of water throughout, at least this time of year. From a high point on the side of Teapot Dome the trail descended to Scheelite Pass at about 18 miles from the trailhead, a broad flat spot covered in lodgepole pine with many very nice camps. Few if any good camps between Loudon and Teapot Dome though you might be able to find a small flat spot between rocks in the meadows if in dire need (but that would be poor 'leave no trace' practice!). We crossed water often along this section but not clear how many of the streams last through the dry season. Because of the very flat trail we made excellent time to Scheelite, arriving there at about noon. AFter a snack we headed on with a plan to camp 3 miles further on, at Tungsten mine, where several other hikers said they had camped. The trail descended steeply from Scheelite (the steepest elevation change on the whole trip) and then continued to traverse with slight ups and downs around the south facing slopes until we came upon the Tungsten cabins, and slightly downhill from them, the junction with the Tungsten creek trail to Chewuch creek (8 miles down). We found a large, though swampy and buggy, camp just beore the cabins, checked out the mining debris and cabins (apparently maintained, just barely, by the boy scouts) and the outhouse with brand new hardwood toilet seats! Our original plan had been to reduce our total mileage to and from Cathedral Lakes by making a loop out via Tungsten Creek, down to Basin Creek, and back up and out via Windy Pass and Clutch Creek trail. However, having checked out the depth of the drop to the valley bottom we decided to make a base camp at Tungsten, go out and back to Cathedral lakes with daypacks, and then retrace our steps along the boundary trail instead. The third morning, we donned our daypacks for a short (40 minute) modest climb to Apex Pass (no camps along this section, though previous trip reports and indicated there were camps). Based on strong recommendations from other hikers we cut south up the ridge and made the easy climb to the top of Apex Peak for jaw-dropping 360-degree views including Glacier Peak to the southwest and Mount BAker-Shucksan to the west, plus the glory of the (still snowy) North Cascades. To make the climb, go just barely over the crest of Apex Pass and cut south across the open (boggy) meadows through the larch, aiming for the bouldery ridge to your right to avoid the cliffs. The high point had a small canister marking the spot. Descending from the peak we headed on down from Apex Pass, around and back up, traversing to Cathedral Pass. Still a snowfield to cross multiple times as the trail switchbacked up to the pass, but mushy so safe with our poles. I would not want to have to cross it without poles. From Cathedral Pass it would have been an easy scramble up to the top of Cathedral Peak but we decided to get a snack overlooking the lakes (barely melted below) and then head back so that we could get a ways back toward the Basin for our third night's camp. By then we had the idea that we could make great mileage on this gentle trail so hoped to be able to get out a day early. As expected we made it to Scheelite by about 3PM and took one of the nice camps there. We made a 6:20AM start the next morning and were able to make our way the 18 miles back to the car by 12:30PM. Saw very few people, and the trail was extremely well maintained. Though this trail is obviously used by pack animals they did not have the extreme negative impacts of some heavily used pack trails and their impact was minimal overall. Our only suggestion would be that there be more formal camps established along the route to protect the meadows. Bring your 100% DEET!!

Went to about 5800 feet on this trail. Some logs down. Not as many as on Chewuch trail though. Snow started at 5800 feet.