Bean Creek Basin, Navaho Pass, County Line & Fourth Creek — Saturday, Jun. 29, 2013

Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway

Our stalwart group of 8 Mountaineers set out on a sunny, muggy day to scout the loop from Beverly Trailhead, across on the Bean Creek trail over Navaho Pass and around the back on County Line and Hardscrabble Creek trails back to the Beverly trailhead. We were successful, but learned a lot about the loop route that was not previously available in trip reports. Anyone wanting to do this as a loop should be aware that this is a scramble route that should not be attempted without a GPS, plenty of time and a party interested in some adventure. Bean Creek trail was well marked and lovely, flowers out and beautiful colors on the rock as we passed Judis Peak, Mary's Peak and Bean Peak. For those planning to head up into Bean Basin, stay straight after crossing Bean Creek. Those wanting to head up to the Earl Peak saddle and on to Navaho - watch for a trail going nearly due south right at Bean Creek! No sign or marker!! This trail climbs steadily, switchbacking to the ridge under Earl Peak at about 4 miles & 6000'. Here you find a well trodden path north to Earl. The trail going forward toward Navaho inexplicably switchbacks quite a ways down into the Standup Creek basin before joining the Standup creek trail # (you will pass a Standup Creek sign - keep going downhill until you meet the trail, then go left to traverse the bowl.) From here it's a short way to the 6200' high point looking across the Stafford Creek basin to Navaho and Freedom Peaks. A great lunch stop. Go south from the broad flat atop the ridge to find the trail winding down the northfacing slope from the saddle. The trail switchbacks steeply back and forth below some lovely red rock formations, finally crossing the first of several streams draining into Stafford. Keep going - you are still quite a ways from the meadows and camps below Navaho! You will descend further, cross a fairly significant creek (still hopp-able), and then climb west around a knob to suddenly come upon a broad meadow expanse and camps with Navaho Pass just behind. Turn right there and circle the meadows, climbing through the trees and then coming out on barren serpentine-rock slopes. You will come to a junction - look right to the final, lovely traverse over to Navaho Pass. From the pass there are amazing views across to the Enchantments, though Stuart isn't visible from here. A mile to the east is the top of Navaho Peak. Our route for today didn't leave us time for the Peak. We cut WEST on the bootpath signed as the 'County Line trail', but this was really little more than a boot track and sometimes barely visible at that. (It may have been better to have descended back from Navaho to the junction and continue on from there to the saddle to drop down into the Hardscrabble Creek basin.) We followed the barely visible boot track over a lot of residual snow patches essentially to the top of the knob due east of Navaho Pass (~6800'?) and then had to descend and traverse over and through boulders with steep drops below to get to the saddle above Hardscrabble Creek basin. From the saddle, the GPS track and our intrepid pathfinders located the barest track heading steeply downhill through the trees (not across the scree...at least not yet). Finally we did dump out onto fairly loose gravelly soil which we then 'glissaded' down through, still following the GPS track and the very occasional signs of a boot. Our route then turned just about due west, traversing under the prominent knob on the ridgeline to Earl Peak (Unnamed on the Green Trails map but marked 6823'). We eventually encountered minimalist cairns and followed them across wet tussock, rockpiles and forest. (Go around the big pile of red rock to the left, then continue straight through the woods.) We never did find a marker for Hardscrabble Creek trail. Soon after the redrock pile, you come out of the trees and find a trail going steeply to the left (south), switchbacking up a gravelly slope to the top of a ridge with a rugged rock outcrop just to its west end. In places this hard gravel slope was a bit treacherous, with a long fall if one slipped. But enough footing to make it up safely in boots - just don't even think about it without ice axe and traction if there's snow! From the top of this saddle (I refer to it as Fourth Creek Pass), the views are stupendous, across to Mt Stuart and the Stuart Range, and there is a very well marked (finally!) trail down to the Beverly creek drainage. Well signed junctions mark the Fourth Creek trail (go left) and the Beverly Trail (go left again), back to the trailhead. Be very sure of snowmelt before even thinking of attempting the loop! A week earlier and we wouldn't have made it. Wildflowers were absolutely gorgeous on this trip! Thunder clouds loomed around us through much of the walk, but we lucked out with sun breaks overhead and no rain other than a pitter patter that cooled our final mile. Plenty of water through the length of the hike; no wet fords, though somewhat tricky rock hopping. Bring extra socks in case you slip!