Mount Aix, Richmond Mine — Saturday, Sep. 7, 2019

I’ve been contemplating a lollipop route that would include Mt Aix for several years now. Finally it was time to just do it. The official route would start at the Mt Aix TH, tag Mt Aix and continue east on the Mt Aix trail (982) dropping down to Dog Creek. At Dog Creek, turn N NW on the Richmond Mine Trail (973) until the North Fork of Rattlesnake Creek. Just past NFRC I would turn westerly on the Nelson Ridge Trail (984) and circle back to the intersection with Mt Aix trail. Another 4.5 miles back down would put me back at the car completing the route.

The road to the TH turns from paved to dirt just past the boat launch at Bumping Lake, about 10 miles in from 410. I kept my speed to right around 15 MPH on the dirt for roughly the next 5 miles and did just fine with my mid-sized SUV (complete with nature’s pinstriping on both sides from past adventures on brushy roads (I can hear my wife rolling her eyes)).

Started hiking up and came across two fellows who were out looking for bears. I suppose as a gentle reminder to all, we are entering the season where folks go out looking for big game, so keep this in mind when venturing into the woods. This means leave your warm bear skin coat at home and no, you can’t wear your 6-point antler hat….

The trail is clear of blockages and easily followed but there are a few areas on the steep switchbacks where the trail is getting punched out and sloughing off on the downhill side. My water filtration system is the Sawyer filtration with squeeze bag, so while a vertical water flow is preferred with this system, the bag can be filled from a pool using a collapsible cup to scoop and fill. It’s time consuming but definitely works. Even in September I notes 4 viable water stops, a few no more than a trickle, while heading up to the ridge.

I hit the saddle and soon got my 1^st glimpse of the next destination, Mt. Aix. Wow! It doesn’t look doable without a rope from this angle but as I made my way, the trail gave way to some low class 3 scrambling and boom, I’m on top!!! Nice wide platform where a lookout tower once was. I hung around in the nice morning air talking to myself before continuing east. 

The loose rock trail continued along the ridge and eventually dropped down to scoot around the south side of an unnamed peak (7041 E). Here I lost the trail several times moving through open forest and meadows. Ended up following game trails before connecting with the better-defined trail further down the drainage. Looks like some trail work took place at this lower section. While there were several trees to climb over/ under/ around, evidence suggested folks have been here recently, and hard at work.

I watered up at Dog Creek and set to try and find the connector to Richmond Mine trail. Never did find it in full. What I did find was a slow cross-country travel occasionally finding the well-defined trail only to have the trail obscured by the general unmaintained nature of this section. Lots of blowdowns. Nature seems to be reclaiming this section. Green trails map and GPS helped as did keeping an eye out for cut logs and other signs of maintenance performed years ago. After about a mile the trail turns to the north, at a viable creek for water, to ascend to a saddle between West Nelson Butte and Nelson Butte (how many buttes does Nelson need?). Again, the section was littered with blowdowns and staying on trail was difficult. Just have to move through the crap by the easiest route at hand, always heading up, around this log, around that snaggle, through that opening, while not on trail, it definitely was the easiest way to gain the elevation...

Over the saddle and dropping down to the North Fork of Rattlesnake Creek, the trail was well defined although at the lower reaches, lots of blowdowns… See a pattern developing? The creek was a wonderful oasis, a good water flow for September. I suspect earlier in the year this crossing could be an issue with a substantially larger flow. Took another nice break to water up. The sun was still out and I was sweating heavily.  

Heading west I almost ran past the Nelson Ridge Trail connector. Fortunately, there was a sign. I stopped and with my hands on my hips questioned out loud “Where’s the ding dong trail?” I followed a series of game trails and the established “trail”. Consulting the map and GPS, I continued in the general direction… Again, whatever was easiest…

Climbing up out of the drainage the sky was getting dark to the west, but I couldn’t see what was brewin’ over the ridge… The trail finally broke out of the trees and onto loose rock and about then I heard the first rumbles of thunder. “Ah crap, let’s see how this turns out.” I hit Nelson Ridge to the sounds of almost constant thunder to the west. Ground strike lightning was flashing by American Ridge and south by White Pass… I wanted to get the heck off this exposed ridge, so it was time to hustle. Current weather conditions aside this was an amazing section of trail! Ridge running back to the Mt Aix trail connector while thunder and lightning dominated the south and west skies…Funny enough, looking east I could see the sun lit rolling ridges of eastern WA… I saw a big mountain goat seeming unfazed by the weather, munching on goat food… I paused to admire him for a bit and share some of his time together…

Got to the Aix connector as the skies were settling down. The last four miles I don’t believe I saw and lighting or heard any more thunder…Can’t say that for the drive back home…

I had a wonderful time doing this loop. I did not expect how much route finding was needed so proper equipment and navigational skills a must. It wasn’t anything difficult. It just took a little more preparation than following a well-established trail. This course is layout for you only on paper so expect to take longer than anticipated.  These trails and area are amazing, and it would be great if they got some volunteer love! It would probs have to be a back country response over several days due to the remote access.

Trip stats:

26-27 miles with 10k E gain in 12:50