Kachess Ridge / Kachess Beacon, Thorp Mountain via Knox Creek & No Name Ridge - Thorp Mountain — Saturday, Oct. 18, 2003

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

I couldn't get any takers on the trip I wanted to do so. Rubberlegs suggested I tag along on his trip with the amiable Alan Bauer so I jumped at the chance. Before I knew it, Mike and Kim were also coming along. I knew the day would be full of good company. We met at the Preston P&R at 11:00am because one of the party members had a ""honey-do"" to do. So after a bit of a late start we headed out toward CleElum. The road to the TH is in good shape except for one tree down across the road about 1/4 mile from the TH. No problem though...most cars should be able to drive around and over the debris. For an ""easy"" trip this trail doesn't waste any time. It immediately starts out in a series of switchbacks climbing the 1.25 miles to the top of the ridge and gaining over 1000 feet in elevation. The trail is in good shape. Once hitting the top of the ridge we headed right (north) toward Thorp Mtn. This is a beautiful ridge walk. We hit a tad bit of weather once reaching the ridge. It was hard to find a good combination of clothing. It was windy, spitting rain, and yet kinda warm and kinda cold. At one point Alan said he never saw so many changes in clothing. We ran the ridge from this junction the 1+ miles out to the ""summit"". At the summit there is a great old lookout complete with radio antenae and solar panel. It was such a reward to visit with the lookout since so many of them have been removed. Whenever I visit a lookout I imagine what it's history must have been like. We didn't stay too long here. Just long enough for Alan to take a few pictures, for our group to get a bite to eat, and long enough for rubberlegs and MtnMike to discover two priveys (one abandoned, one new). We eventually left the lookout site and headed back down the ridge to the trail junction. From here Kim, Mike, and Alan took a leisurely hike back down the the car. Rubberlegs and I darted off toward S. Thorp. The trail continues on the ridge and then contours along the east side of a bumb just before reaching a saddle about 1 miles from the Knox Ck junction. From this saddle we did a rising traverse up the hillside and reached the top of the bump labeled 5841' on the USGS. We peered over at the bumb due east of us and scratched our heads wondering if it was the taller of the two bumbs. Our bumb had a cairn. Just in case...lest anyone dare to say we summited the wrong bumb...we dropped down the the saddle between the two and then tagged that other bump. We told the other group members that we would be about 45 minutes behind them. So, rubberlegs and I ran - yes ran - down the trail and down the switchbacks and reached the trailhead about 25 minutes after the others. Great trip. Good company. Stats: 6-7 miles, 3400' gain