Amos & Andrew Peaks

Overview

Amos & Andrew was a BOMB, so this page is too. Don't read any further. It's not worth your time. Save your $9 for better entertainment. These guys were better and worth your ear time. All you needed was a radio. Too bad you're 50 years too late.

To be fair, I should call this page Andrew & Amos, as the former is not only higher than the latter but also the only one with an official name. But for the time being, it will remain in alphabetical order: Amos, and, Andrew, Peaks. The two peaks rise as two somewhat identical mountains on a north-south divide approximately a mile-and-a-half west of higher Remmel Mountain in the Pasayten Wilderness. Here is a good map showing the location and size of the Pasayten Wilderness. There are no permanent snowfields on these peaks, they being too far east to receive significant precipitation. There may be ice patches but all in all they are barren but pocked with scrub evergreens.

First up: Andrew. At 8,301 ft, Andrew Peak ranks as the 17th-highest* summit (out of perhaps 200 summits) in the 530,000-acre Pasayten Wilderness and is the highest summit in the large group of peaks west of Remmel. It also ranks as approximately the 103rd highest summit in the state, missing the Top 100 by one 40-ft contour. Andrew is also the 15th-most-prominent* summit in the wilderness. The east side is a corrugation of parallel gullies rumbling down to 6,700-ft Andrew Pass. The south, southwest, and west slopes are largely boulderfields. Only the north side has any appreciable precipices. What really makes Andrew compelling is the view it provides in all directions but especially to massive Remmel Mountain and the heavily burned Andrews Creek. Fred Beckey in his Cascade Alpine Guide says the name should be "Andrews" (in the plural). I'm not sure where he got this (see below).

Second: "Amos". At 8,259 ft, "Amos Peak" ranks as 20th-highest summit in the Pasayten and approximately 118th-highest in the state. Though it is lower than Andrew it is more interesting: its summit is pyramidal, it possesses a broad north shoulder, and there are more cliffy areas (although a peek at the map wouldn't indicate this). The north end of the ridge dropping to Spanish Creek is steep. The toponym was a natural but it has a second significance. Quoting Dr. John Roper from an email: "It’s down as Amos Peak in my Life List. Some call it North Andrew. The name to me is partly the obvious Amos and Andy association, but on a personal note, in 1988 when I was atop there, I was taking care of a wonderful, kind, terminally-ill patient with that name."

* Big Craggy (8470F, 3070P) is not quite in the wilderness so has been left off the rankings. See the bottom of the page for lists of the highest and most prominent peaks in the Pasayten.

Information from Harry Majors
"'Andrews' could either denote a familial or surname (as in Roy Chapman Andrews), or constitute the possessive case of a Christian name, as in 'Andrew's.'
"The primary and original form of the name in this area is 'Andrews Creek.' This is an old, pre-Lage Wernstedt name that appears on the 1911 Forest Service map of the Okanogan National Forest.
"In Okanogan County, there is a cluster of 'Andrews' surnames on the Colville Indian Reservation. I would suspect that 'Andrews' was the name of an early prospector or sheep-herder who frequented the Pasayten area, and who was either a member, or related to a member, of the Colville Indian Tribe/Nation.
"The term later appears in the form of 'Andrew P.', as introduced on Lage Wernstedt's epochal 1928 printed map of Chelan National Forest (but not on his February 1926 manuscript map of the Methow-Pasayten area). This term was likely introduced by Lage Wernstedt, as a corruption of, and derived from, the previously existing term 'Andrews Creek.'
"The cartographic employment on 1928-1938 Forest Service maps of 'Andrew P.' is equivocal, for although the lettering is positioned on present-day Andrew Pass, present-day Andrew Peak is situated immediately to the left/west of the lettering. 'Andrew P.' can thus stand for either Andrew Pass or Andrew Peak.
"It is only on the 1942 map of Chelan National Forest that the terms 'Andrew Pk.' and 'Andrew Pass' first appear in distinct form, applied to two different features."

Getting There

The one obvious and short route to Andrew and Amos peaks are via Andrews Creek to the SSE. This is about a 12-mile trail hike through heavily burned forest. The trail has recently been cleared of burnfall (as of summer 2005). Another route could be from the Cathedral Peak area if you happen to be climbing over yon way. An approach from Canada is described on the Cathedral page. Be advised it is not really legal to cross the International Border here but I'm sure a lot of hikers do. You could certainly try and pre-arrange such a crossing with the Border Patrol but you may be opening yourself up to scrutiny. Take your chances.

Both Amos and Andrew peaks can be approached by the abandoned Glory Creek Trail on the west but be prepared for a heck of a lot of annoying lodgepole windfall.

Andrews Creek Trail
Drive 23.5 miles north out of Winthrop on the Chewuch River Road. The trail starts at 3,050 ft. Andrews Creek Campground is here. Hike the trail for 12 miles to 6,680+ ft Andrew Pass, which is less than a mile northeast of Andrew Peak.

Viable Routes to Andrew
The east end of Andrew's north face is a Class 2 hopscotch skip up a boulder and talus slope. There are some steeper areas with gullies between them. Simply hike west from Andrew Pass until the terrain steepens at c. 7,400 ft.
The same kind of boulder and talus slope can be found on the south end of the east face. This is south of the last of the parallel gullies descending that side. Alternately, you could round the corner to the south slope.
The southwest and west sides of Andrew are the easiest but you don't need to go all the way over there unless you have other reasons to do so (for instance as part of a traverse out to Peepsight or Freds mountains).

A minor valley exists to Andrews south. The creek in it is shown as semi-dry on the map. The valley heads on the Andrew-Peepsight divide. A trail ascends to this 7,180-ft pass, which is an interesting arrow-straight grassy ditch (probably a fault). This trail cuts off from Andrew Pass and wanders up and down for two miles to tiny Rock Lake (7,140 ft) and possible camping. In a half-mile more reach the pass and the funky fault. Passing through this area last year I saw no signs of the trail. It has definitely been abandoned and I would bet the lower, forested parts are full of windfall. Note that a mile or more of this trail can be cut-off if you leave the Andrews Creek Trail a mile before Andrew Pass. Cross west over Andrews Creek and diagonal up and right until the trail is met, if you can find it. It's probably an old cut through lodgepole pines (but I cannot guarantee that).

Viable Routes to Amos
One can make a long, talus traverse from Andrew (Class 2). From Andrew Pass it seems feasible to pick any one of several lines up gullies (possible Class 3) on the southeast side of the peak or to the Andrew-Amos saddle. The east, north, and west sides are also fairly benign. Heck, you could climb it from just about any direction. Yes, it's hard to be aimless on Amos.

Red Tape

A Trail Park Pass is required at Andrews Creek Trailhead. At the trailhead you are asked to fill-out a wilderness permit. The only red tape for the Canadian approach is the invisible red tape that is stretched endlessly along the International Border.

When To Climb

As long as you could get to the Andrews Creek Trailhead (3,000 ft), I suppose you could climb Amos & Andrew at any time of year. It will be a long ski or snowshoe trek in there. Early summer would be ideal for the enjoyment of wildflowers and green grass. But lingering snow could hide these, so let's say July is the best timeframe. In late summer streams could be dry. I remember being out of water for nearly my entire high Amos-Andrew-Peepsight-Freds-Van traverse in July.

Camping

Rock Lake on south side of Andrew Peak or at Andrew Pass (limited water availability). Also, at the Andrew-Peepsight saddle.

Mountain Conditions

Localized Forecast

Significant Peaks in the Pasayten

The Pasayten's 35-highest summits and 35-most-prominent summits.
Big Craggy (8470F, 3070P) lies just outside the wilderness boundary.
Desolation Peak (3222P) is just outside the wilderness in Ross Lake National Recreation Area.

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

Images

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