Page Type Page Type: Area/Range
Location Lat/Lon: 46.75492°N / 121.13525°W
Activities Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering, Trad Climbing, Bouldering, Ice Climbing, Scrambling, Skiing
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Elevation: 8184 ft / 2494 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

The Naches Ranger District is located on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in Washington state. The district makes up the southern end of the Wenatchee National Forest, encompassing 518,982 acres with a low elevation of 1930 feet at the Tieton River and a high elevation of 8184 feet on the summit of Gilbert Peak (Mt. Curtis Gilbert). The district has a diverse assortment of ecosystems ranging from glaciated alpine areas along the Cascade Crest to almost desert shrub-steppe areas only 20 miles to the east with nearly everything else in between.

The Cascade Crest forms the western boundary of the district where the Pacific Crest Trail runs north and south. The Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mt. Rainier National Park, and Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest border the district west of the Cascade Crest. The Cle Elum Ranger District is located to the north and the Yakama Indian Nation Reservation to the south. A mixture of Washington State Dept. of Natural Resources, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, and private lands border the district to the east. There are checkerboard land ownerships on the fringes of the district to the north, east, and south. Portions of the Goat Rocks, William O. Douglas, and Norse Peak Wilderness Areas lie within the district.

 
Mt. Rainier from Bear Cr. Mtn.
Mt. Rainier at sunrise from Bear Creek Mountain
 
Mt. Aix from Mt. Rainier
Mt. Aix and Nelson Ridge from Mt. Rainier summit
 
Wenatchee National Forest Map
Wenatchee National Forest, Naches Ranger District at southern end
 
Naches Ranger District Map
Naches Ranger District (red line is boundary)

Naches Ranger District Summits

There are 55 summits (peaks, mountains, points, rocks, buttes, tables, hills) named on published government maps (USGS or US Forest Service) that can only be accessed on foot by trails or scrambling. I am probably the first person to ever climb all of these summits. I have also climbed many additional summits which are not given names on published maps, but have been named by others or myself. In addition to these climbs, I completed ski ascents on all 6 named summits which can be reached by roads in the summer. Eventually I would like to create a page on summitpost for each of these summits as there is currently only pages for 10.

                        Named on Map (55) Elevation (ft.)
 
User Profile Image
Gilbert Peak 8184
 
Old Snowy Mountain (7,880+...
Old Snowy Mountain 7930
 
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Ives Peak 7840
 
Sunset in the Goat Rocks
Tieton Peak 7768
 
Mt. AixMt. Aix
Mount Aix* 7766
 
Dramatic north face of...
Bismarck Peak 7585
 
Bear Creek Mountain from Tieton Peak
Bear Creek Mountain* 7336
 
Nelson Butte
Nelson Butte 7160
  Devils Horn 7090
 
West Peak and East Peak of Fifes Peaks
Fifes Peaks (NW, W, E, Far E) 6917
 
Norse Peak
Norse Peak 6856
  Rattlesnake Peaks 6850
 
Shellrock Peak in the clouds!
Shellrock Peak 6835
 
Hogback Mountain
Hogback Mountain 6789
  Spencer Point 6650
 
The North Ridge of Old Scab
Old Scab Mountain 6608
  Burnt Mountain 6536
 
Crown Point with Mt. Adams in the distance
Crown Point 6484
  Goat Peak* 6473
 
Naches Peak and Sheep Lake
Naches Peak 6452
  Arnesons Peak 6450
 
Klenke on Ironstone
Ironstone Mountain 6441
  Strobach Mountain 6397
  Gold Hill 6383
  Pear Butte 6372
 
Pickhandle Point
Pickhandle Point 6361
 
Tumac Mtn.
Tumac Mountain* 6340
  Quartz Mountain (Hike) 6300
 
Mt Clifty
Mount Clifty 6245
 
Yakima Peak
Yakima Peak 6226
  Crag Mountain 6208
  Bootjack Rock 6000
  Cramer Mountain 5992
 
Round Mtn Lookout 1941
Round Mountain* 5970
 
Spiral Butte
Spiral Butte 5929
  Twin Peaks 5924
  Bald Mountain* (Hike) 5898
  Fryingpan Mountain 5740
 
Blowout Mountain from near the trailhead
Blowout Mountain 5735
  Pyramid Peak* 5715
 
Jumpoff Joe Lookout2
Jumpoff Joe Lookout* (Hike) 5670
  Devils Table 4682
 
Goose Egg Mountain to the...
Goose Egg Mountain 4566
 
West side of Kloochman Rock...
Kloochman Rock 4532
  Red Rock 4478
  Meeks Table 4458
  Red Rock 4478
  Westfall Rocks 4060
  Haystack Rock 3932
  Chimney Peaks 3870
  Edgar Rock* 3840
  Deadhorse Hill 3637
  Kamiakan Butte 3516
  Sentinel Rock 3040
  Windy Point 2650
  No Name on Map (14) Elevation(ft.)
  Moon Mountain 7527
 
Baldy Cropped
Mount Baldy 7049
  Dog Mountain 7041
  Buffalo Hump 6960
  “Placer Peak” 6904
 
Three Way Peak NE face
Threeway Peak 6796
  Blue Slide Lookout* 6785
 
Dewey Peak & Lakes
Dewey Peak 6710
  “Sheep Rock” 6708
  Cupalo Rock 6600
  House Rock 6350
  “Cedar Point” 6162
  Pigtail Peak (Hike) 6000
  Frenchmen Butte 4128
  Ski Ascent (6) Elevation (ft.)
  Darland Mountain* 6981
 
Timberwolf Mtn Lookout 1942
Timberwolf Mountain* 6435
  Clover Springs* 6351
  Raven Roost* 6199
  Little Bald Mountain* 6108
 
Miners Ridge Lookout
Miners Ridge* 6072

* = Fire Lookout existed historically. Most have been demolished. Miners Ridge was only included since a fire lookout had existed.

Elevations are from USGS Quad maps and the US Forest Service Naches Ranger District map.

Getting There

From Seattle head south on SR-410 into Mt. Rainier National Park and continue on SR 410 over Chinook Pass or turn on to SR-123 south to US-12 and enter over White Pass. From Portland head north on I-5, then east on US-12 over White Pass or turn north onto SR-123 and turn east onto SR-410 over Chinook Pass. From Yakima head west on US-12 and either continue on US-12 or take SR-410 at the Y junction. I suppose it would also be possible to enter by a number of gravel and unimproved roads such as those crossing Naches Pass or Green Pass. You could also hike into the Naches Ranger District on any of the various trails leading into the district such as the Pacific Crest Trail.

Red Tape

Northwest Forest Pass is required to park at most trailheads. Wilderness entry permits are required when visiting Wilderness areas, but are free and can be obtained at the trailhead or where the trail enters the wilderness area. My climbing partner Mike Hay built the permit boxes for his Eagle Scout project.

External Links

Wenatchee National Forest
NOAA Weather
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center
WSDOT Pass Report
Naches Valley Chamber of Commerce
Central Washington Mountain Rescue
Boy Scouts of America Camp Fife

Camping

For campgrounds see Naches Valley Chamber of Commerce

Many peaks are located in wilderness areas which offer ample locations for backcountry basecamps. Basic wilderness regulations are in place such as camping at least 100' from lakes. There are no permanent fire restrictions. During mid to late summer, fire bans may be in effect for lower elevations, but rarely for higher elevation wilderness areas.

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

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PeakAddict

PeakAddict - Mar 16, 2011 9:15 pm - Voted 10/10

Elevations

There are some discrepancies in the elevations of the Naches Ranger District peaks with the topographic maps. The following are the correct elevations as shown on the topo map. Perhaps the incorrect elevations came from older, out of date, topo maps and the Ranger District just hasn't updated them. An easy way to verify the following is to find the peak at http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/searchindex.php?State=WA. When at the peak's page, then click "Full Screen Topo Map", then magnify further, if need be. Old Snowy Mountain, 7880'+ Ives Peak, 7920'+ Bear Creek Mountain, 7337' Nelson Butte, 7160'+ Devils Horn, 7040'+ Fifes Peak NW, (This is actually Fifes Ridge, West. See http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=49608), 6920'+ The map shows an elevation of 6917', but if you look closely, that is below the summit. There is also a Fifes Ridge, East, http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=49943, at 6520'+ Fifes Peak, West, 6880'+ Fifes Peak, Middle, 6793'+ Fifes Peak, East, 6375' Rattlesnake Peaks, North, 6850' (agrees with SummitPost) Rattlesnake Peaks, South, 6583' Spencer Point, 6680'+ Crown Point, 6480'+ Arnesons Peak, 6400'+ Gold Hill, 6295' Tumac Mountain, 6320'+ Quartz Mountain, 6280'+ Bootjack Rock, 5920'+ Spiral Butte, 5920'+ Twin Peaks, East, 5920'+ Twin Peaks, West, 5843'. Added to the list. Bald Mountain, 6115'. Added to the list since the lookout, below, was not on the highest point, the true summit. See http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=50337 Bald Mountain lookout site, 5898'. A better name for where the lookout used to be, since it was not on the highest point, the true summit, above. Fryingpan Mountain, 5720'+ Blowout Mountain, 5750' Jumpoff Lookout, 5670'. The correct name. Jump Off Joe is a different summit. See http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=54586 Jumpoff Lookout Peak, 5760'+. Added to the list since the lookout above is not on the highest point, the true summit. See http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=50669 Westfall Rocks, West, 4060'. Agrees with SummitPost. Westfall Rocks, East, 3295'. Added to the list. Chimney Peaks, East, 3870' Chimney Peaks, West, 3840+. Added to the list. Edgar Rock, 3680'+ Sentinel Rock, 3040'+ Windy Point, 2640'+ Timberwolf Mountain, 6391' Raven Roost, 6160'+ Miners Ridge lookout site, 6040'+ Miners Ridge, 6080'+. Added to the list since the lookout above is not on the highest point, the true summit. See http://listsofjohn.com/PeakStats/Climbers.php?Id=50170

MattDurkee

MattDurkee - Apr 30, 2011 12:36 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Elevations

Thanks for the interest in my page. I understand your personal need for only using USGS Quad maps to determine elevations, but because this is a page and a peak list for the Naches Ranger District, I have also incorporated exact elevations given on the Naches Ranger District map which is for sale at the Naches Ranger District office. I used the exact elevations from the USGS Quad maps if available. If not available on the USGS Quad maps, but available on the the Naches Ranger District map, I used those instead of estimating an elevation based on USGS contour lines. I did see a couple of elevations that I do need to fix out of the list you created, but most of the original elevations you had listed as discrepancies were taken, as I mentioned, from the official Naches Ranger District map published by the US Forest Service. I think it is fair to point out that some of the USGS Quads are becoming somewhat out of date also. Take Mt. Rainier for example, the website you mentioned that has a USGS Quad shown which lists 14,410' for Mt. Rainier. Recent survey work has officially changed this elevation to 14,411'. I also apologize for the late reply as I have been extremely busy for quite some time with raising two newborns, trying to finish my master's thesis in geology, and working. I probably should not even have taken the time to create this page yet, but I wanted to get it out there. I will be happier when I can get back to climbing more.

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