PNTA and our perennial partners formed a planning committee to coordinate efforts in the new year. Their work wouldnt have been possible without the assistance of the US Forest Service, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and the dedicated volunteers that work in the Wilderness: the Back Country Horsemen of Washington, Pacific Crest Trail Association and Washington Trails Association. Two special trail crews from opposite sides of the Cascades were assembled for the ambitious project. Critical help also came from a new partner. Continuing westward over mostly open terrain with views, the Tungsten Mine is reached at 21 miles. . For most of its length in the Wilderness, the PNT can only be reached by long footpaths running from trailheads at least a full days walk to the south. There are several possibilities for arranging transportationfrom finding a friend who isnt hiking to assist with shuttling, or doing a key swap with another hiker. WTA Pro Tip: Save a copy of our directions before you leave! #534, the Chewuch Tr. Experience this 6.3-mile loop trail near Cortlandt Manor, New York. Together, they cleared 37 logs from the PNT in the Pasayten Wilderness on their last hitch. Soon, the blanket of haze took away our sky view as darkness fell. trip reports for this trail. Worse still, when several trees conspire to fall in large jumbled piles, they create impenetrable thickets so thick they have to be scrambled over or avoided altogether with off-trail navigation. To finish, theyd need an early start, but the Pasayten was notorious for disrupting early summer work parties with unhelpful snowstorms. The smoke had quickly engulfed Cathedral Pass. The maximum group size allowed is six people, and we do not split groups. Hiking the Boundary Trail is an adventure on many a hikers' bucket list. 428 W. Woodin Avenue The smoke permeating the western sky was captivating. Lead Packer, Kurt Langlois cinched down the saddlebags on his mount and prepared for the 22 mile ride back from the Pasayten Airstrip where he and Wilderness Ranger with the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Gregg Bafundo had rendezvoused with Sean Miller and the rest of the PNTA trail crew working at Bunker Hill. The backcountry sawyer must play it as it lies and plan each cut thoughtfully to conserve energy and minimize the risk of injury. We were above 7000 mostly, which meant that going up any high point was no more than 1000. The man had been here every year since childhood. Regardless of age or background, signing on for a season laboring on a backcountry trail crew can be an exciting and daunting proposition for anyone. But the decent weather would soon fade away within a few hours. The combination of stunning scenery and lack of crowds is one of the Boundary Trails most enticing aspects especially in autumn, when colors are changing, temperatures are cooling and bugs are gone. Pressed up against the jagged peaks that guard our northern border between the arid Okanogan and the glacier-clad ranges of the North Cascades lies the 531,000-acre Pasayten Wilderness. . Crew leaders Carly Tryon and Sean Miller use a 7-foot-long crosscut saw to clear the Boundary Trail/ PNT near Bunker Hill. We packed and hiked to Pick Peaks north saddle at 7200. Our Eastern Pasayten Trail Crew was resupplied by our partners at the U.S. Forest Service Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. on official, secure websites. It was indeed a dry season; better luck next time! Photo by Jessica Foster. Once considered a rite of passage, only a third of students spend the summer break working today . Turn West on County road #4066 which becomes Forest Service Road #39. Horseshoe Basin Via Boundary Trail. or when wildfire or fall snowstorms pushed them out. Some had never been apart from their families or cell service for so long. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Trail Maps Trail Conditions KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Proper food storage for black bear habitat is required Alcohol and twig burning stoves are banned in the Okanogan NF The Loomis NRCA is day-use only and pets are not allowed Grizzly bear encounters are possible (but unlikely) in the N Cascades Ecosystem HIGHLIGHTS 10237 Highway 12 This trail is in the Pasayten Wilderness. 2h 12m Hard 0 (0) Tatoosh Buttes Trail Washington Length: 8.7 mi Est. 209 Ferry Street, Suite A The legendary Boundary Trail in the Pasayten Wilderness is among the wildest and most scenic parts of the Pacific Northwest Trail. The crew was working in concert with several partners to restore the damage caused by the Holman Fire last year. The late season fire had closed a special stretch of Trail 2000, shared by two National Scenic Trails, and thru-hikers and other visitors had to detour around the area until it could be repaired this summer. The trail spans the width of the Pasayten Wilderness and is part of the much larger Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Learn more about how we're saving lost trails across the state, Recovering the Pasayten: A Coordinated Effort, Hiker Headlines: WTA Now Hiring, Highway Spring Cleaning, Trails Reopen, Upcoming Snowy Weekend. The Associations new Regional Coordinator, Sterling Collins-Hill sketched out the upcoming season for PNTAs Performance Trail Crews with the aid of his counterpart in Eastern Washington, Kristin Ackerman. Then Mother Nature announced other plans. But in the end, we had inhaled more smoke than the past years combined. Leavenworth, WA 98826 By this time in the season, the crew had become a well-oiled machine. A number of places along the trail are so special that youll have the images etched into your memory for years to come. Horseshoe Mountain sported a broad summit like the rest. Photo by Michael Sawiel. Photo by Thomas Gingrich. ) or https:// means you've safely Their progress would be relatively slow and deliberate. After an extended visit, we made our way down to Sunny Pass. On the way down, we shortcutted southwest rather than retracing our steps. Signing up to labor in service to our public lands is a commendable act unto itself. Ive led plenty of backcountry trips all over the country, but Ive never worked anywhere it took two full days just to reach a worksite and set up camp.. ( Bauerman Ridge, where we came from, was still visible. Trail, USFS - Okanogan & Wenatchee National Forest Office. Seeing it from the northwest high point was tempting, but we were short of daylight. Naches, WA 98937 Eight long and rewarding days later, the crew began the long hike south toward the trailhead at Slate Pass.With Sawiels help, they had cleared 258 logs from the trail. Yikes! Rock Creek Trail is a really fun route that serves as a connecting trail from the Pacific Crest Trail to Old Boundary Trail, West Fork Pasayten Trail, and others. Most high points were the eerie outlines of their usual glorious selves. highs 90s lows 30-40s. (509) 852-1100, Entiat Ranger District Photo by Seam Miller. Thanks to people like you, the Pacific Northwest Trail is in better shape in the Pasayten Wilderness than it has been in years. Deep into the night, the smoke cleared up as we lay underneath a starry sky. Photo by Thomas Gingrich. In this photo, the crew camps at a remote Airstrip in the Pasayten Wilderness. The trail intersected the creek several times, but it mainly stayed east. Along the way, we saw dried-up streams and empty pools with cracked bottoms. We used the same way when we went climbing Cathedral Peak in 2014. The combination of stunning scenery and lack of crowds is one of the BT's most enticing aspects especially in autumn, when colors are changing, temperatures are cooling and bugs are gone. When you reach Apex Pass a few miles farther, youre presented with your first views of craggy Cathedral Peak, unlike anything else in the Pasayten. The Boundary Trail begins in the southeast corner of the Wilderness and meanders north and west for over 73 miles near the Canadian border to eventually join the Pacific Crest Trail. was particularly devastating, having burned 128,000 acres in the Wilderness including 22 miles of the. Key access points: Trail and trailhead information. Starting at the, , just outside of the Wilderness boundary, the crew would work west and end their season when they reached the. 10237 Highway 12 We later bypassed cliffs on the south and rejoined the path halfway between the mine and the trail bend. It was rather bizarre. The Pacific Northwest Trail Association is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. 215 Melody Lane For nearly 100 miles, the Pacific Northwest Trail traverses the rugged interior of the Wilderness, tracking just below the international border. (509) 784-4700, Methow Valley Ranger District The eastern section of the trail is an easy trail for all hikers or horseback riders. In Wilderness, only hand tools can be legally used to maintain trails. At 8,100 feet, Armstrong Mountain is a long mile from Horseshoe Basin and takes you right to U.S.Canadian border. Being on the border was the highlight of the trip. Sullivan discovered a massive fir had fallen lengthwise along the trail blocking the descent toward the surreal waters of Ross Lake, among dozens of other downed trees. Like anyone traveling to the Boundary Trail in the Pasayten Wilderness, Michael Sawiel drove a long way just to reach the nearest trailhead. Then I realized I had left one camera lens back on Armstrong Mountain. Signing up to labor in service to our public lands is a commendable act unto itself. Pasayten Wilderness encompasses 531,000 acres, skirting more than 50 miles of Canada's border and encompassing the crest of the Cascades. This trail is estimated to be 51.3 mi long. . Neither the pip nor I felt like exploring the top after we arrived. Yet, by virtue of its geography, its trails can be as difficult to access as any in the lower 48. In the east, the PNT merges with the Boundary Trail, passing through open plateaus, climbing Cathedral Pass and meandering toward the legendary Pacific Crest Trail and the dramatic peaks that mark its western border with North Cascades National Park. Contributions to WTA are tax deductible, and we are committed to making the best use of every donation to our mission. Working together, the PNTA and US Forest Service, Back Country Horsemen of Washington, Washington Trails Association and the Pacific Crest Trail Association hatched an ambitious plan to reopen over 200 miles of fire-damaged trails in unknown condition, and they hoped to do it in a single season. From the Iron Gate trailhead, about 7 miles of easy hiking on the Boundary Trail, #533, leads through 7,200 foot Sunny Pass, and on to Horseshoe Basin, a . Open every day, 11am-5pm for standing tastings indoors/seated tastings outdoors (weather dependent). Some had never been apart from their families or cell service for so long. Then we had terrific views of todays final two stops: Armstrong Mountain and Arnold Peak. Boundary Trail in Pasayten Wilderness by the Canadian border is part of the vast Pacific Northwest Trail network. Photo by Michael Sawiel. Our climbing goals were east of the pass on the Boundary Trail in Pasayten Wilderness. Even with the haze, the area looked lovely nonetheless. The wildflowers are in full bloom, the temperature was in the 70's at most (despite 90+ in Loomis), there are few people, no permits required, plentiful and beautiful open camping, lots of water, continuous and varied scenery, tons of tempting side explorations, and all for . Hiking the Boundary Trail is an adventure on many a hikers bucket list. The team identified several areas of concern. Crew member Nate works to build a drainage feature along the trail to protect it from erosion. 5h 41m Moderate 0 (0) Sheep Lake Trail via Boundary Trail Pasayten Wilderness Length: 3.6 mi Est. The self-issuing permits are free and are available at trailheads and Forest Service Ranger Stations. In the summer of 2017, the Diamond Creek Megafire was particularly devastating, having burned 128,000 acres in the Wilderness including 22 miles of the PNT/ Boundary Trail. PNTA Performance Trail Crews employ local youth in trail stewardship on the PNT. Boundary Trail - Pasayten This place is truly backpacking at its best! compounding those challenges is a vanishingly short season interrupted by summer storms and regularly cut short by wildfire. These trails have an average 3.9-star rating from 225 AllTrails community reviews. (509) 664-9200, Chelan Ranger District The Cathedral pass and lakes area is particularly popular and usually snow-free by early to mid July. On one hitch, their crew would have a little extra help with them, by way of a volunteer with first-hand knowledge of the PNT and its condition near the, With volunteer assistance, the crew hoped to get more done and enjoy shorter days. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 42 min to complete. It takes real determination to overcome obstacles like these. But to my dismay, the lake by Boundary Trail in Pasayten Wilderness was also barren. Before logging out the Devils Ridge Trail: It took 8 carefully planned cuts for the crew to remove a large 4- foot-diameter tree from the trail above a set of switchbacks. Drive Forest Service Road #3900-500 for 6 miles to. Together, they laid out a long list of worksites along the Pacific Northwest Trail and an ambitious timeline. Feeling dehydrated after scouring for water gully after gully, we left the trail and scrambled northeast. Learn more about how we're saving lost trails across the state here. Tungsten Mine to Horseshoe Basin trail ranged from 6800 to 7200. Then Mother Nature announced other plans. What came as a surprise was tent camping in snow. #478, and the Pacific Crest Trail #2000 make various loop trips possible with portions of the boundary trail. They left the crew at the old Pasayten Airstrip knowing a huge task awaited them. 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