Good as Gold - Washington Trails Association

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September 2008 » Washington Trails
On Trail
Northwest Explorer »
Good as Gold
Golden Horn in the North Cascades offers a treasure trove of climbing, skiing and hiking
Golden Horn. Alpinists seeking the premier
mountain climbing area in Washington state go
there. Spring skiers looking for sunshine and
fine telemark powder go there. Photographers
seeking fall colors go there. Hikers yearning for
remote, wind-rippled tarns go there. Located in
the Okanogan region just footsteps away from
the North Cascades Highway, the Golden Horn
granite country offers a premier destination
for just about any kind of outdoor enthusiast.
Here’s how you can go there too.
Location and geology both contribute to the
attractions of Golden Horn. The area is situated
east of the Cascade crest and offers many more
days of sunshine than other parts of the North
Cascades. By the time storms reach Washington
Pass, many have lost their moisture. Also,
the North Cascades Highway allows for simpler
access with a long season for recreation—typically
stretching from April, after the snowplows
have cleared the highway, through mid-Novem-
ber, when the first major storm blows in a fresh
coat of snow.
The geology here is fascinating. The Golden
Horn country consists of a relatively young
intrusion of granodiorite, formed locally some
forty-eight million years ago, with pink and
white feldspars plainly visible. The chemistry
of the rock differs significantly from surrounding
plutons such as the much darker and visibly
pockmarked granites of the nearby Black Peak
batholith. Local weathering and frost wedging
have created some spectacular rock formations
within the Golden Horn. Early Winters, Liberty
Bell and the Wine Spires offer some of the most
aesthetic multi-pitch rock climbing routes in the
entire Cascade range. And thanks to the inclusion
of those feldspars, the color of the granite
takes on a fine pinkish glow under the long
exposure of a camera lens. Bring your camera
and tripod, and shoot for the alpenglow of early
morning or late evening.
Mount Hardy, in the
Golden Horn region
of the North Cascades.
Pinnacles of
granite here attract
hikers and climbers
from around the
world.
Photo by Geoffrey Sandine
Geoffrey
Sandine
Geoffrey is a photographer
and
WTA member.

»On Trail September 2008 » Washington Trails www.wta.org
In October, larches
along the Pacific
Crest Trail north of
Rainy Pass turn a
brilliant goldenyellow.
The region
was unfortunately
left out of North
Cascades National
Park.
Photo by Geoffrey Sandine
On my first visit in 1991, I drove my longsince
retired Datsun LX through a dismal morning
of fog and rain up Highway 20 en route to
the Twisp River. When I arrived at Washington
Pass, the showers relented a bit. In brief windows
where the mist parted, a dreamlike city
of rock emerged—the shimmering gold towers
of Burgundy, Chablis and Pernod along with
the immediate sheer face of Liberty Bell. With
all these amazing peaks jutting skyward above
clusters of white pine and hemlock, I knew this
was a place that demanded further exploration.
So where do you begin? First, a mandatory
stroll along the paved overlook trail from the
pass really cannot be beat for views of the big
walls of the Liberty Bell massif, along with Silverstar
Mountain and the Wine Spires. Or hike
the 5-mile round trip Blue Lake Trail, which
takes you to a tarn at the foot of Liberty Bell.
And, for the adventurous, try the off-trail journey
from the highway’s hairpin turn to Kangaroo
Pass, with views of odd, weathered sculptures
like Half Moon and Kangaroo Temple, two
formations that preside over a rugged basin of
polished domes and scree slopes. Midway, you
will pass the remnants of a small wayward
plane and later a shady pond, frozen for much
of the year, before locating a boot path that
ascends to the pass.
Pacific Crest Trail aficionados have a great
opportunity in the Golden Horn area. The immaculately
maintained route between Rainy
Pass and Harts Pass makes for a relatively easy
one-way backpacking trip using two cars—one
at each pass. The tread weaves upward through
pine and larch forests, the latter of which turn
golden in the fall. The trail crosses a perennial
stream after 3 miles, your last reliable water
for many hours, before reaching Cutthroat Pass
around the 5-mile mark. The trail then sidehills
over a crushed gravel bed for several enjoyable
alpine miles, passing through pockets of
larch and offering vistas to a huge panorama
of peaks in all directions. Look for Black Tower
and Silverstar Mountains as well as the jagged
spires of the Needles. At the 10-mile mark, you
can take an easy side trip to shallow Snowy
Lakes, set in a high basin, or continue on the
PCT for a few more miles and snoop around for
the elusive Nugget Lakes set deep in a forested
vale. At 31 miles, you reach Harts Pass, where
your return vehicle awaits.
In spring, telemark skiers head for Silverstar
Mountain. As seen from the Washington Pass
overlook, the complex sweep of serpentine buttresses
culminating in sharp pinnacles might
appear daunting, but the glacier on the hidden
backside provides skiers an easy outlet to thousands
of feet of wilderness powder. Access to
the glacier is best achieved by following either
the Silverstar Creek route beginning at the
signed outlet for the creek or the more straightforward
climber’s path that begins around the
widened 5,400-foot mark off Highway 20. If you
choose the climber’s route, then begin by scampering
down a loose boulder field and cross
Willow Creek, always fordable except during a
major spring runoff. On the other side, veer left
and scan for a track leading uphill, which in
short order crests the timbered ridge. The route
becomes more distinct as the timber thins but
disappears altogether in the gully that leads
to Burgundy Col. According to Mazama-based
mountain guide Larry Goldie, another possible
ski tour would be in the snow bowls under the
shadow of Cutthroat Peak. The paved Cutthroat
Lake trailhead provides a starting point to
these fine runs that don’t require prior mountaineering
experience.
One of the best ways to enjoy the area is to
get in touch with the granite. Literally. Goldie
asserts, “The big thing tends to be the high

www.wta.org September 2008 » Washington Trails On Trail «
quality of rock climbs, 50 to 60 routes on the
Liberty Bell massif with dozens of classic routes
that offer climbers years of entertainment.”
Further, Goldie says, “It’s some of the best rock
in the mountains in the Northwest.”
For those with rock climbing skills, two
excellent starter routes are both located on the
Liberty Bell massif. Each is approached from
the popular Blue Lake trailhead. The South
Arete on South Early Winters Spire features two
separate mid-fifth-class moves near the beginning
of the climb. Once past these challenges,
the remaining ascent involves scrambling on or
near the crest, requiring perhaps only another
belay or two depending on the climbing party’s
level of experience. At 7,807 feet, the summit
commands views of startling contrasts between
the barren hills of the seldom-explored Pasayten
Wilderness in one direction and the ice
giants of the North Cascades in the other. Two
ropes are recommended for the rappel down
the lower section of the route.
The Southwest Face route on the Liberty Bell
climb follows in the pioneering footsteps of the
Northwest’s most prolific climber, Fred Beckey,
on superlative rock. While you may share a
ledge with a mountain goat, typically it is
interested in a good salt lick and not you. This
ascent initially climbs over a chockstone, or you
may opt to squeeze through a minor hole underneath,
confident your Slim-Fast breakfast did
the job. The next pitch tackles a steep winding
chimney in the 5.6 to 5.7 range, followed by
another pitch of mid-fifth-class climbing. Your
last barrier is a friction slab rated at 5.7 but
really nothing more than a bouldering problem,
given the lack of exposure. Then you’re at the
top of Liberty Bell proper. Bring a double rope
for this one as well. The descent does not follow
the climbing route but rather takes a more
direct line to the col splitting Liberty Bell and
Concord Tower.
After you have finished a hard day of adventuring,
drop by the Winthrop Brewery, at 155
Riverside Avenue in Wintrhop. You’ll find live
blues on Fridays and a fine porter on tap. It’s a
great place to run into other weekend warriors.
Other places to grab some grub:
Twisp River Pub features hand-crafted ales
and an excellent selection of West Coast wines
plus live blues/jazz/folk music. I recommend the
Thai Peanut Stir Fry. 201 Highway 20, Twisp.
Cinnamon Twisp Bakery. Arrive early for
your Cinnatwist (my wife sets the alarm)! 116 N.
Glover Street, Twisp.
Sun Mountain Lodge A formal dining experience
with views over the Methow. Just follow
Sun Mountain Road from Winthrop to the lodge.
Hike
Details
Rainy Pass
to Harts Pass
Maps: Green Trails
49 Mount Logan, 50
Washington Pass, 51
Mazama
Guidebook: 100
Hikes in Washington’s
North Cascades
National Park Region
by Harvey Manning &
Ira Spring (Mountaineers
Books, 2000).
Mileage: 31 miles
Elevation gain:
2,700 feet to Snowy
Lake
Directions: Drive
the North Cascades
Highway (WA 20) to
Rainy Pass. The trailhead
is on the north
side of the road,
elevation 4,800 feet.
Left: Libery Bell,
above Rainy Pass.
Cimbers flock to the
spires of Goldern
Horn for world-class
rock.
Below, Left: Hiker
above Varden Lake.
Whether you’re into
backcountry skiing
or day hiking, the region
north of Rainy
Pass is a recreation
paradise.
Photos by Geoffrey Sandine