Nason Ridge Traverse TR

[ridinshockgun]

(1 of 2) Everything is pretty much a known commodity at this point and there are no more real adventures, right? But why not go look for yourself once in a while?

My plan was to complete the West to East traverse of Nason Ridge from Snowy Creek to the Nason Ridge East TH near Lake Wenatchee without a shuttle. Many people ride the Eastern section of the trail via out and back or shuttles to Merritt Lake, etc and they themselves are proper backcountry rides. I have had this on my list for a couple years and figured it was a good time to go for it but I had promised a 5pm return to Seattle for daycare pickup (yeah, #dadpatrol) and the only way to get this done was a 4am start at the latest.

44 miles and ~8,200 ft of climbing



I left Seattle at 1:30 got to the trailhead about 3:30 and by the time I managed to get the light mounted and all of my gear (read 345 lbs of food) loaded for the day it was just after 4 when I got started. I decided to forego the trail beer this time.

With the late August sunrise coming at 6, it was still pitch black when I started the road pedal which would be 18 miles minimum depending on the decision I made at the old Snowy Creek trailhead.

I had my new Outbound Lighting bar mounted light which turned the road to complete daylight but left everything else completely dark. It was a long lonely pedal and not a single car passed me the entire time and the stars were incredible. It was chilly but not cold, I was wearing a jacket that I knew would just be extra weight all day.



Night turned to twilight and the outline of the steep surrounding mountains and trees started to appear as it got closer to sunrise. I remember at one point I could make out the outline of Dirtyface Peak and see some headlamps at the top. It was an easy cruise to the left turn on Little Wenatchee Rd and up to the turnoff on FS6700 up Rainy Creek.




After a long flat pedal there was finally a bit of climbing on FS 6700 which required me to remove my jacket for the last time today. Right around daybreak I arrived at the spot where the road crosses Rainy Creek and it was time for the day’s first decision after 2 hours of mindless road pedaling. There is an old abandoned trail, what used to be the lower portion of Snowy Creek Trail that would cutout about 8 road miles and an extra 800 (~400 net) or so feet of climbing. I was making great time and it was 6am, still sort of dark in the woods. I could continue the road climb at an easy pace for another hour or so I could risk a bushwhack of epic proportions to possibly save 20-30 minutes.

Don’t do it you know what happens here. It is never a shortcut. Do NOT do it. You know exactly what is going to happen.

So of course…. I walked into the woods and started looking for signs of a trail.



Nothing, probably over here, yep....still nothing.

A bicycle is not something you want to be dragging along while bushwhacking through thick vegetation. Spokes, pedals, derailleurs, handlebars are all great bush grabbers. I just tried to keep moving uphill with the creek in sight. I found a faint trail for a while and then lost it again a short time later. I finally ended up climbing a steep embankment back to the road and found the real TH about an hour and 20 minutes later.

Finally arrived at the “start” of my Journey


I started up Snowy Creek, at first it was pleasant loamy classic PNW forest trail covered in needles and a grade that was gentle enough to pedal. This would end soon as the trail meandered into and out of the forest into the Snowy Creek drainage where I encountered hellish brush. I’m talking can barely make out the trail and impossible to ride for the brush alone.

I'm not sure I can rally anyone for a trail day out here...


Ripe huckleberries and salmonberries everwhere, if I were hiking with a 5 gallon bucket and not a mountain bike I would have been much more excited but I did enjoy a frequent snack. I pushed through and every time the trail went back in the forest I could hop back on my bike and ride. Eventually you find yourself in a big meadow looking straight up at Rock Mountain over 2,000 ft above. I wasn’t sure whether to be happy I could finally see my goal or deflated to realize how far I still had to climb.

Looking up at Rock Mountain from the Meadow


There was a bit more brush, and a bit more forest before the trail turned to switchbacks above treeline straight up the side of Rock Mountain, while short sections were rideable it was mostly hike a bike the rest of the way up.

On the way up the views of the surrounding mountains in the early morning light just got better and better. Incredible views of the glacier capped peaks of Mt Daniel and Hinman to the SW and the Mountain Loop peaks to the NW.




The sun just started to creep over the ridge, peek through the saddle and light up a narrow beam of light along the hillside. I was happy to make it to the top before the sun actually hit me.

Sunlight finally starting to hit the NW face of Rock Mountain


Nason Ridge Trail junction at the Saddle. Mt Daniel in the far distance.


Mt Daniel with Rainier stalking behind


It was about 9:15 when I topped out at the saddle, over 5 hours after I left the car the real part of the ride was just beginning. I looked up at Rock Mountain and thought about skipping the summit side trip but after all of that effort I should go ahead.

Rock Mountain from the saddle


From the summit there were incredible views of Glacier Peak and the North Cascades as well as the Alpine Lakes with Mt Daniel and Hinman. Rainier was just peeking over the top of Daniel. Below me was a beautiful alpine landscape with vibrant greens all leading down to Rock Lake and my first view of the trail as it began the long traverse along Nason Ridge. I couldn’t believe the path the trail took, zig zagging down from the saddle and traversing rocky ledges all the way down to the lake. 20 miles from the car in all directions and no one around.

View from the Summit of Rock Mountain.






Rock Lake from Rock Mountain

[ridinshockgun]

(2 of 2)
I carefully picked my way down the rocky switchbacks from the top of the saddle. They were sharp and narrow with significant exposure and made my way down to Rock Lake enjoying some fun broken ledges, slabs, and primitive alpine singletrack along the way. These are the moments from a day like today that you remember after forgetting everything else, making it worth the effort.




Looking up the trail at some fun ledges, the saddle still visible top of photo


Rock Lake - No one here, are you kidding me?


Looking back up at Rock Mountain from Rock Lake



The trail traversed along a steep slope for quite a while with some loose rock and scree and significant exposure (see photo below). There wasn’t much of a trail bench so it was easy to start sliding downhill and perhaps not stop for hundreds of feet.

Looking back up you can still see the saddle and Rock Mountain furthest back. Sketchy sidehill in foreground.


Once back near treeline after rounding a ridge and heading towards Crescent Lake the trail became more and more overgrown again with huckleberries. The good news is there were ripe, tasty huckleberries everywhere. The bad news was the trail was very primitive and the brush hid a lot of potential hazards so it was careful "descending". I filtered some water at Crescent Lake but didnt' linger - it was beautiful though. I had a new goal of noon departure from Merritt Lake and was trying to make some time.

The ride from Cresent Lake to Merritt Lake had some tough climbing and hike a bike, as well as some technical descending but also mixed in some fun descending on loamy, forested needle covered trail that always seemed to end and turn back uphill way too soon.

Random trail views, from the “b roll” along the journey to Merritt Lake


Trail switchbacking and descending through a scree field. The trail crew has not been through to sanitize this for a clean bike descsent

Keep it loose


Wanna keep an eye on where that back wheel is, not the time to shred a derailleur


There were several downed trees in this section that got slightly annoying as I got closer to the Merritt Lake junction and at one point the walk around caused some fun arm cramps.
The final downhill to the Merritt Lake junction was fast, steep and fun. I was relieved to make it to the Merritt Lake junction as the going would get “easier” from there, or at least from a brushy and primitive trail to more of a well-traveled trail and more familiar route.



Merritt Lake was a big mental goal for the day. I had some energy to ride a lot of the technical climb up to Merritt Lake. It is amazing what a swim in a cold alpine lake will do for you. It is a complete physical and mental reset on a ride like this. It was Friday in August, around noon and there wasn’t another soul at Merritt Lake. I drank and filtered some water and decided since there wasn’t THAT much further (like 11 miles?) to go that I just needed to refill my 20 oz water bottle and keep going after some snacks and a swim.

Merritt Lake


Snacks on snacks on snacks


I left Merritt Lake just after noon confident that I was definitely going to make daycare pickup at 5 back in Seattle. After the lake swim, lunch, and water I was feeling strong and enjoying riding this next, and “last” climb to the lookout until it turned really steep and loose. It was at this point pushing up the steep slope, switchback after switchback in the hot sun that I wished I had filtered more water at Merritt Lake. It was also at this point that I was ready to be at the car in my camp chair with a beer.

I also stopped taking pictures at this point but did note the great views of Arrowhead and Jim Hill Mountains.

I pushed in the hot sun on loose, steep, dusty, and rocky trail for what seemed like forever until the junction with the lookout trail where I saw my first human of the day. We had quick chat, the typical you rode up this where did you come from conversation.

I thought about heading to the lookout but checked the time and realized that I was never making my cut off time if I went to the lookout so it was time to keep moving and pick up the pace if I could. Besides, I had already been to the top of Rock Mountain, I didn’t need to go to the Nason Alpine Lookout today. Just past the lookout there was a great view to the South from the nine mile saddle (yeah, NINE more miles) where I enjoyed for a quick rest in the shade, I noted you could see smoke from the Chickamin fire.

View South from the 9 Mile Saddle – Chickamin Fire smoke in far right.


Every time the trail turned downhill after this I swore I had somehow missed and passed the Round Mountain trail junction which marks the end of the climbing for good and the beginning of a long fast and chunky descent back to the TH and my car...and my camp chair and my beer. ........ but I was wrong. What is usually a pretty short trip seemed like an eternity. It was hot and dusty and I was out of water at this point. The one thing I will remember from this ride is that Nason keeps going, and going, and going, and going. Then it keeps going again. Then when it is finished, it keeps going for 9 more miles.

I stopped at the Round Mountain junction to rest before the descent but it was too hot and dusty and I was just ready to move on. The descent down from here was absolutely blown out dusty, loose moto trail but I actually enjoyed it. The best thing about moto trails is no matter how dry and dusty the are - berms in ruts will keep you on the trail and you can just surf the corners.

[ChainWhip]

Thanks for sharing this - quite an adventure! I was at Lake Wenatchee recently but did not bring my bike... won't make that mistake again.

[gnarbro365]

Rad!

[rudy]

Awesome write up and pics. Thanks for that. Makes me realize I need to toughen up...

[evdog]

Nice! Thanks for the TR. Reminds me I need to get back up to Washington and do some riding

[hick]

WA has such a glut of backcountry adventure riding! Really cool route, thanks for the TR!!


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[Boissal]

Awesome effort and some spectacular scenery in there!

[geomorph]

That's an early start, but impressive that you were able to still do daycare pickup.

[TAFKALVS]

Nice. That's a big day.

[ridinshockgun]

That's an early start, but impressive that you were able to still do daycare pickup.

I thought it was a nice dose of reality to add to the story My ability to continue to embark on stupid mountain adventures depends on keeping my part of the deal, and I have learned from year 1 that sleep is pretty much optional anyway so that is the first thing I toss aside. It usually results in my adventures featuring myself, and my inreach but I don't mind.

Also - it is really nice to get a big chunk of the climbing out of the way before the sun hits you, makes a huge difference in how much water and electrolytes you lose in a big day. You're talking ounces vs liters of water once that sun gets high in the sky.

[riff]

A+++
I ski in there heaps and I’ve run the ridge, but not gone in on wheels. Very strong work and nice writeup!


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[Dantheman]

Fuck yeah!

[406]

Nice work, looks like some cool trail.