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18	NANNIE RIDGE TO CISPUS PASS

ELEVATION: 6473 ft, with vertical gains of about 2800 ft, and 2000 ft for Sheep Lake

DISTANCE: 6¾ mi up, 13½ mi round-trip; 4¾ mi to Sheep Lake, 9½ mi round-trip; add less than 1 mi round-trip for Nannie Peak too

DURATION: 3½–4 hours up, 6–8 hours round-trip; 2 hours or so for Sheep Lake, 4 hours round-trip

DIFFICULTY: Mix of very challenging to Cispus Pass (quite long, scree, snowfields, possible wildlife encounters, steady steep) and strenuous to Sheep Lake or Nannie Peak (switchbacks, ups/downs, narrow)

TRIP REPORT: Travel to Sheep Lake or even Nannie Peak for a more moderate day in the shadow S of Old Snowy Mountain, Ives Peak, and Goat Rock’s highest summit in Gilbert Peak (8184 ft). Or continue up Nannie Ridge where you will revel within copious numbers of wildflowers and an increasingly brilliant landscape to Cispus Pass. Remember Goat Rocks Wilderness holds snow until late in the summer. Check ahead as always for road and trail conditions (www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recarea/?recid=31462). Northwest Forest Pass required, and restrooms are present.

TRAILHEAD: Walupt Lake TH. Take I-5 N from Portland to exit 68 (Morton/Yakima), turn right on US-12 E 60 mi passing Morton and Randle, turn right (S) at milepost 128 on washboard gravel FR-21 (2 mi W of Packwood) 15½ mi (signed to Walupt Lake), turn left on paved FR-2160 for 4½ mi (winding, narrow) up to Walupt Lake Campground. Park near the second of several vault toilets next to the TH. From Seattle, take I-5 S to exit 142A (Auburn), merge onto WA-18 E, exit for WA-164 E (Enumclaw), turn left on WA-164 E 14 mi, turn left on WA-410 E (Chinook Pass Highway) 40 mi, turn slight right onto WA-123 S 16 mi, turn right on US-12 W 10 mi, turn left (S) on FR-21 and follow like above staying on main wide road (160 mi, 3 hours from Portland; 130 mi, 3½ hours from Seattle).

ROUTE: Fill out a free self-issue Wilderness Permit at the Walupt Lake TH. Begin E past the signage 150 ft and turn left (N) on Nannie Ridge Trail 98. The wide trail works up a decent grade with 16 switchbacks and turns through the thick woods as the route narrows and gains almost 2000 ft the first 2½ mi to the Nannie Peak saddle S of that tiny summit. The final ½ mi E to the saddle juncture mellows thankfully as the forest floor opens up and you can see Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams. There are a few tiny creeks to cross all day so finding water is never a problem.

As a much shorter day hike skipping Sheep Lake and Cispus Pass or even an add-on spur, you could turn left (N) on the brief trail at the juncture on the saddle and ridge (unsigned) over the small downed pine onto the clear path ½ mi winding up to the old lookout site on Nannie Peak (6106 ft). There is a great shot of Mount Adams with Mount Rainier sneaking in and Goat Rocks can be seen best from the viewpoint just N of the lookout site.

For the main route, traverse steadily down the wider Trail 98 losing about 200 ft in elevation around the E side of Nannie Peak heading N under a huge sheer rock wall. Pass left of a small pond in a partial clearing with nice reflections and possibly some campers. Hike a couple steeper switchbacks into the woods again and continue traversing to meet the main ridge momentarily. Look SW back to Nannie Peak and Mount Adams. Hike steeply and briefly up the wide ridge section with even more wildflowers working in and the Goat Rocks coming into sight, especially Ives Peak and Gilbert Peak, then walk easier down the meadow and ridge to the bright green Sheep Lake. The astute will notice the top of Old Snowy Mountain left of Ives Peak. It’s about 2¼ mi and an hour to the lake from the Nannie Peak saddle and it’s 2 mi and 1½ hours more to Cispus Pass. Hang at the lake and return the same way or continue to the goods including mountain goats at times near the pass.

Wildflowers, including intensely red paintbrush, to Cispus Pass in Goat Rocks.

Green is the theme from Sheep Lake, a worthwhile destination for many families.

Directly above Sheep Lake you begin choking on various wildflowers such as lupine and paintbrush ¼ mi N up to the PCT intersection. Fork left (N) on the PCT a mile on an easy traverse up the left (W) side of the ridgeline in and out of the trees with a great look at the enormous gendarme on the ridge ahead from the colorful hillside. From the next saddle on the ridge you reach Klickitat Basin and can see the remainder of the route up the right (E) side of the ridge. The trail becomes dusty and rocky the last mile as the landscape thrills passersby every time.

You will most likely have to traverse lingering snowfields between wildflowers through August (earlier may require traction devices) and will have your best views of Ives Peak left and Gilbert Peak to the right. Between the two summits, the prominent jagged centerpiece holds such named high points as Goat Citadel, Big Horn, and Black Thumb. Big Horn is actually the second highest summit on the ridge being the pinnacle just W of Gilbert Peak and there is a lesser high point between Big Horn and Ives Peak simply called Peak 7478. E of Ives Peak is Tieton Peak, Devil’s Horn, and Bear Creek Mountain.

Finish with a couple switchbacks to the usually very windy Cispus Pass and cherish the views of two wonderful basins simultaneously before returning down to Walupt Lake. Or better yet turn left (S) from the tiny pass area steeply up the scree-covered ridge path a hundred yards or so for more solitude and the premier overlook of the day. See another path on the other side of the pass and the continuation of the PCT traveling through Cispus Basin to Snowgrass Flats en route to its second highest point in Washington (7000 ft) N of Old Snowy Mountain.