This is a drive up to the overlook of Saddle Mtns and the site of the Corfu Slide which occurred during the Missoula Floods 13-15,000 years ago. A paved road comes up from SR 24 just east of MP 60 which is mostly intact but is crumbling in some parts. Some old concrete pads are at the end of the road at 1975' are the remains of a Nike Missile control site deactivated in 1960.

A dramatic basalt cliff is located here but some people think that it's appropriate to use this as a garbage dump as refrigerators, tires, barrels and other assorted trash have been thrown over the edge. Removing any of it won't be easy.

A rugged trail leads down to a saddle and up to a higher point with even better views of the surroundings and one can hike the broad ridge eastward. This area also holds one of the last vestiges of native grassland surrounded by a sea of the ubiquitous and invasive cheatgrass.

The entire area was burned in an enormous range fire last summer but new greenery is already progressing. 

I led my second Sagebrush Ramble of the season for the Cascadians to the Saddle Mts East on this partly cloudy, mild day. From the parking area on Pt 1974 we dropped steeply into a saddle, climbed up the other side, then wandered east along the broad, grassy summit of the mts as far as Pt 1983. We had broad vistas from either rim - south out across the Wahluke Slope & the Hanford Reach and north across Lower Crab Creek, the Drumheller Channels & the Royal Slope with Mt Rainier & the north cascades in the far distance. The cheat grass wasn't dry yet, so everything was a lush green. There was a fairly wide variety of wildflowers, including the relatively rare Columbia Milkvetch & Robinson's Onion, but nothing in profusion. We didn't see any wildlife, but had the place to ourselves. Except for the steep climb on either side of the saddle just below the parking area, this was a nice mellow hike.

About an hour north and east of the tricities on highway 24, saddle mountain wildlife preserve is a lovely place to walk above the columbia valley, remnants of the Missoula floods, and affords views east and west. The turnoff is just short if 16 miles on 24 toward othello, onto an unassuming and partly paved road. The road will take you about 5 miles up the hills, past a junction pointing to the saddle mountain lookout. The day was gorgeous and clear with a glowing Mt. Adams to the west. The country is open and there are no real trails. I took a scramble around the lookout to get a higher vantage. The preserve also has old roads with signs restricting access to motor vehicles, and these serve as nice pull outs to park in. I took another walk from one of these along the ridge line. One is the 'starting point' identified on the WTA site for this hike.

Another rainy weekend in the Cascades. All the places I looked had anywhere from 80% to 100% chance precipitation, and eastern Washington was no exception. It rained nonstop from Seattle all the way to the east, but gradually tapered down just as we pulled up to the parking area. The last time we were here, we hiked Sentinel Mountain farther west on the same mountain range Miraculously, the rain stopped after we started hiking. The trail followed along the ridge but became less apparent the farther east we went. One nice thing about hiking in eastern Washington is the open terrain, where the views around are constant and are almost never obstructed. We followed the loop outlined in the hiking book, about 2.25 miles each way. If I weren't pressing for time I’d consider going farther east. The fog went in and out of the area, but mostly stayed on the north side of the ridge. The views to the south were present the entire time, including parts of Columbia River and the Tri-Cities. We stopped for photos and food at the turnaround point, and then moseyed our way back to the car. Flickr: http://bit.ly/saddle-mountain-east

Was inspired by the previous trip report to visit this area, which I have never been to before. The gravel road is in good condition, although there are a couple of short sections near the top of Saddle Mountain with steep drop-offs and no guard rails. So be careful. I arrived late in the day mainly to take in the panoramic views (which are great) and wander about along the ridge top, and did not walk far from end of the road. There were plenty of balsam and cushion daisies (purple to white), although both were a bit past their peak. The stiff winds made taking up-close pictures of balsam problematic. The north side of the ridge is mostly mature sagebrush, while the south side is mostly grass with some patches of sagebrush. Only one other car up here that was leaving as I arrived - so I had the place all to myself.