Standup Creek, Navaho Peak & Navaho Pass — Saturday, Jun. 1, 2013

Snoqualmie Region > Salmon La Sac/Teanaway

TREE VANDALISM Hikers, please note the photos of the live, healthy whitebark (?) pines cut at Navaho summit. I believe this was done by heliskiers for landing zones. Some cuts were this winter, others earlier; this is an ongoing problem. Watch for it on neighboring summits; I expect it is widespread. Heliskiers were doing this in the Methow recently and got a slap-on-the-wrist. Report it to USFS and raise a big stink. Document and write letters. This is right on the wilderness boundary. I doubt this was snowmobilers; it was only at the summit and there was plenty room for them. Standup > Earl > Navaho > Three Brothers West Much less snow than expected. Stashed the snowshoes near the car. Excellent snow travel conditions, 2-3" of mush-on-crust. Standup Creek Road is doable in a low-clearance street car. Standup Ck Trail is charming, 5-6 stream crossings with some wet-foot potential at higher water. About 6 blowdown 12" or bigger; maybe 8 smaller ones, insignificant. Early-mid-June is best, flowers, birds, no bugs, fun snow. Last water is just at the trail junction (don't know how late it persists). Townsend's solitaire singing at Navaho Pass. Water running below the pass. Bivvied on Navaho summit. Continued to 3 Brothers West. Please: do not deface obvious routes (like ridges) or summits with cairns. That is vandalism, too. Returned via Mt. Earl north ridge, an easy alpine scramble, mostly snow (ice axe advised). Skirted the rocky gendarmes on the west (dry).