Windy Peak — Friday, Jul. 6, 2007

North Cascades > Pasayten

Windy Peak (Green Trails Horseshoe Basin) Brother Gary and I did a loop hike which included the summit of Windy Peak. According to Gary, a Tonasket local, Windy is the eastern most Pasayten WildernessPeak from which Mount Baker can be seen. And see it we did on an odd day when a small wild fire near Loomis blanketed a portion of the sky with smoke, while most of the views towards the Cascades were quite clear. We hiked an unmarked trail that follows the south ridge of Windy from FS Road #300 west of Long Swamp. We returned via the Windy Creek Trail and a small portion of road walking to complete about a 12 mile loop. The catch was that nearly every foot of trail we traveled on was subject to the intense burn of the Tripod Fire last summer. Charred trees, charred soil, and before we finished, charred clothing from brushing against and climbing over windfalls. A small campsite about 1/4 mile east of the trail leading down into the Chewack served as our parking spot. We traveled directly north from FS Road #300 and luckily Gary was able to pick up the route amidst numerous blowdowns formed by a firebreak alongside the roadway. We lost and picked up the route perhaps a dozen times, always staying on top of the ridge and keeping an eye out for cut logs marking the ""trail."" It's an unofficial route not marked on any maps of which I know. On the Green Trails map, the first portion of the trail follows the approximate wilderness boundary. Carry water on this dry trail. You can follow it until it merges with the trail from Long Swamp just south of the summit. On the portion of the ""trail"" above timberline, expect to navigate without tread. The south side of Windy can be tackled directly (easy Class 3) or the official trail swings around to the west side for a hiking ascent to the summit. On the return we picked up Trail #362 leading down into Windy Creek. Water is available less than 1/2 mile below the summit. Even on this main horse-packing trail, we had to keep alert to follow the trail. Nearly every bit of vegetation which would ordinarily mark the edge of the trail was consumed by the fire, rendering the ground a neutral black color on and off the trail. A thin edge of green vegetation follows Windy Creek and infrequently small pockets of green exist elsewhere. The power and size of the Tripod Fire are impressive. Windy makes a great dayhike if you're in the area and don't mind hiking through blackened forest. Others combine the ascent of Windy with camping in better-known and lesser fire-damaged Horseshoe Basin to the north. Charlie Hickenbottom, Wenatchee, 7/7/07