It's only 2.9 miles total for the day but they are grueling, especially with the heaviest packs of the trip, since you have to climb almost 2700 feet to reach camp. Carne Mtn Basin is a great camp and is a welcome sight when you get there.

Waypoints (WP) correspond to those shown on the Caltopo Map. Stats include the Elevation; change in Elevation from the previous WP; Up/Down; Cumulative Elevation gain/loss; Distance in miles from previous WP; Cumulative Mileage for the Day; Cumulative Mileage for the Trip/

Here Steve Goodwin makes his way up the trail with impressive Buck Mtn as a backdrop. Carne Mtn Trail relentlessly climbs up out of the Phelps Creek Valley.  Fortunately, most of the climb is in the shade of the forest, but near the top the trail enters meadows with expansive views.

Our first nights camp was Carne Mtn. Basin, below Carne Mountain.  This photo shows our camp from the ridge above the camp.

Our Camp in Carne Mtn. Basin - My first trip here was in 1969 - Sue and I, with her carrying Greg (2 years old) were very tired when we got to the basin and looking forward to making camp.  Unfortunately, we found that the basin was occupied by about a thousand sheep and two Basque sheepherders. We kept on going till the first campsite (Marker P17 Day 2) available. Now that was a Loooong day!

Day 2 was probably the hardest day of the trip. Only 7 miles but over 3200 ft of elevation gain. In addition there is no maintained trail. You might find vague tread here and there but a lot of the time you're scrambling with a general sense of where you are going. The sun had set when we got to Leroy Cr Basin and a lot of us put up our tents and went to bed without dinner.

Note: The route shown here follows that shown in the "Routes and Rocks" Holden Map from Chipmunk Cr AVAILABLE HERE. Caltopo Mapbuilder shows the route going to Freezer Pass and over so that might be the better option. Google Satellite view shows a "path" down from the pass above ...

On this image, I have projected the Caltopo Mapbuilder route (in red) as described in the previous photo. It seems to me that the route I've used (the old "Routes and Rocks" one) would be easier.

Waypoints (WP) correspond to those shown on the Caltopo Map. Stats include the Elevation; change in Elevation from the previous WP; Up/Down; Cumulative Elevation gain/loss; Distance in miles from previous WP; Cumulative Mileage for the Day; Cumulative Mileage for the Trip/

Day 2 - breaking camp.  Charlie and Steve Folding up the tent; Chip sorting the troop gear into piles; Bill P brushing his teeth; Brian and Austin washing dishes.

Group Photo in Upper Carne Mtn. Basin- You can see Spider Glacier and Spider Gap far in the distance (Above Brian).

Left to Right:
Cascade Bill, Brian Sisk, Bill Peckinpaugh, Peter Goodwin, Chip Walker, Eric Walkinshaw, Austin Peckinpaugh, Charlie Walker, Greg Mooseker, Andrew Mooseker, Kyle Meissner, Steve Goodwin.

The trail climbs to a saddle overlooking the upper end of Rock Creek (Elev 6790).  Leaving our packs there, we scrambled up the ridge to the summit of Carne Mtn (Elev 7080).

You can see much of the Carne Mtn - Leroy Creek High Route along Entiat Ridge. You can see a small white dot midway between Chip and Kyle (not the big white area above), which is a small snowfield about level with Chip's ear (lower Box Creek Basin).  The route climbs to the saddle between Box and Chipmunk Creek - roughly to the snowfield about halfway between the white dot and the top of Mt Maude at the center of the photo.  Note Seven Fingered Jack just to the left of Mt. Maude.

View of Buck Mtn - Buck Creek Pass is at the head of the valley to the right of the photo.  We would be returning via Buck Creek Pass 6 days hence ending at Trinity (in the valley at the lower left).

Looking up Phelps Creek - Spider Meadow can be seen at the upper end of the valley. Peaks from left to right - Fortress, Chiwawa, Red.  Spider Glacier and Spider Gap can be seen as a "7" shaped snowfield to the right of Red Mtn.  We would head over Spider Gap 3 days later.

Brian, Bill P, Peter, Chip, Eric, Austin, Greg (lower group). Charlie, Steve, Andrew, and Kyle (upper group). Back down to the saddle we put our packs back on and go down switchbacks about 3/4 miles to the junction with the Carne Mtn- Leroy Creek High route.

Heading down the Rock Creek Trail with Entiat Ridge in the background.  Kyle, Andrew, Steve (red pack) and Charlie.  Greg is almost out of view in the woods.

Taking a break in a small basin along the High Route - Andrew and Steve with Buck Mtn in the background.

I think that this is where Sue, Greg, and I camped in 1969 when we encountered the sheep in Carne Mtn. Basin.  Greg and I camped here in 1987, where we found our "Cowboy" Coffee Pot, that was lost in Milk Creek by David Hoff in 1998. Location is at Marker P17 (see map for Day 2).

On the trail again - actually we did have a little tread through this part of the route as you can see. We are dropping into Box Creek - you can see the "white dot" snowfield in the meadow beyond. If you enlarge the photo to "original size", you can see the trail going up from the right side of the meadow with the snowfield.  The trail goes up through the trees to the meadows of upper Box Creek.

Kyle is not happy - we had just taken his big box of CD's.  This is the meadow with the "white dot" snowfield looking back along our route to Carne Mountain beyond.  You can see the trail coming down.

At the upper end of Box Creek, you have to go up this hill to reach the saddle between Box and Chipmunk Creeks.  Going up Kyle, Andrew, Charlie, Greg (far right).  Austin (red pack), Peter, Eric, Chip, Bill P, Brian (far left). Click Here for a view of Troop 24 climbing the same hill in 1983.

Looking back down the hill to the upper Box Creek meadows you can see Steve coming up the hill.

Crossing the snowfield at the saddle, there is a peekaboo view of Fortress and Chiwawa Mountains.

Looking down to the meadowed bench we will traverse (as well as previous trips) to the next Basin.  There is "vague" tread going down to Chipmunk Creek, but all trace of a trail is lost in these meadows.  The Caltopo Mapbuilder route heads up to the pass above Chipmunk Cr (to the right of this photo) at about this point.  There is a nice camp south of the creek when you drop down to Chipmunk Cr basin.

Going around the shoulder, Spider Meadow, and the "7" of the Spider Glacier and spider Gap seems a lot closer.  Click Here for a photo of Greg at the same spot in 1983.  From here on, the route gets much rougher as you have to drop down into a rocky basin around the corner.  Continue around the shoulder till you come to a talus slope, where you drop down you can work around it on the left up into the next basin.

As I noted a couple of photos ago, the route from Chipmunk Creek to Leroy Creek Basin is really rough, especially dropping down into the talus on the slopes of Seven Fingered Jack.  This was my last photo for the day.  We ran out of time and stumbled into our camp at Leroy Creek basin just before dark.  Steve and Charlie, pitched their tents and we didn't see them until morning. Everyone was dead tired.  Bill Peckinpaugh said that this trail "Kicks your ass", so the Kickass Trail and the "Kickass Trekkers" were born.

Day 3 was another short day with little elevation gain. You'd think, "Wow, boy what an easy day!", but descending down to Phelps Cr from Leroy Creek Basin is really hard on your knees. The trail is very steep and in bad shape and truthfully I don't know what would be worse - going up or coming down. Spider Meadow is a great spot to camp and we had a lot of lazy camp time there due to the short day.

Waypoints (WP) correspond to those shown on the Caltopo Map. Stats include the Elevation; change in Elevation from the previous WP; Up/Down; Cumulative Elevation gain/loss; Distance in miles from previous WP; Cumulative Mileage for the Day; Cumulative Mileage for the Trip/

Day 3 - Halfway down the Leroy Creek Trail we are taking a short break.  This "trail" is an ankle killing monster that is very steep and inspires almost constant cussing.

This is a trail that is super steep and eroded, and is no fun either going up or down.  At the junction of Leroy Creek and Phelps Cr trails, we said our goodbyes to Greg, who headed on out, headed for home (with Kyle's CD's) while we headed up the trail to camp at Spider Meadow.

This was another difficult day - hiking up the steep snowfield up to Spider Gap and then down to the Upper Lyman Lakes basin via snow and then talus until you find the boot worn track that leads to lower Lyman Lake. Now this trip will be much more difficult as the snowfield up to Spider Gap has melted out (see satellite view of Google Maps). It is possible to follow vague trails up the east side to the Gap.

Waypoints (WP) correspond to those shown on the Caltopo Map. Stats include the Elevation; change in Elevation from the previous WP; Up/Down; Cumulative Elevation gain/loss; Distance in miles from previous WP; Cumulative Mileage for the Day; Cumulative Mileage for the Trip/

Day 3 had been fairly easy, even with the steep descent of Leroy Creek.  We made camp early and had a leisurely day. You can't see the Spider Glacier, which is behind the gray buttress below Red Mountain.  Spider Meadow is one of the special places in the Cascades.

Steve heading up the trail to the Spider Glacier.  This trail was built to support a mining claim on the other side of Spider Gap.

Another view of Steve.  You can see the wide expanse of Spider Meadow beyond.  This trail is very steep as it was made by prospectors and not to some Federal Specification.

"Pink Cheeks" was a good looking woman in pink shorts that passed me on the way up.  Following her for a while kept my mind off the steep climb!

The miner's trail coming out of the snowbank at center right goes to the mining claim.  You can see 'Pink cheeks" and her companion heading out on this trail.  This trail does not lead down to Lyman basin.

Heading down the snowfields on the north side of Spider Gap. Some of the guys got out garbage bags and slid down the snow.

Charlie going down - note his creative use of his shoes and cup to store his water bottles. If you look closely you can see "icebergs" on the lakes below.

Continuing down the snowfield - you can see the crevasses on the Lyman Glacier beyond.  Sliding down on his garbage bag, Chip narrowly missed the only rock sticking out of the snow for 100 yards in any direction.

Heading down - we were fortunate in having this much snow, which meant that we didn't have to clamber over so much of the rocky detritus of the glacier.

View of the upper Lyman Basin - Cloudy Peak to the right and the twin peaks of Sitting Bull Mountain at the center.

After leaving the snowfield and the moraine field behind, a trail is picked up which will lead you down to Lyman Lake.

A really impressive view looking back up the basin as the trail climbs to a little ridge.  You can see the trail at the lower left of the photo.

After climbing the low ridge, we get our first view of Lyman lake below Cloudy Peak.  You can see the guys on the trail below.

We camped at the designated campground here.  The guys had a nice dip in the lake.

You can see from the Mosquito nets that the bugs were bad! There was a coed from Holden Village camped near us and joined our campfire. We got a laugh when she sat down next to Brian, and he kept moving away and she would move closer, etc. until he was hanging onto the log with just one cheek. We thought he was going to fall off.

She asked what we did around the campfire. We said tell stories, jokes, etc. She asked what kind of jokes, so Kyle botched the story of the 12 inch pianist earning him the nickname, "Maestro".

Another pretty long day that started out sunny but slowly became more cloudy and colder as the front moved in. The traverse across Miner's Ridge is long and I would probably have gotten more photos if the weather had been better.

Waypoints (WP) correspond to those shown on the Caltopo Map. Stats include the Elevation; change in Elevation from the previous WP; Up/Down; Cumulative Elevation gain/loss; Distance in miles from previous WP; Cumulative Mileage for the Day; Cumulative Mileage for the Trip/

Heading up to Cloudy Pass though the fields of lupine along the trail. Cloudy Peak is to the right.

Cloudy Pass is one of the premier views of the Cascades (or anywhere) - Lyman Lake and upper Lyman Basin, and Red Mountain.  You can see the route coming down from Spider Gap.

After a "sightseeing" (see description for photo 97kickass078) tour around Image Lake we Retraced our route of the Day 5 until we reached the PCT. We followed the PCT down to Miner's Creek and then headed up FS Trail 789 to Buck Cr Pass. After a long day (10+ mi) we settled for a crummy camp at Small Cr.

Waypoints (WP) correspond to those shown on the Caltopo Map. Stats include the Elevation; change in Elevation from the previous WP; Up/Down; Cumulative Elevation gain/loss; Distance in miles from previous WP; Cumulative Mileage for the Day; Cumulative Mileage for the Trip/

Day 6 - our camp at Image Lake. Charlie, Bill P, and Steve enjoying a cup of java with Glacier Peak rising from the mists beyond. The trail between Charlie and Bill leads to the most scenic KYBO in the Cascades.

Before we headed out for the day, we dropped our packs and hiked the trail around the lake.

Hiking around the lake we saw a guy "skinny dipping" on the other side of the lake. As we got closer, Somebody exclaimed, "Hey, that guy is not a guy!". Sure enough as we came up to where the swimmer was sitting, we came upon another Holden Village coed enjoying a morning swim, sitting there with her hands strategically placed. As we walked by, Bill P. asked her how the water was. They exchanged a few comments with everyone trying to look like they weren't looking.

If you enlarge the photo to "Original" size, you can see the "skinny dipper" making her way across the lake.

They say that the view from Image Lake across to Glacier Peak is another one of the best in the Cascades, but I think that we had a bonus that morning.

The sign in the background marks the trail down to the designated camp for Image Lake (no camping at the lake itself).

At the junction with the CCT, we met a group that was on a speed trek.  I asked them where they were going, and they said that they were heading the CCT up over Suiattle Pass and then down Agnes Creek.  I told them that they should make the short side trips to Image Lake and to Cloudy Pass to get the most spectacular views anywhere.  They weren't interested, so I told them that that was like having a hamburger without mayo, onions, and ketchup.  I guess they thought I was some kind of wacko, cause they immediately took off up the trail in a cloud of dust.

View from Miner's Ridge - the Suiattle river is at the left, and Dusty Creek just left of center.

(Just another note on the "speed" hikers from the previous photo. The CCT used to climb Miner's Ridge with an alternate to Image Lake. The reroute up Miner's Creek avoids the steep climb up Miner's Ridge but replaces it with an easier but much, much, less scenic ascent.)

Usually we filter our water, but where there is little chance that people are camping near the water source, I'll generally drink the water as is.  At the beginning of the trip Steve and Charlie were adamant that all their water be filtered, and they would be pumping water when everybody else would be filling their canteens from the stream.  I was taken aback along this stretch of the trail, when I came around a bend and both Charlie and Steve were filling their canteens from a stream along the trail!

Bill P., Brian, Eric (green pack), Andrew (white hat), Charlie (in mosquito netting).  When we got to the CCT we headed south until we got to the junction of the Buck Creek Pass Trail.  This photo is taken near where the Buck Cr Pass Trail goes over the ridge, and is looking back across the valley towards Miner's Ridge.

Looking back toward Miner's Ridge and Plummer's Mountain that we had hiked a few hours before.  It's disheartening to have to drop all the way into the valley and have to gain all that elevation again. When we got to the ridge crest of Middle Ridge, we met "Pink Cheeks" and her companion again.  We had planned on going up the ridge to a little basin to camp, but that was where PC and friend were headed so I opted to continue on the trail, which turned out to be a bad decision in that we had to camp in a crappy camp at Small Creek instead of high up in the meadows.  Basically we were pitching our tents in the trail - no one was happy that night.

The benefit of making it to Small Cr to camp was that it was less than 1.5 mi to our camp at Buck Cr Pass. After we set up camp we did a long day hike along the High Pass trail.

Waypoints (WP) correspond to those shown on the Caltopo Map. Stats include the Elevation; change in Elevation from the previous WP; Up/Down; Cumulative Elevation gain/loss; Distance in miles from previous WP; Cumulative Mileage for the Day; Cumulative Mileage for the Trip/

The climb out of Small Creek is short but steep.  I put Brian in front as hikemaster, but had to fire him as he was going much too fast. Also, enlarge the photo and look at Charlie's hiking stick.  Then go back and look at the photos from the beginning of the hike - it looks like it has gotten shorter by about 3 feet!

As we head along the trail down into Buck Creek Pass, Glacier Peak comes into view from behind Flower Dome. Note the cloud over Glacier Peak.

After setting up camp at Buck Cr Pass, we took a day hike up the trail towards High Pass. Here we are climbing up Liberty Cap above Buck Cr. Pass.  Helmet Butte is to the left with Fortress Mtn. just to the its right.

This trail was once supposed to be part of the Cascade Crest Trail, but it never was constructed over High Pass. Mountain to the left is Fortress Mtn.

Typical ridge walking on the way to High Pass - view is down Buck Creek Valley.

Austin, Kyle, Eric, Chip, Peter, and Bill - taking a break on the way back to camp.

After rounding Liberty Cap, the trail goes along the ridge for a while and then goes over to the north side of the ridge and traverses across the steep slopes of peak 7276.  The trail here is in pretty bad condition, and the dropoff makes you a little nervous.  I went around a corner and saw that the guys were crossing a steep snowfield that was over the trail and a slip would be a one way ticket to Eternity.  I stopped the rest from going over and was relieved that those that had already crossed go back over safely.  We headed back to this spot on the ridge and took a break.  

The guys were a little nonchalant about crossing the snowfield, and Steve gave them quite a tongue lashing.  Later, Chip stated that he hadn't seen Steve that pissed since someone dropped a book in the Martha Lake Library.

Looking across Buck Creek we can see in the distance our route at the beginning of the trip - from Carne Mountain at right to Mt Maude at the left. (See Google Earth photo HERE for help identifying peaks.)

Looking towards Mt. Maude - The route of the Massie Lake HR traverses this ridge.

Heading back to Buck Creek Pass near where the trail starts to descend around Liberty Cap.

Heading down to Buck Creek Pass - Helmet Butte and Fortress Mtn. as the backdrops.

The last day was the longest but everyone only had one thought - that burger at the 59'r Diner!

Waypoints (WP) correspond to those shown on the Caltopo Map. Stats include the Elevation; change in Elevation from the previous WP; Up/Down; Cumulative Elevation gain/loss; Distance in miles from previous WP; Cumulative Mileage for the Day; Cumulative Mileage for the Trip/