Backpack - Yakima Skyline Ridge

Covid-19   We will follow all the Mountaineers protocols--including each participant must bring a cloth facemask and hand sanitizer.  The mask must be worn when within 6' of others.

This trip is three days of ups then downs, with excellent views each day of the Yakima River Valley, Umtanum and Manastash Ridges and the East crest of the Cascades. We will camp two nights at an undetermined spot (we will need to search one out) on the West shore of the Yakima River near Roza Creek.  There is an active rail line nearby that promises some excitement. We will be mostly hiking on trails and jeep tracts, but may do some easier off-trail exploring around the camping area,  and along the river shore or ridge line.

This is a Leader's Permission Only trip.  Participants must be in condition to do 1500' and 1800' of gain on days 1 & 3 with a full pack and a day hike of 12 miles with a 2700' gain on the middle day.  Participants must be comfortable with the unknown of finding a suitable campsite and the likely passing trains/noise nearby. When requesting permission please tell my want your have been up to this past Winter and Spring that demonstrates that you are of good enough conditioning for this trip.  Thanks, Rob

Meet in Selah, WA and caravan to the TH. Friday late morning. Discover Pass Required.

Getting There

While we will meet up in Selah: here are the complete directions to the TH.

Take I-90 to exit 110 for I-82. Continue on I-82 to exit 26 for Selah/Canyon Road. Make a right off the freeway exit onto Firing Center Road, which bends north, and then turn left onto Harrison Road, traveling west. Drive 1.9 miles southwest toward the town of Selah before coming to an intersection, using the right lane to turning right onto Wenas Road (yield sign only, no stop sign for turning right).

Continue nearly 3 miles to a Y junction near an old fire station, a small, one-building fire station in a gravel parking lot. Turn right here. Continue straight ahead on Gibson Road, and 0.3 miles past getting onto Gibson Road, turn right on Buffalo Road. Here the pavement ends and the Wenas Wildlife Area begins.

Follow this rough gravel and dirt road 1.5 miles to the trailhead. You will pass one other trailhead for a different hike in the same area, continue past this, around the left bend in the road, to where the road dead ends at a driveway and a gate in the elk fence.

Continue through the gate, driving a short distance to the parking area (not marked). There are no facilities here. Park your car where the road widens on a flat overlook (ensuring to leave room for other visitors) and hike down the road onto the trail (marked by cairns), passing an old 'white' metal sign on your right.