Kettle Crest Trail

This trip was sponsored by WTA, what they call a BCRT, or backcountry response team, led by Holly out of Spokane.  We were based out of the SnoPark at Sherman Pass, where we set up a comfortable winter snow camp, some of us in vehicles, others in tents nestled amongst the trees, others utilizing the snow caves build previously by someone.  

Each day, we started up with the usual safety talk, and then headed up the Kettle Crest Trail North on snowshoes.  Our focus climbing the trail was to prune back all side branches that encroached on the trail, maintaining it to equestrian standards.  For the task, we carried loppers, corona saws, pole saws, and one Kitana saw, along with a few shovels.  We got up about two miles on Saturday, and then stashed our tools and returned to camp.  Sunday, we retrieved our tools, and proceeded up the spur trail to Columbia Mountain, getting as fas as 6560’ in our trail maintenance.  We had met our “turn around time”, so put down our tools, and headed to the summit.  Glad we did!  We did however leave the last 200’ of climbing unmaintained, sorry!  Views were cloudy but glad we got to see this historic lookout cabin.  And hope to return again in the future, to enjoy western larch and aspens in fall, as well as wildflowers in summer.  Stellar country!