Star and Oval Peak (3 Day Backpack)

Join me on a 3 day backpack in the Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness!

Distance: 24 miles
Elevation Gain: 9,000 ft
Difficulty: Hard

I’m looking for people to join me for a three day backpacking trip to the Chelan Sawtooth Mountains out by Winthrop, WA. We will aim to summit Oval, Star, and Courtney Peaks. These mountains are impressively tall (ranked 29, 34, and 83 in the state), but the dry climate on the east side means that they do not form glaciers and can be summited with some moderate scrambling. From the tops of these peaks, one gets grand views of the North Cascades and great taste of the drier eastern side of the mountains.

Itinerary:
Day 1: Drive to the trailhead, possibly stopping somewhere for an early lunch. Hike in to Star Lake and make camp (~7.5 miles on good trail).

Day 2: Scramble to Star Peak and Courtney Peak. Courtney peak has a well established class 1-2 trail to the top, whereas Star Peak requires some route finding and a mix of class 2-3 scrambling. Move the tents and camp to the tarn south of Oval Peak. (~ 6 miles, but lots of scrambling)

Day 3: Scramble up to Oval Peak, mostly class 2. Return to camp, pack up, and head to the cars. Drive back to Seattle with stops for food along the way. (10 miles, scramble in the morning then mostly downhill).

There is considerable flexibility in how and when we tackle the mountains. Possibly we can do Courtney on Day 1 or Oval on Day 2 to make the return trip a little easier.

Here is a gps track for the trip.
https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=11.2/-120.1994/48.3802&trackId=0a0f831f-57e9-42ad-9cba-7a27e52aeeba

You should have prior backpacking and scrambling experience for this trip. Make sure you bring enough supplies and are able to carry a full pack for a considerable distance.

Gear list:
Hiking Poles
Extra clothes / jacket
Swimsuit and Towel (optional)
Hat
Helmet (for scrambling)
Headlamp
Water
Food
GPS
Bivy Sack or Tent*
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Stove* and Fuel
Pot and eating utensil
Sanitary Supplies (including a WAG bag, just in case)
Bear Canister*
Any other ten essentials

*Starred gear can be shared. Everything else is individual. Remember that it can get cold overnight in the mountains, so bring some warmer clothes just in case.

Everyone will start on the waitlist. Preference will be shown towards those who hike with me often. The max group size I will take is 8.

Riders will reimburse their drivers for gas (it’s about 450 miles round trip). Drivers will need a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass.

Important: I am not a guide and this is not a guided trip. You and yourself alone are responsible for your own safety. Please know your abilities before signing up.