Kettle Crest

The Kettle Crest is one of my all time favorite places to be. I have skied there in the winter and run in the summer and fall. This route is 44 miles from point to point and is a rooftop crest of the Kettle River Range, the Kettle Crest Trail. I am presenting the route as one that offers a variety of options. There are at least 3 main access points to the Kettle Crest Trail which is located in the far northeast corner of the state. ( The Sherman Pass summit on Highway 20; the Deer Creek Trailhead off of Bolder Pass; and the White Mountain Trailhead off of a maze of dirt roads, again off of Highway 20). It features fifteen of Eastern Washington’s highest peaks, some of them summitted along this main route and others accessed via spur trails of differing lengths. 

The trail is in the Colville National Forest and contains some of the largest roadless tracts of national forest lands in Eastern Washington. The Colville First Peoples saw in these mountains a sacredness and was a sanctuary for young warriors engaging in vision quests. I hope many of you here tonight will take on your own vision quest in this unique north/south crest trail.

From my times spent running, skiing and most recently hiking on this trail, I have come to love many things about it. Huge trees still stand and many varieties of wildflowers bloom profusely in the tall grasses that grow in the open views. I have seen purple lupine, arrowleaf balsam, wild roses, fireweed, yarrow, paintbrush, aster, buckwheat and mustard. Forest fires have swept through the area in the past, so you can expect for there to be downed trees, more in some sections than others. The silvered snags that remain add a unique character to the route and sections with aspen whistle as the winds pass through the holes in the trunks. 

There is a true feeling of solitude along the trail. There are opportunities to see a wide range of wildlife including mule deer, black bear, wild turkey, grouse, pileated woodpeckers, cougar, and moose. There are huge bolders, mossy areas and bright green lichen and old man’s beard hanging from trees. It’s actually quite mystical and ancient feeling.

There are tapped springs along the route, so if you plan your water refills carefully, you should be able to stay well hydrated. The springs are maintained by cattle ranchers and also serve as water sources for free range cattle, so filtering your water is a must. Cattle tend to congregate around these areas, so getting your water and taking your actual break elsewhere is advised! There are some woodland saddles along the way and rocky buttes, a lot of runnable terrain and the option of tagging up at all 15 summits on the Crest. The peaks range in elevation from about 6,500 to just over 7,000- Copper Butte being the highest peak.

The Kettle Crest Trail is a part of the 1,200 mile Pacific Northwest Trail. You might see a thruhiker or two if you do the route in the summertime. The area is also popular for game hunting and in the fall you can expect to see hunters hiking along the route, or driving around on the dirt roads around White Mountain. Fall is a special time of year along the Crest for a number of different reasons, but mostly because of the larch that grow in the forests there. Their needles turn golden yellow and end up dropping in early winter. The groves of these tamaracks are really spectacular. 

There are also some wetter sections with deciduous trees that turn in the fall and the cold, clear nights with no light interference create a stargazing scape beyond what the eye can possibly take in. Be prepared for night temps in the 20’s this time of year. In the summer, be prepared for heat, as northeastern Washington gets quite hot in July and August.