Mad River-Sugarloaf Peak loop, southern Entiat Mountains

It is that difficult shoulder season that usually doesn't come until May: stay low and out of the snow, or go for something mid-altitude and deal with some slush and mud.

Choosing the latter, we put together a route in the southern Entiat: parking at Deer Camp we went up to Maverick Saddle, down the Mad River canyon to Pine Flats, took Mad River-Tillicum-Indian Creek roads and a steep cross-country climb up to Gold Ridge, up the ridge to Sugarloaf Peak, then Entiat Summit Road back to Maverick Saddle and down to the car.

Running almost the entirety of the Mad River Canyon was the highlight and the lower portion I hadn't done was very cool; a lot of cougar activity through there as well.

Cashmere, the tip of Stuart, Enchantment Peaks

Dropping down to the Mad River from Maverick Saddle

Mad River crossing

Ben's animation

Upper Mad River

A tree has outgrown its signs

Upper Mad River

Tyee Ridge Trail; "don't go that way!" Ben's photo

Fresh male cougar scrapes and scat

Miner's Ridge from Mad River

Cougar tracks; midway down Mad River

Balsamroot

Climb away from the river where it's a gorge...

...and dropping back down

Lower Mad River canyon

Balsamroot in Indian Creek canyon

Indian Creek FS road

Cross-country climb from Indian Creek to Gold Ridge

Pausing on an old fire road bed, halfway up the climb

Aspen grove on the old fire road bed

Second half of the climb to Gold Ridge

Sugarloaf Peak looks too far away

Reaching Gold Ridge

Where I was last weekend: Baldy Mountain center-right; Stormy (center), Four Mile Ridge and Tyee (far left)

Grouse

Shortcut toward Sugarloaf as the weather moved in

Snowing as we near Sugarloaf summit

He's just kidding...I hope...

Buddy photo at the Sugarloaf Peak lookout

Entiat Summit Road

Entiat Summit Road; Ben's photo

Looking back south toward the Chiwaukum, Cashmere-Stuart and Enchantment Peaks in the afternoon