Carne Mountain High Route

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Some trails have a reputation as being different than the rest. The Carne Mountain High Route is one of these trails. Every trip report about the trail I read seams to describe it as mysteriously disappearing in places or even going over passes other reports say it doesn't go over. After doing the trail, I would agree you definitely need some basic route finding skills but the terrain seems to prevent one from getting too far off course. The route is a simple trail between Carne Mountain and Leroy Creek Basin. It is not maintained. It also has a lot of off shooting trails as many people have gotten off track and created other paths. The route is probably used most by peakbaggers who are heading to or from Mount Maude and the Ice Lakes Basin. The Carne Mountain High Route can be done as a loop trip so that is enough to make it desirable. Climbing a few of the highpoints along the way make it even better.

Distance: 12+ miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 5,000+ feet
Access Rating: Rough gravel but accessable by all

Take U.S. 2 to Coles Corner. Follow Highway 207 north for 3.8 miles. Turn right on the Chiwawa Loop Road. Follow for a few miles looking for a signed left turn onto the Chiwawa River Road (FR 62). Follow it for 22 miles until a final right turn on FR 6211, the Phelps Creek Road. It goes 2.5 miles to a parking area at the end.

If you are new to off trail travel, start by going up Carne Mountain. Also start in late season as the less snow there is, the more likely you'll see trail tread in key areas. From the ridge just below the Carne summit, follow a trail down the east side that works over to a saddle on Carnes northeast ridge. Avoid a right turn sign for a trail dropping into the Rock Creek Valley. From the saddle, the trail drops steeply, then traverses north. For a few miles, you shouldn't have any issues as the trail is easy to follow. As it gains elevation though below Ice Box Peak, the tread may disappear under snow or just because snow has lead many to loose the trail causing new routes. Brush in a few places may be overgrowing the trail too. I've put a map below for where the trail was located when I did it...although there was still snow covering in places in mid-august. The map is just approximate where the dashed line is shown. When the trail drops into Leroy Basin, a much better trail goes down Leroy Creek back to the Phelps Creek Trail. The turn off Phelps Creek Trail is marked with a sign. It is a fun, scenic hike. If you have a good topo map and follow it along at all times, most hikers will get along fine.

A few scrambles exist off the High Route. Carne Mountain is an easy walk, just drop you pack at the ridge and walk up. Mount Maude is the biggest of course but quite an effort. Ice Box and Freezer Peak are shown in the pictures on this page as they are the closest access from the trail. Ice Lakes is probably the biggest draw for hikers doing this traverse

Map: Blue is a nice hikers trail, dashed blue is a climbers trail, yellow is a "route" but might have a climbers trail in places

In route on the high route looking north, SW of Ice Box Peak

From the summit of Carne Mountain showing the Carne Mountain High Route toward Leroy Basin

Looking south to the pass you cross on the shoulder of Carne Mountains NE ridge

Looking south at Carne Mountain from the High Route trail

On the High Route, going north looking at the saddle between point 7425 and Freezer Peak. The High Route traverses below the saddle, going left around point 7425. The quickest route to Mount Maude is to go over this saddle and then traverse up to the south saddle of Mount Maudes south ridge.

During the route I lost the trail by a bit and ran into this and a few other interesting things

The view south from Freezer Peak

The view NW from Freezer Peak

From the High Route at the saddle east of point 6888, looking at 7 Finger Jack

From the High Route at the saddle east of point 6888, looking south

Camping at the saddle between Phelps Creek Valley and Ice Lakes

Ice Lake and the Spectacle Buttes

North ridge walk up route to Freezer Peak

Leroy Basin from the camps