North Gardner Mountain is the high point of Okanogan County, which is on the east side of the Cascade Crest bordering British Columbia. It is connected to the 59-foot shorter Gardner Mountain by a high ridge. These two mountains are themselves not as spectacular as their nearby neighbors such as Silver Star Mountain and Kangaroo Ridge because of their softer, more erodible rock. However, the view of spectacular mountains to the west and south is phenomenal from this vantage point, and very worth the climb. Gardner and North Gardner can be easily done in one day from a camp at Gardner Meadows.

To view a spectacular 360° computer-generated panoramic view from the summit of North Gardner with many of the peaks labeled, (courtesy of Jonathan de Ferranti http://www.sol.co.uk/v/viewfinder/), click on the thumbnail below. Bear in mind that the image is very large, and if your browser is set to resize photos to fit your screen, it will be mostly useless. You may need to download the image and view it with other image viewing software.

Getting There

From Winthrop drive State Route 20 south out of town. Cross the Methow River bridge and turn right on Okanogan County Road 9120. Drive 1.5 miles and stay right on County Road 1131. Drive 4.5 miles staying right on Forest Service Road 5505 to the signed Wolf Creek trailhead.

Red Tape

All trails and some picnic areas and campsites in the Okanogan National Forest require a regional pass costing $5/day or $30/year. Golden Age and Golden Access Passport holders may purchase the above pass at a 50% discount. The Golden Eagle Passport will not apply to the Regional Northwest Forest Pass. You can get them at any Pacific Northwest forest service office or ranger station, or it can also be purchased online from the Washington Trails Association. Click here for more information about the Northwest Forest Pass.

When To Climb

Optimal conditions for climbing North Gardner Mountain occur from July through September, depending on snow and weather conditions.

Camping

Camping is allowed in the Lake Chelan - Sawtooth Wilderness. There are numerous forest camps in the Okanogan National Forest. Click here for more information.

Mountain Conditions

Click here for trail conditions on the Wolf Creek Trail. For more specific and up-to-date information, contact the Methow Valley Ranger District Visitor Information Center, Building 49, Highway 20, 24 West Chewuch Road, Winthrop, WA 98862, 509-996-4000.

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