Monday afternoon, I took advantage of some clear air to get outside for a loop of Devil’s Spur and Pipeline… about 6.5 miles round trip, leaving right from the Base Area. Starting off on a warm and sunny day, I walked about a mile down Squilchuck Road to the Devil’s Spur Trailhead, then picked up the path from there.
The trail trends gradually uphill for a couple of miles as it works its way northwest, starting in mixed forest and eventually breaking out onto a couple open slopes with expansive valley views amidst rock outcroppings.
The highlight of Devil’s Spur at this time of year is the thimbleberries, just coming into ripeness. I paused to try a couple of these raspberry-like berries and enjoy the tart flavor (never eat berries in the wild unless you are certain of the identification).
Otherwise, the undergrowth is trending toward late summer, with the plants grown tall and going to seed as the last of the late-blooming wildflowers put on their show. From Devil’s Spur, a short half-mile traverse on Beehive Road connects over to Pipeline Trail, which carried me back toward the Base Area. Pipeline is one of my favorite stretches this time of year — a shaded, well-graded traverse that runs cooler and higher than the lower trail, with some of the season’s later wildflowers still going and a nice quiet, tucked-away feel under the conifers.
As you work your way back toward the mountain, there are great views up toward Wenatchee Mountain and the Chair 3/Chair 4 terrain. Pipeline eventually meets up with Squilchuck Trail, which took me down the steepest stretch of the route and back into the Base Area.
From Devil’s Spur, a short half-mile traverse on Beehive Road connects over to Pipeline Trail, which carried me back toward the Base Area. Pipeline is one of my favorite stretches this time of year: a shaded, well-graded traverse that runs cooler and higher than the lower trail, making for pleasant hiking and undergrowth that stays lush for a couple extra weeks. I enjoyed the secluded quiet amongst the conifers for a few miles before rounding the corner and breaking out into views up toward Wenatchee Mountain and the Chair 3/Chair 4 terrain.
Pipeline eventually meets up with Squilchuck Trail, which took me down the steepest stretch of the route and back into the Base Area. A great trip overall – it was awesome to enjoy a clear day and escape the valley heat with a fairly shady route.
As smoke season continues, don’t forget that we’ve recently installed a new air quality monitor in at the Base Area. We hope that this can serve as a useful resource as you decide when to recreate on the mountain. The current reading right from our is linked directly from our Mountain Report and is visible on the public PurpleAir map. We’ll see you on the mountain soon!
Base Area Forecast
Wednesday 8/12: A slight chance of showers between 11am and 2pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Areas of smoke before 1pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 71. West wind 5 to 7 mph becoming light and variable. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Monday 8/13: A 20 percent chance of showers after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable in the morning.
Chair 5 Pub Schedule
Restaurant open Fridays from 4-9pm, Saturdays from 11am-9pm, and Sundays from 9am-2pm.
No chairlifts run during the summer season.
Summer Access Policy
During the summer season (May–October), public access within the Mission Ridge Special Use Permit area is permitted except where restricted due to maintenance and construction. We love seeing the Mission Ridge community in the mountains and on the trails year-round, but please make sure to check out the full access policy by clicking the link below.
