Sawtooth Ridge: Courtney Peak, Buttermilk Ridge, Oval Peak, Star Peak, Cheops, Martin Peak, Cooney Peak, & Mount Bigelow

The Sawtooth Ridge is a palisade of peaks along the Chelan Crest that include the major summits in the region. Oval’s rounded profile forms the apex. Gentle saddles separate the ridges of other peaks, whereas Cheops, Martin, and Cooney almost blend together. The entire locality takes on a stony, desolate tone by midsummer covered by the dry coniferous forest characteristic of eastern Cascade slopes. The windswept, often-treeless ridges support extensive alpine vegetation with many rare species. The scrambles of the Sawtooth Ridge parallel and lie east of the Chelan Summit Trail. The trail itself offers miles and days of easy-to-roam ridges with spectacular views westward to the main Cascades range over the deep trench of mostly hidden Lake Chelan. Sawtooth Ridge can be easily traversed from end to end, with many variations of entry and exit on trails that strand outward to the east. Innumerable fine outings of multiple days can be devised with high roaming, peak bagging, and excellent camping interspersed. Because this grouping of scrambles includes relatively easy yet significant peaks, it provides a superb introduction to a multi-day trip for the beginning scrambler. To maximize the variety and uniqueness of the journey, create a loop trip. Two cars are required to connect the ends of the loop, or a family member can be recruited for drop-off duty. Each section of the Sawtooth Ridge can be accomplished in a shorter time if needed, but this country is so distinguished by the proximity of numerous high scrambles, that the serious peakbagger can accomplish much in a condensed outing. Much of this region has great potential for early season scrambling. Most travel is on decent talus, which is not excessively loose. Minimal routefinding skills are required. But if the snow is deep, the scrambler must be acutely aware of the potential for avalanches. Traveling on ridges and in trees is generally safer than traveling on open slopes; but remember that small bands of forest often give only a false sense of security. Generally the best time to scramble in this spectacular province is late spring, when avalanche activity is most predictable. June is the finest time of year here, graced by gigantic green meadows, plenty of water, snowfields for ascending and descending, no dust, no heat, no people—just immense expansive wildlands stretching to infinity.