Goat Rocks Books

Goat Rocks Book List

Fred Beckey – Cascade Alpine Guide – Columbia River to Stevens Pass: overview p. 69, sketch map p. 70, Ives & Old Snowy p. 71, Curtis Gilbert p. 22, North Fork Tieton River Road p. 328, South Fork Tieton River Road p. 330, Goat Rocks section of the crest trail p. 333 – 334, North Fork Tieton River Trail p. 341, South Fork Tieton River Trail p. 344. This is one with the description of the “faint trail” from Cispus Pass to Surprise Lake. Good trail descriptions and, of course, the full set of route descriptions.

Ira Spring & Harvey Manning – 100 Hikes in the South Cascades and Olympics: Snowgrass Flats p. 114, Goat Rocks Crest p. 116, Meade & Conrad Glaciers p. 102, Bear Creek Mountain p. 100. Standard breathless and bombastic Harvey prose: “Two glaciers on 8201-foot Gilbert Peak are sublimely scenic. So are black and gray and brown cliffs of Gilbert and Moon Mountain and yellow and red cliffs of Tieton Peak and brick-red spires of Devils Horns. But first the hiker must pass through miles of cow pies and horse apples, an experience that on a hot day requires a stiff uper lip. … The Forest Service must ban horses … to date, however, it has insisted that there is for horses, as for hikers, the possibility of ‘no-trace’ camping.”

Bob Dreisbach – Seattle Outdoors: Goat Rocks Loop p. 228, Old Snowy & Ives p. 229, Warm Lake, Curtis Gilbert p. 230. “From the campsite in the Cispus Basin, continue east and south on the Pacific Crest Trail to Cispus Pass, 6450′. Leave the Pacific Crest Trail at Cispus Pass and descend east in the head basin of the Klickitat River on an old, faint trail that contours east and southeast around the beginnings of the Klickitat river. Drop to 5800′ before ascending to the crest of the southeast ridge of Curtis Gilbert Peak at 6700′ near Warm Lake. Where the trail disappears in the meadows of the Klickitat River basin, look for it in forested areas. From the southeast ridge of Curtis Gilbert, descend a talus slope to Warm Lake.”

Mike Woodmansee – Trekking Washington: “The Wild Goat Rocks Divide” p.228. 30 miles, Walupt Lake to White Pass. 3 days. Check out the color relief map.

Marge & Ted Mueller – Washington’s South Cascades Volcanic Landscapes: Geology p. 180 – 181, Old Snowy & Ives p. 185, Bear Creek Mountain p. 187, Cispus Pass p. 190. The geology material (both in the overview and in the trail descriptions) is short but worth reading.

Marge & Ted Mueller – Exploring Washington’s Wild Areas: overview p. 220, PCT elk Pass to Snowgrass Flats p. 225, North Fork Tieton, Surprise Lake and Bear Creek Mountain p. 226. Cookie cutter guide to wilderness areas (as opposed to a cookie cutter guide to the trails.)

Scott Babcock – Hiking Washington’s Geology: Bear Creek Mountain p. 155. Short hike from Section 3 lake to the lookout for views and discussion of an old volcano disected by alpine glaciers. better geology and trail description than the Mueller’s.

Stephen Harris – Fire Mountains of the West: Goat Rocks is lumped in with Mt. Adams in this book about the North American segment of the ring of fire. p. 198. Shabby treatment for Washington’s sixth volcano.

Peggy Goldman – 75 Scrambles in Washington: Curtis Gilbert p. 214. She has you camp at Warm Lake and hike the ridge to the summit.

Jeff Smoot – Climbing Washington’s Mountains: Old Snowy p 345, Gilbert Peak p. 347. Route descriptons from Snowgrass Flats (mention of the east side approaches with references to Beckey for details). Misleading sketch maps.

Jim Nelson & Peter Potterfield – Selected Climbs in the Cascades: Old snowy – Ives Col p. 30. “Here is a place to introduce your 10 year old godson to the mountains and have a great time doing it.”

William O. Douglas – My Wilderness: Goat Rocks p. 109. Nostalgia and natural history.

William O. Douglas – Of Men and Mountains. Goat Rocks p. 199. People and plants on a jaunt up Old Snowy. This is the book that made me want to visit the Goat Rocks. Douglas writes well, I admire his politics, I know some of the places he writes about, I identify with his sentiments. He understands how essentially local this all is.

Rainier Burgdorfer – 100 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Routes in Washington: Goat Rocks (trip #100) p. 212. 3 day trip to Old Snowy via McCall Basin starting from either the North Fork Tieton River Road or the White Pass Ski Area.