CWES - West Mountains Loop

The Cascadian Wilderness Endurance Series events present an exciting opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts to participate in a multimedia adventure blogging contest. These self-supported/unsupported events are open to trail runners, backpackers, fastpackers, and hikers, and each event features a unique and defined route which participants must complete on foot and in one push.

Route Description

The trailhead on the east side of these mountains is up a rough, narrow, dirt road that requires high ground clearance. The trailheads on the west side are off of well-maintained dirt roads, but they are generally a longer drive in. Willow Creek Trail #125004, Wilson Creek Trail #133006, West Mtn Trail #131006, Gabe’s Peak Trail #136006, Spur 653K, Rammage Meadows FS road #653, Spur 653Q, Wilson Corrals Trail #135006, West Mtn Trail, Poison Creek Trail #134006, Wilson Creek Trail, Willow Creek Trail

Rationale

Why should you pay $20 to complete one of the endurance challenges? A small part of the fee will go to cover website maintenance and domain registration, as well as getting patches made and other small goodies/swag. The majority of this fee will be donated to trail maintenance organizations. Why are we even doing this? To get people out into the wonderful wilderness areas that we have here in the Northwest and to build the community of adventurous people! The trip report is just as important as actually finishing the route, and we love it when people come up with creative ways to share their experience. Information isn't always readily available for these areas, and maps can be scarce and not always reliable (especially the Pasayten and Frank Church/Selway Wildernesses.) That can intimidate some that aren't as experienced outdoors-people. The goal is to empower people to get out into these wilderness areas and hopefully to protect them into the future.