Yellow Aster Butte

We drove 4.5 miles up the Twin Lakes road off of Mt Baker Highway to the Yellow Aster Butte Trailhead. This trail is 7.2 miles round trip with 2,550 ft of gain.  This trail has fabulous views and lots of wildflowers in the late summer. The trail starts of steep, gaining 1,500 ft in less than 1.5 miles. There is a short section where the trail traverses an open meadow before entering the forest. Here we saw fireweed, yarrow, coastal hedgenettle along with other wildflowers in bloom.

We also had a view of Mt Baker to the southwest.

lovely trail in the forest

As the forest begins to open up, we could look across to our destination, Yellow Aster Butte.

The trail does a wide arc around the basin through fields of wildflowers, gaining elevation at an easier pace.

We could see Mt Baker across the way.

There were lots of asters in bloom.

Goat Peak and Mt Shuksan to the southeast

Lupine, asters and sitka valerian growing up the sides of Yellow Aster Butte.

Mt Shuksan and Mt Baker to the south

The meadows were thick with wildflowers.

More mountain views as we continue to gain elevation.

We found lots of ripe huckleberries to eat along the way.

More wildflowers

Wildflowers growing up the side of Yellow Aster Butte.

I was amazed at how dense the wildflowers were.

Mt Baker in the distance, tarns below

Tomyhoi Peak and some mountain tarns

marmot

The last section of the trail gains 600 ft in 0.2 miles.

Wide angle view to the south: Goat Peak, Mt Shuksan and Mt Baker

To the northeast: the peak of Yellow Aster Butte and Mount Larrabee

below to the east is the trail we hiked up

Hiking back down the trail around a tarn, Goat Peak and Mt Shuksan in the distance

Another view of Goat Peak and Mt Shuksan

some of the wildflowers seen along the trail today:

 

 

  

 

 

Yellow Aster Butte

Today we drove up to the Mount Baker Highway to hike up to Yellow Aster Butte. This is a 7.5 mile round trip hike with 2,550 ft of gain. We felt today's conditions were safe to hike in this normally avalanche prone area.
The first 3/4 mile of the trail had little snow. On the first switchbacks on the open slope, we had a gorgeous view of Mt Baker.

After that first 3/4 mile, the trail was consistently covered in snow, we wore our microspikes as several sections were very icy.

Our first view of Yellow Aster Butte

















Most of the trail was well packed down, but there were a couple of areas where the wind had covered the trail with fresh snow and we did some post holing.

Standing below Yellow Aster Butte

View of Mt Shuksan at the creek crossing

Continuing up the trail

Mt Baker and a local peak
















The winter "trail" takes a short cut going straight up to a ridge below Yellow Aster Butte.

I didn't feel comfortable going up the last 200 ft to the end of the trail on Yellow Aster Butte with the steepness of the trail and the exposure. There was not enough snow to get good kick steps. I opted to stay on this ridge, enjoying the views and my lunch while my friends continued on to the top.













Wide angle view from the ridge looking north to Tomyhoi Peak, Yellow Aster Butte on the right.

view of Mt Baker from the ridge

















Pano from the ridge south to west: Mt Shuksan and Mt Baker

Pano from the ridge west to north: Mt Baker to Tomyhoi Peak

Enjoying this beautiful day in the North Cascades

My shadow below Yellow Aster Butte

Heading back down the trail, looking towards the peaks to the east

Some interesting icicles on a boulder.

Watching the sun go down near Mt Baker as we finish our hike