Bee Sting Hill sits across from Beaver Hill and Plain Ridge in Plain, Washington. Natapoc Mountain rises near the southwest above the Wenatchee River. Meanwhile, Lake Wenatchee is also close by to the west.
See more trip photos here.
Bee Sting Hill at a Glance
Access: Shugart Flats Road
Round Trip: 3.5 miles
Elevation Range: 1960′-2665′
Gear: snowshoes
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Third Time Was a Charm
Yesterday, we went up to Saddle Mountain in the Olympic Mountains. Despite the morning rain, we enjoyed the afternoon basking in the sun. Today, we visited Bee Sting Hill in Plain, WA, at the last minute without a backup plan.
Then, it took three tries this morning to settle on a hike. After yesterday, I had hoped to stay close to home by scoping out two places by Interstate 90. The first we couldn’t reach because of ice and unplowed roads.
See more trip photos here.
Return to Plain, Washington, by Lake Wenatchee
We also couldn’t get to our second option above a private community. Judging by the sign on the gate, one could enter as a “guest.” But without a nearby backup, we spent the next 1.5 hours driving back to Plain.
Last weekend, we explored Beaver Hill and Plain Ridge near the south. The views were decent in both places but more so in the former. On the other hand, I needed to peek through trees to see into the valley on Plain Ridge.
See more trip photos here.
Snowshoeing From the North
I would’ve liked to climb something taller on this beautiful day. But we needed to wait until the recruit could grow enough insulation and stamina. So, for now, we limited our trips to shorter ones with low vertical gains.
The snow berms on the street kept me from driving further. Instead, I left the car by the stop sign before entering the small community. We could use the extra half-mile walk since it’d be a short and mild climb.
See more trip photos here.
Viewing From Bee Sting Hill Summit
After crossing the snow berm, we soon snowshoed to the top. The only opening on the woodsy top faced Tumwater Mountain and Icicle Ridge. Two Enchantments peaks poked out from behind Natapoc Mountain.
The views were similar to those of Beaver Hill on another sunny day. The summit appeared to be on private property despite what the map indicated otherwise. However, I couldn’t quite tell from the sign at road the fork.
See more trip photos here.
Exiting via the Unmapped Road
Although it was breezy, the low 40s temps didn’t feel as cold thanks to the sun. Even with people living at the foothills, it was odd not to see folks out for walks. But I likely wouldn’t often come here if it were my backyard.
We took the road on the way back and quickly reached the bottom. I kept my eyes peeled for warning signs but didn’t see any. But I was glad the car was still there when we returned. Now, off to the 59er Diner!
See more trip photos here.