Natapoc Mountain by Beaver Hill and Nason Ridge overlooks Wenatchee River. It perches above Coles Corner by Highway 2. Moreover, it’s a stone’s throw away north of Icicle Ridge and Tumwater Mountain in Leavenworth, Washington.
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Natapoc Mountain at a Glance
Access: NF-810
Round Trip: 6.5 miles
Elevation Range: 2080′-4210′
Gear: microspikes, snowshoes
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Starting from Road 810
The pups and I stayed the night in Wenatchee after yesterday’s trip. Then this morning, we went to Natapoc Mountain on the way home. The road was partly dry, so I parked before the snow past the last house on the left.
The firm snow en route made the first mile in microspikes more efficient. After reaching the clear-cut, we went straight up the west slope to avoid two miles of road walking. Soon, we went onto the upper roadway before the second switchback.
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Natapoc Mountain on Natapoc Ridge
Continuous snow past 3100′ was mainly firm until another 100′ higher. We followed old boot trails from the north ridge to 3500′ in the trees. As the tracks faded and the snow softened, I switched to snowshoes and used them to the top.
How disappointing! There were no views from Point 4204 to the summit, another half a mile beyond. We paced the top briefly before dropping 20′ on the southeast side to a small clearing. I could see Big Jim Mountain from there, at least.
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Exiting the Mountain
Afterward, we went to the west side to a broader clearing below the top. There we saw the taller mountains by Icicle Ridge. We also had views out of the peaks inside Glacier Peak Wilderness.
The weather grew warmer later in the day. On the way down, the snow had become slushy. Glad for snowshoes for an otherwise painful exit!
See more trip photos here.