Crossover Butte joins Cabin Mountain through two passes south of Amabilis Mountain. Like other “buttes” here, many roads can often lead near the summits. Stampede Pass Road offers the most direct way to this modest peak.
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Crossover Butte at a Glance
Access: NF-41
Round Trip: 1.5 miles
Elevation Range: 3960′-4506′
Gear: none
Route Info: Scott Rice
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
The Preface
I started visiting south of Stampede Pass this year for quick, after-work jaunts. Then the more I come, the more I realize how vital Road 41 is. Without it, many places between Green River and Yakima River would be hard to reach.
Like the drive to Snowshoe Butte, I kept my fingers crossed for zero debris. Though smooth sailing, the lower roadway was washboard-like and bumpy. Then the upper part had potholes throughout but was easy to bypass.
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East-to-South Route
There isn’t much to say about the route except that it was short. It’s seven bumpy miles of slow driving to the starting point by the borrow pit. Then it’s a whopping .75 mile through the unnamed old road to the top.
The road offered spotty views to the southeast but not much else. We went above the small pit into the trees past the south crest. Then half a mile of walking through the open forest put us on the wooded summit afterward.
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Crossover Butte Summit Views
We were in the clearing on the grass slope below the forested summit. It was surprising to see that the east half offered a 180-degree view. So I enjoyed the vast vistas with a head net despite the pesky mosquitoes.
Cabin Mountain stood front and center, with a slice of Lake Kachess to the left. Then there was Cole Butte West, which we visited in the spring. Stuart Range behind Kachess Ridge would’ve been visible without the low clouds.
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Back to Stampede Pass Road
I wanted to spend more time on top after seeing the incredible views. But the dogs found the massive mosquitoes feasting on their fresh dinner quite annoying. So we left the summit after about 15 minutes.
Somehow the pesky insects had all vanished the minute we stepped back onto the road. But I bet they chased us off the peak to have the views all to themselves! Before long, we were back at the car in under a mile.
See more trip photos here.