Mount Beachie Hike

Overview

NOTICE: Trails in this area were affected by the 2020 Beachie Creek Fire. Please check current closures in the Willamette National Forest before planning an outing. Mount Beachie is a summit on the southern edge of the Opal Creek Wilderness above the bowl that forms the headwaters of Battle Ax Creek. It can be reached from the west (See the Mount Beachie via French Creek Ridge Hike) or by using the closed forest road that leads up to the Beachie Saddle Junction. Although Mount Beachie's northeast ridge is a rugged blade of pinnacles and sheer faces, the actual high point is easily reached via a short bushwhack from the trail and provides and excellent accessory to a hike up Battle Ax if you are based at Elk Lake. Walk up the road (FR 4697) in shady Douglas-fir, mountain hemlock, noble fir, and silver fir woods. In just over one-third of a mile, pass the Bagby Trailhead for Trail #544 and continue up the road bed. You’ll pass a good view out to Mount Jefferson before reaching the small turnaround at the end of the road. From here, the trail continues up the old road bed, beginning with a severe washout at a culvert. Sitka alder and thimbleberry overhang the trail. Look up to the right at a cleft in the rock face above. The trail becomes an eroded gully. The steep slopes of Mount Beachie’s rugged northeast ridge hove into view. The tread widens out to road width again and reaches the trail crossroads at Beachie Saddle. To the right is the Battle Ax Mountain Trail and to the left is the Beachie Trail #3341 up to Mount Beachie and then along French Creek Ridge. An unsigned trail to the left of the Beachie Trail takes you up a steep slope and then the knife-edged northeast ridge of Mount Beachie. This scramble will give you some splendid views of Elk Lake and the western ramparts of Battle Ax, but there is a lot of exposure about half way up, so most people will want to come back down and take the regular trail. On the Beachie Trail, traverse below below the rugged ridge through rhododendrons. Cross a small s

Trail Stats

Photos

400px-MountBeachieMap

400px-MountBeachieMap

250px-MountBeachie4

250px-MountBeachie4

250px-MountBeachie6

250px-MountBeachie6

250px-MountBeachie5

250px-MountBeachie5

250px-MountBeachie7

250px-MountBeachie7

400px-MountBeachie1

400px-MountBeachie1

Tags