Sitting in the eastern shadow of Mount Rainer, the Bumping River unit is a great place to look for mountain goats. This unit is made up of multiple ridgebacks leading up to Mount Aix, a dominant terrain feature in this unit. As you climb out of the trees, these ridgelines hold numerous ideal habitats for goats, from small craggy outcroppings to large snowfields and sheer rock faces. The level of physical effort to hunt this unit is often considered moderate but plan on a multiple mile hike gaining several thousand feet in elevation before you reach good goat habitat. Once you have gained some elevation, the hike is not extremely strenuous from there. Although day hikes are possible, it is probably best to plan on spike camping for a few days in the unit. Keep in mind that there is little water available in this unit, and plan accordingly.

Although there are few reports of goats on Timberwolf Mountain, there is a road to the top of this area that will allow you to get a great vantage over most of the more popular goat peaks in the area, including Mount Aix, Nelson Butte and more. A trip up to this lookout at the beginning of your hunt should be very helpful in deciding where to go, as it is very easy to look over many of the peaks in the area with good optics.

This is a very broken unit with high mountain peaks and ridgebacks towering over large valleys and drainages. Hiking here is rather mellow in many places as the ridgebacks are gradual and long and will take you all the way into the best goat country in the unit without the hassle of trailblazing. There are extensive trailheads across the unit, which make covering ground a little easier. However, expect some long hikes, as there are no roads into the heart of this unit. At over 7,700 feet, Mount Aix is not as dominant of a terrain feature as you may expect, with multiple gradual ridgebacks heading up to the summit in all directions. There are a number of bald and craggy slopes along these ridgebacks but expect to see more trees -goats in this unit tend to spend some time in the timber, so don’t overlook these areas. There are no high mountain lakes in this area of the state, and overall this area is very dry.

A large array of vegetation can be found in the Wenatchee National Forest; you can expect to see many species, including but not limited to vine maple, sword fern, douglas fir, western red cedar, alder, western hemlock, mountain hemlock, and the yellow cedar. Multiple species of grasses, ferns, shrubbery, and wildflowers that make up the forest floor. Most of the vegetation, except the wildflowers, some grass and the occasional twisted whitebark pine begin to fade as you gain elevation.

National Forest Road 1509, past McDaniel Lake, will take you to the north end of the Mount Aix trail, approximately seven miles from the summit and five miles from good goat country. Deep Creek Road on the west side of the unit is where you will find the Mount Aix trailhead. Expect a very physical 4.2-mile hike to Nelson Ridge and another 3 miles to reach the summit of Mount Aix. Once you get near the top of Nelson Ridge, you could go either direction and find mountain goats.

Primitive camping in the forest is allowed most of the year, but access and areas of the forest will get closed as winter weather starts to set in. Call ahead to double check any restrictions or permits necessary prior to your trip. If you are looking for a more established campground there are multiple options on the east side of Bumping Lake, which is approximately four miles north of the Mount Aix Trailhead, as well as Dog Lake Campground on Hwy 12 south of the unit. Beds and showers are available in a number of lodges and hotels scattered throughout the unit. Groceries are available in the town of Packwood.

Roughly 285 square miles

99% public land

Elevations range from 1,000 – 7,766 feet

Reaching the summit of Mount Aix is not necessary in order to be successful, you will find most of the mountain goats on the surrounding ridges that lead up to the bottom of the apex

Compass and GPS should be used at all times when straying from any main trails

Travel into areas without trails can be very difficult to navigate

Trekking poles are strongly encouraged for this hunt