The Gnarlist Trail in NCW Put Scars on My Body

Two weeks ago, I tripped going down the Lower Castlerock Trail system. That’s all on me. I looked at another hiker, unaware of the rocks beneath my feet. Five stitches later, and I’ve been back at it.

After removing the stitches, the Castlerock Trail system was the first trail I ran.

Suppose you’ve ever hiked to the top of Castlerock. Pause and look out at the city of Wenatchee. Looking to the left, you’ll see majestic Burch Mountain, Sunnyslope, and on a clear day, you’ll see Chelan Butte 30 miles north up the Columbia River. Look slightly right and you’ll see Jumpoff Ridge carved by the Missoula Floods, more than 15,000 years ago.

Look back and up to see my favorite trail anywhere on planet Earth.

The Chopper.

The steep trail starts from the shoulder that separates the Castlerock from the steep trail that spans 0.32 miles straight up to what my family and friends call “the wisdom tree.” The average grade of the Chopper Trail is a steep 39.4% and takes you nearly 700 feet up.

I’ve slid and cut up my legs and arms on this beloved trail. Some scrapes resulted in scars that I gladly carry for the rest of my life.

Strava says I’ve traveled up the Chopper 57 times, but I knew I’d been up at least a dozen times before downloading the Strava app in the early 2010s. At this time, I’ve been up my favorite challenge at least 70 times. 

My best time up the Chopper

9 minutes and 45 seconds.

Strava says that of the 180 people who “trail ran” the chopper, I have the 32nd-fastest time. The fastest person up is Steven Gnam. I spoke with him about his 6:09 time up the Chopper. He says he ran it with a “tempo heart rate and effort.” The fastest woman up is California trail runner Jennifer Schmidt, who completed the Chopper at 7:21 (third-fastest overall).

My best time down the Chopper

4 minutes and 10 seconds.

Strava reports I’m the 10th fastest human down the trail out of 100 brave souls.

Local trail runner Anthony Skierkiewicz's fastest recorded time on “Down Chop” is 2 minutes and 43 seconds. The quickest woman down the Chopper is a local Wenatchee doctor and former US Olympian, Laura Valaas, with an impressive time of 3 minutes and 50 seconds. 

Should hikers and trail runners currently be using this extreme Wenatchee trail?

Probably not.

This past Winter, the Chelan Douglas Land Trust placed a sign at the bottom of the Chopper stating the trail was closed. They recently updated the signage, and it presently reads: 

"NOTICE

The route is unauthorized and unmaintained. Hazardous conditions exist. Proceed at your own risk.

Help us protect this area for the future.

The Chopper Peak/1:2 Divide route is unauthorized, unmaintained, and hazardous. Continued use is causing erosion, vegetation loss, and safety issues. CDLT is working toward a sustainable, authorized trail.

Ways to get involved:

Stay Informed

Share your thoughts

Support CDLT

Volunteer

Learn more & get involved."

Learn more about the Chopper and how you can get involved with the Chelan Douglas Land Trust by clicking this link.