To the north the wilderness includes Wolf Creek, a tributary of the Methow River but otherwise tends to be long and narrow. It joins the North Cascades National Park Complex on its west and northwest side and comes near the Glacier Peak Wilderness to the south. The diverse mixture of dense forest, lush meadows, alpine slopes, geology and high country motivates visitors to climb from lowland trailheads through the forges and forest. It draws backpackers, horsepackers, fisherman, and hunters alike.
Trails tend to be steady climbs into high basins and glacial cirques with lakes.
The south facing portion of the range has more open, rolling high country that falls off very steeply into the Lake Chelan valley. Many parts of the wilderness can be visited on a day trip and those areas are often crowded, particularly on weekends. With a little work, you can explore quieter, more remote parts of the wilderness that are just as scenic. Snow often covers much of the area from mid or late October through late June.