GMU 246 Slide Ridge
99%-public high-country backcountry: uncrowded summer-range mule deer and a genuine high-buck escape.
Region 2 — East Cascades / Chelan County · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
160
sq mi
Public land
99%
approx.
Elevation
1,100–8,500
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
GMU 246 "Slide Ridge" is a compact (~158-square-mile) but steep and spectacular East Cascades unit in Chelan County, wedged between the Glacier Peak Wilderness and the south-central shore of Lake Chelan. Comprised of over 99% public land — essentially all Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest with fewer than 1,000 acres private — it is one of District 7's premier backcountry-access units, offering excellent foot-and-horse hunting for those willing to earn it. It is dominated by high summer and transitional range, so it holds mule deer higher and later than its lower neighbors and receives far fewer deer hunters than GMUs 245, 247, and 250 to the south. This makes Slide Ridge a strong pick for the high-buck hunt and for general-season hunters chasing bucks off the beaten path, with real trophy potential in low-density but lightly-pressured deer.
Terrain
A steep, rugged, fast-draining unit that plunges from 8,000-foot-plus peaks — Cardinal Peak, Saska Peak, and Emerald Peak — down the Devil's Backbone ridge system to the south-central shore of Lake Chelan (~1,100 ft) and the Entiat River. Most of the northern high country is roadless and bounded by the Glacier Peak Wilderness. Water sources are relatively limited given how rapidly the terrain sheds.
Cover: A mosaic of old clearcuts, wildfire burns, and old-growth timber, shaped by two decades of fire including the 2015 Wolverine Fire along the western border. Timbered north slopes and subalpine parks give way to open, brushy burns and rock at higher elevations; the burns and old cuts provide excellent forage for deer and bear.
Landmarks: Lake Chelan (south-central shore, north/east boundary) · Glacier Peak Wilderness (north/east boundary) · Devil's Backbone ridge · Cardinal Peak · Saska Peak · Emerald Peak · Entiat River (south/west boundary) · Cow Creek / Lake Creek
Access
Access ownership is a non-issue — over 99% of the unit is public Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, so there is essentially no private-land or trespass problem. The catch is that this is steep, high, largely roadless backcountry: much of the good ground is reachable only by foot or horse, and the north/east high country lies inside the non-motorized Glacier Peak Wilderness. Boat access across Lake Chelan is a classic way into the north end. Expect long, physical approaches, limited water, and few other hunters. This is a fitness-and-preparation unit, not a road-hunt unit.
Managers: U.S. Forest Service — Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (essentially the entire unit, ~101,000 acres), Glacier Peak Wilderness (USFS, non-motorized, along the north/east border), Private — fewer than 1,000 acres total
Access points: Forest Service roads and trailheads off the Entiat River Road (FS Rd 5100) on the south/west side · Lake Chelan boat access to north-shore trailheads (Devil's Backbone / Cardinal Peak country) · Slide Ridge / upper Entiat road-and-trail network climbing toward the high summer range · Foot and horse trails into the Glacier Peak Wilderness high country
Species notes
Mule Deer
common trophyA low-density but high-quality mule deer unit with genuine trophy potential. Slide Ridge is dominated by summer and transitional range, so it holds bucks high and later than its lower neighbors, and it receives far fewer hunters — modern-firearm success runs around 14% and archery around 21%, better than the crowded lowland units. As modern firearm seasons trend hotter and drier with fewer bucks descending to low country, summer-range units like this are becoming more valuable. A prime high-buck-hunt option for the fit, prepared hunter.
- →Hunt it as a backcountry/high-buck unit: pack in on foot or horse to the high summer range early in the general season before bucks move.
- →Glass the open burns, old clearcuts, and subalpine basins along the Devil's Backbone and toward Cardinal/Saska/Emerald peaks at first and last light.
- →Because it holds deer high and late, plan effort around the high country rather than waiting for a low-country migration that may not come during the general season.
- →Trade lower deer density for lower pressure — put in the miles to reach ground other hunters won't, where mature bucks live undisturbed.
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears occupy the timbered drainages and berry-rich burns throughout the unit at moderate density — a solid add-on for the backcountry deer hunter working the same high country.
- →Glass berry-laden burn regrowth and old clearcuts (huckleberry, serviceberry) on north-facing slopes at dawn and dusk.
- →Spot-and-stalk off the same high glassing points used for deer.
- →Focus on the wetter, timbered pockets and green forage rather than the driest, most exposed ridges.
Cougar
common opportunityCougars range throughout the rugged terrain wherever deer are found. Encounters are largely incidental for deer hunters; deliberate hunting is a late-season snow pursuit.
- →Cut and follow fresh tracks in snow along ridgelines and drainage bottoms.
- →Hunt near deer concentrations, since cats follow the prey.
- →Glass rocky rims and breaks where cougars travel and bed.
Mountain Goat
limited trophyThe high, rocky peaks along the Glacier Peak Wilderness border — Cardinal, Saska, and Emerald — are classic mountain goat country. Any goat hunting in Washington is a once-in-a-lifetime, draw-only permit in tightly defined hunt areas and demands serious backcountry ability; it is not a general opportunity.
- →Permit-only: only feasible if you draw a mountain goat tag and complete WDFW's required gender-identification training.
- →If drawn, glass cliff bands, high basins, and rocky ridgelines around the 8,000-foot peaks and plan for multi-day foot/horse backcountry logistics.
Rocky Mountain Elk
transient lowElk here are extremely sparse — small, dispersed bands with very low success, consistent with the rest of GMUs 245-250. Not a unit to target for elk.
- →Treat any elk as an incidental encounter while deer hunting.
- →Expect long odds if you specifically pursue them in isolated timber pockets.
Pro tips
- →This is a fitness unit — the payoff for a hard pack-in is low hunting pressure and real trophy-buck potential that the crowded lowland GMUs can't offer.
- →Use Lake Chelan boat access to reach the roadless north-shore high country around the Devil's Backbone and Cardinal Peak.
- →Because deer hold high and late, hunt the summer range aggressively instead of waiting on a low-country migration that may never happen during the general season.
- →Glass the fire mosaic: edges where burn regrowth and old clearcuts meet timber hold the most deer at first and last light.
- →Plan water carefully — the unit drains fast and reliable sources up high are limited.
- →If you draw a goat tag, this high peak country (Cardinal/Saska/Emerald) is worth serious multi-day scouting.
Watch out for
- !Low deer density: you trade crowds for numbers — expect to work hard for fewer deer, though the ones you find can be big.
- !Steep, rugged, largely roadless terrain with limited water — this is a backcountry hunt that punishes the unprepared.
- !Early snow can close high roads and trails and strand hunters; the country sheds weather fast.
- !Extensive recent fire history (e.g., 2015 Wolverine Fire) means burn snags are a falling hazard and fire-season closures are possible.
- !The unit borders the non-motorized Glacier Peak Wilderness — know where the wilderness boundary and motorized limits fall.
- !Mountain goat and any premium opportunity are permit-only; the general deer hunt is a backcountry opportunity hunt, earned on foot.
Logistics
Approach from Chelan (for Lake Chelan boat access to the north shore) or from Entiat and Ardenvoir up the Entiat River Road on the south/west side; Wenatchee is the largest services hub. This is a backcountry unit — plan for foot or horse travel, dispersed camping on Forest Service land, and long approaches into the high summer range. Water is limited on the fast-draining slopes, so plan sources carefully. Cell coverage is minimal off the lake and river corridors; carry offline maps, and consider a lake taxi/boat shuttle for the north end. High-clearance vehicles help on the rocky Forest roads that do exist.
Nearest towns: Chelan, Entiat, Ardenvoir, Manson, Wenatchee
Nearby units
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Washington sources:
Research sources: WDFW — 2025 District 7 Hunting Prospects, Chelan & Douglas Counties (GMU 246 access, deer, harvest tables) · WDFW — Game Management Units (GMU 246 Slide Ridge boundary & hunt planner) · GoHunt — Washington Unit 246 Slide Ridge profile (99% public, 2,000-8,000 ft, Cardinal/Saska/Emerald peaks, Devil's Backbone) · WDFW — Mountain Goat Special Permit Hunt Areas (once-in-a-lifetime, draw-only)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 246 in Washington?
- GMU 246 (Slide Ridge) covers about 160 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,100 to 8,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 246?
- Approximately 99% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: U.S. Forest Service — Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (essentially the entire unit, ~101,000 acres), Glacier Peak Wilderness (USFS, non-motorized, along the north/east border), Private — fewer than 1,000 acres total. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 246?
- Mule Deer, Black Bear, Cougar, Mountain Goat, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Washington agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 246 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.