I know I am getting old but sheesh!  Kachess Ridge is rated 3 out of 5 for physical effort but it gains 3600 feet to get to the ridge.  Tiger gains less than half that and is rated the same. On a good day (not every day is a good day) my feet never touch the ground getting to the top of Tiger but at Kachess, I walked the approach fire roads a lot! Don't believe the three stars for effort.  At my age (60) it is a 5 and for the youngsters maybe a 4, no less.  The place was gorgeous today with fall colors, low water in the creek crossings but enough to get a little damp and cool off, and not a soul to be seen.  The trail is in good shape with just a few blow downs.  Coming off the ridge at the bottom there is a straight road heading due west back to NE-4818 that saves time and does not force you back down south to the frontage Sparks Road.  This dirt road is mentioned in the directions but is not on the web site PDF map.  The technical difficulty for this trail is rated about right but there is a double black diamond at the very start of the descent, which is steep, very rutted, with one very sobering drop and loaded with loose rock.  The formal directions say “lots of people walk this”.  I did too.