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Digg itMost members of the party were scrambling students who needed a summit to complete their scramble course requirements. Because of the heavy snowpack, this has been a difficult summer for students. Many outings were canceled early in the season because of avalanche danger or inaccessible trailheads.
One desperate student even called me wanting to know if the summit was "foolproof," and whether anything would keep us from getting there. I assured him that only a natural disaster would keep us from achieving our goal.
Fortune Peak is more a hike than a scramble, though some off-trail sections of the route fall in the gray area between hiking and scrambling. A novice hiker may feel vulnerable and exposed in a couple of spots, but more seasoned hikers and scramblers might be puzzled as to why it is rated a scramble at all.
Snow, of course, makes everything more serious, but the snow was gone and ice axes were not needed. For a strenuous loop, scramblers can continue on to the south summit of Ingalls Peak from Fortune and return to the parking lot via the Ingalls Lake Trail.
We began our scramble by hiking on the Esmeralda Basin Trail (No. 1394), a route that holds a lot of memories. My first-ever backpack was to Esmeralda Basin. This was where I put up a tent for the first time and shot my first roll of Ektachrome.
It was where I lay awake in the dark afraid of the strange rustles I heard outside the tent. I was certain that something would get me, but mixed with fear was the beginner's pride that I had even walked that far with a pack on my back.
The trail was even prettier than I remembered, with many midsummer flowers still in bloom along with later-season flowers such as bistort and Pearly Everlasting. Summer is reluctant to leave -- even the false hellebore remains bright and green.
Some plants are going to seed and the crickets were singing in the yellowing grasses.
We hiked the Esmeralda Basin Trail toward Fortune Creek Pass, turned off at a signed junction about .2 mile below the pass, and continued hiking on the old County Line Trail. About halfway between the trail junction and the saddle overlooking Lake Ann, we came upon a large flat rock, which measured about 4 by 4 feet, a good spot to take a break -- and sitting on the rock seemed the natural thing to do.
Steve Cherkas was first to take advantage of the rock. When he got up from his rest he said he felt much stronger, and dubbed it "Rock of Youth." Of course, we all sat on the rock then, hoping to feel, if not look, younger. This rock is not shown on the map, but it is a natural marker, signifying the end of "trail" and the beginning of cross-country travel.
We reached the saddle overlooking Lake Ann and admired the views before following the ridge line east to the summit, stopping often -- not merely to rest but to enjoy the majestic views of Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and Glacier Peak. Mount Stuart is the dominant peak once you reach the summit.
We found the path easy to follow but climbed cautiously because of loose rocks, the only potential hazard on the route. The views were so impressive from the summit that we fed our cameras before we fed ourselves, truly a sign of a glorious destination. We didn't hurry down -- it was the kind of day you wanted to last forever.
Getting there
Drive U.S. Highway 970 north five miles from Interstate 90 at Cle Elum and turn left onto Teanaway River Road, driving 13 1/2 miles to the road junction at 29 Pines Campground. Turn right on Road No. 9737 (North Fork Teanaway Road) and drive to the road end and Esmeralda Basin/Ingalls Lake trailhead (about 10 miles), elevation 4,243 feet.
Trail detail
The Esmeralda Basin Trail starts out on an old miners road. At a quarter of a mile, the junction for Ingalls Lake Trail No. 1330 is reached. The Esmeralda Basin Trail continues straight. The trail passes several meadows and crosses sundry small streams. It climbs a rocky slope and switchbacks several times before reaching the junction for the County Line Trail, a short distance below Fortune Creek Pass.
If Esmeralda Basin is your objective, continue on the main trail until you reach Fortune Creek Pass at 6,000 feet (3 1/2 miles from the trailhead). If Fortune Peak is your goal, turn off on the County Line Trail about .2 mile before Fortune Creek Pass. The County Line Trail passes several good campsites near a stream and the obvious "Rock of Youth" about midway between the junction and the saddle overlooking Lake Ann.
The view from the saddle down to Lake Ann and up to Fortune Peak will satisfy most hikers. For those heading to Fortune Peak, continue east along the ridge crest to the obvious summit at 7,382 feet. Expect some easy scrambling over loose rock and scree.
Trail data
Fortune Peak is about eight miles round trip with an elevation gain of 3,300 feet. Fortune Pass (Esmeralda Basin Trail) is about seven miles round trip with an elevation gain of 1,750 feet. For road and trail conditions, call the Cle Elum Ranger District at 509-674-4411. The recommended map is Green Trails Mount Stuart No. 209.
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