Trip Date: July 26-29, 2019
MID-SUMMER OUTING NO. 17: RAGGED RANGE
Mt. Arriva & Fisher Peak Climbing Trip
Easy Pass
Fisher Creek Meadows
Silent Lakes
Mount Arriva (8215′)
Fisher Peak (8040’+)
Trip Report Summary
Region: Northeastern Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Ragged Range
Area: North Cascades National Park
Starting & Ending Point: Easy Pass Trailhead on Highway 20 (Elev. 3700 feet)
Way Points: Granite Creek footlog & Easy Pass Creek & Easy Pass & Fisher Creek & Fisher Creek Basin & Fisher Overlook Camp & Silent Pass & Upper Silent Lake (trail hike & off-trail hike & snow climb & rock scramble)
Campsites: Upper Silent Lake (Elev. 7000 feet) & Fisher Overlook Camp (Elev. 6000 feet)
Summit: Mt. Arriva (off-trail hike & rock scramble via South Slope—South Ridge)
Summit: Fisher Peak (rock scramble & rock climb via Northwest Ridge)
Approximate Stats: 18.5 miles traveled; 11,200 feet gained & lost.
Related Posts
Mt Arriva via South Ridge + Fisher Peak via Northwest Ridge – August/September 2008
Full Trip Report
For our 17th annual Mid-Summer Climbing Trip, old-timers Jon, Adam, Todd, and I were joined by newcomer-brothers Kris and Eric J. Our summit goals this year were Mt. Arriva and Fisher Peak in North Cascades National Park. The unseasonably cool and wet weather that has prevailed in Washington all summer did continue through our trip but had little adverse effect on our success and shenanigans.
- Mid-Summer Gang At Trailhead (photo by Jon)
Day 1: Trailhead to Upper Silent Lake
On a sunny and warm Friday morning, we started hiking up the Easy Pass Trail. W.A.C. friends Wayne, Heather, and Alli hiked with us to the pass (2.3 hours + 2800 feet from TH) before peeling off to the west. Our objective peaks were clearly visible to the southeast.
- Fisher Peak and Mt Arriva From Easy Pass
We continued down the trail to Fisher Creek, then turned eastward and headed up through Fisher Creek Basin—initially on a good bootpath and later on a cross-country route through pleasant meadows.
- Hiking Up Fisher Creek Basin
After working our way up talus slopes on the right side of the creek, we took a break at scenic and breezy Fisher Overlook Camp (5.4 hours + 4100 feet). From there, we assessed our options for gaining the next 1000 vertical feet to Silent Pass. The most obvious route is directly up a gully on the far right, but my previous experience with this feature (not-so-fondly nicknamed “the death gully”) was far from positive. A second option (endorsed by my brother Brad) is to ascend a series of heathery zig-zag ramps immediately left of the gully, and a third option (endorsed by my wife Eileen) is to ascend a different series of ramps farther to the left. We chose the third.
Snow and loose talus led up to the left end of a broad talus ramp, which we then followed back to the right. Where the ramp terminated at a deep slot, we scrambled up a Class 3 rock step.
- Scrambling Up Class 3 Step
More heather ramps and a snow chute took us up to Silent Pass, followed by a short stroll down to Upper Silent Lake (7.4 hours + 5600 feet from TH).
- Hiking Over Silent Pass
We made camp near the lake, which is tucked between Fisher Peak, Black Peak, and Mt. Arriva.
- Fisher Peak From Upper Silent Lake
- Alpenglow On Black Peak
Day 2: Mt. Arriva Summit Climb
Although nighttime rain had been forecasted, it held off until 3:00am and kept us pinned down in our tents and bivouac sacks until 9:00am. Dark clouds persisted throughout the late morning but began to dissipate by the time we headed out for Mt. Arriva at 11:45am.
- Traversing Toward Mt Arriva
A mile-long westerly traverse across heather slopes took us to a 7200-foot saddle in a spur ridge, from which we made a rising traverse across a talus bowl to gain a key 7800-foot notch in Arriva’s south ridge.
- Traversing Toward 7200-Foot Saddle Below Mt Arriva
- Ascending To 7800-Foot Notch
We crossed through the high notch and entered a hidden slot formed by an eroded volcanic dike. This led us back up to the crest of the southwest ridge.
- Looking Up Lower Dike Slot
- Ascending Lower Dike Slot
Remarkably, a continuation of the same volcanic dike sliced across the peak’s southeastern face, thereby providing a series of interconnected slots. The highest (and steepest) slot ended closely east of the summit.
- Ascending Middle Dike Slot
- Ascending Upper Dike Slot
The dike-slot initially appeared to be a dead end, but a fortuitous ledge system here (possibly a geologic contact) runs around the summit block and provides easy access back to the south ridge.
- Traversing Around Upper Ledges
A short scramble up the ridge crest put us on top in mid-afternoon (2.9 hours + 1900 feet from camp).
- Group On Mt Arriva Summit
- Group On Mt Arriva Summit (photo by Kris)
Summit views were restricted by lingering clouds, but many of the landmark peaks managed to poke through.
- Mt Goode From Mt Arriva Summit
After a leisurely summit break, we packed up and began descending. Our group mood was jovial, and everyone was looking forward to swimming in Silent Lakes. However, the mountains do not tolerate such complacency; they can be quick to punish inattention or carelessness. And so it was. Scant minutes after we left the top, a surfboard-size rock was accidentally dislodged and sent careening downhill, narrowly missing two members of our group. No harm was done, but everyone was shaken by this near-miss. We completed our descent with a greater focus on rockfall and were happy to reach Upper Silent Lake without further incident (2.4 hours + 500 feet from summit).
- Alpenglow On Fisher Peak & Black Peak (photo by Kris)
- Evening At Upper Silent Lake
Day 3 (AM): Fisher Peak Summit Climb
Following a surprisingly cold night, we awoke to clear blue skies and no wind.
- Morning In Camp At Upper Silent Lake
- Black Peak & Upper Silent Lake
- Upper Silent Lake Shoreline
We assembled summit packs and headed for Fisher Peak in mid-morning. Our route followed the crest of the peak’s northwest ridge over several knolls before serious scrambling began at a deep notch.
- Looking Up West Ridge Of Fisher Peak
Eric, Jon, and Todd gradually reached their individual quotas of loose rock, so they headed back to the last knoll. Meanwhile, Adam, Kris, and I continued up the steepening ridge, working over or around numerous horns and pinnacles.
- Scrambling Up Fisher Peak
- High On Northwest Ridge Of Fisher Peak
Approximately two-thirds of the way up the ridge, we came upon “The Fisher Step,” a steep, 20-foot-high, Class 4 (or 5.0) dihedral face. We pulled out our rope, tied in, and belayed each other up the dihedral.
- Jim Climbing Dihedral (photo by Todd)
Once past this crux, another 400 feet of easier scrambling put us on the summit shortly after noon (2.7 hours + 1400 feet from camp).
- Climbers On Fisher Peak Summit (photo by Kris)
- Jim & Adam & Kris On Fisher Peak Summit
In contrast to yesterday, today’s visibility was nearly unlimited.
- Black Peak From Fisher Peak Summit
- Mt Goode From Fisher Peak Summit
- Mt Logan From Fisher Peak Summit
- Kitling Peak & Graybeard Peak From Fisher Peak Summit
Our descent was slow and careful, with a belay rope being used at the steep dihedral.
- Kris Downclimbing The Steep Dihedral (photo by Adam)
We rejoined our comrades on the knoll and then dropped down to camp (2.3 hours + 200 feet from summit).
- Mt Arriva Above Silent Lakes
Day 3 (PM): Upper Silent Lake to Fisher Overlook Camp
Because it was only 3:00pm when we arrived in camp, our group elected to spend the remainder of the afternoon descending to Fisher Overlook Camp. We packed up and headed over Silent Pass, generally following our previous up-route down the snow chute and heather ledges.
- Crossing Steep Snow Below Silent Pass
At the Class 3 step, we set up an overly complicated (and unintentionally humorous) rappel system that consumed a full hour.
- Todd Rappelling Down Cliff Band
It was early evening when we reached well-named Fisher Overlook Camp (2.2 hours + 100 feet from Camp 1).
- Glissading Down To Fisher Overlook Camp
- Fisher Overlook Camp
Day 4: Fisher Overlook Camp to Trailhead
Hoping for an easier descent to Fisher Creek Basin on our final day, we followed a game path along the eastern side of the valley. Farther down, half of our group traversed through the forest, while the other half walked through the valley-bottom meadows. We ultimately found that the latter route is slightly faster.
- Descending Into Fisher Creek Basin On Day 4
We regrouped at the trail junction (1.2 hours from camp), then humped over Easy Pass and down to the trailhead (4.3 hours + 1500 feet from camp). A quick plunge into frigid Granite Creek finished off another fun and successful Mid-Summer Outing!
Route Maps & Profile
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Photo Gallery
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