Forum Index > Trip Reports > Fortune Mountain/Pear Lake 5 aug 2018
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kitya
Fortune Cookie



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kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostMon Aug 06, 2018 10:54 pm 
While I do love reading all the amazing trip reports from long multi day adventures you'll are having, I feel there is a distinct lack of of shorter and simpler summer hike reports recently. This report is an attempt to fix that smile.gif Nothing says 'summer fun', like dirty air, hazy views, forest fires, busy trails, bad traffic, exhausting heat and bity bugs. I, for one, is more than ready for autumn to arrive. And when weather seems hard for me, it is even worse for the dog, after all she is all covered in very thick fur and definitely not enjoying sunny days. Because of all that, it is sometimes important for me to choose shorter and shadier hikes for summer. Driving too far is also tiresome and crowds are never fun, so I searched for something closer to home and not too popular. And so it was Fortune Mountain (https://www.summitpost.org/fortune-mountain/949650) located just west of Cascade crest (10 miles NW of Stevens). I do realize that Mallory’s quote ‘Because it’s there’ sounds a lot less impressive if used as an explanation for climbing barely noticeable 5903’ Fortune Mountain, and not actually Mount Everest, but I really don’t know of any other reason why anyone would. Being a bit on the ‘remote’ side and not at all tall or rugged, it is not often climbed (why would it?) so there is no trail to the top, not even a faint climbers boot path (why would it?), and since it is located west of Cascade crest, it is heavily forested, offering almost 0 views for a very tiresome bushwhack through very dense forest, infinite number of blowdowns, bushes and bugs. I’m not selling it well smile.gif Let me rephrase it: it is very green, it is one of the highest mountains among one of the more mellow Cascade hills areas, and, most importantly it is named Fortune so it gives a rare opportunity, outside of Cookie standing upside down on her head, to view Cookie on top of Fortune.
We started from Meadow Creek trail. Beckler river road is paved to Rapid River road intersection. Unfortunately Rapid River road is full of nasty potholes, but nothing that could eat my car whole. It was slow, but not too bad. There is really no TH parking, but maybe 3-4 cars can fit by the side of (already narrow) road. Trail is mostly through mature forest and offers no views. Before reaching Fortune ponds, Cookie and I stepped off trail and went on the obvious northwest ridge straight up instead. It was about a mile of 'scramble' through very dense forest, hopping through thousands of blowdowns, and other such class 3 'fun', exacerbated by insane amount of bugs. I had to carry Cookie most of the way, so that she doesn't get tangled in the bushes. On the plus side it never got too steep. Once reaching false summit, it partially opened up to hazy views of Sloan, Glacier peak, Monte Cristo, Peach lake and Fortune ponds. Sloan:
Glacier peak:
Monte-Cristo group:
\ Fortune ponds:
I didn't do it, but it looks very doable to drop down to Peach lake from there. It looks like a pretty lake with lots of solitude.
However, I must say that I'm not happy about thematical lake names, because they just make things even more confusing. For example, there is a cup lake and there is a saucer lake close to each other, but there is also another cup lake in a very different area. This lake in the picture is called Pear lake and it is near to Peach lake, which clearly indicates to me, that these lakes were named long before the emoji revolution (can I call it a revolution, modern kids call everything a revolution), since otherwise it is obvious that a lake near to the peach lake must be called the eggplant. But worst of all, last week I spent a few hours of my life trying to remember if I have been to Spectacle lake before, only to realize that the lake I have actually been too, also by PCT, but different section, was the Glasses lake. Anyway, from the false summit it was an easy ridge walk to true summit and than to another (very short, but extremely narrow) ridge to drop down to 'Frozen Finger gap'. I must say this route is very short and a lot more enjoyable than hiking for a mile through bushes, but definitely not easy to see and find. In fact it is narrow and scary and several times it looked like I will get cliffed out, but it always worked out anyway. From Frozen Finger gap I rejoined the trail and hiked down to Pear lake. Pear lake surprisingly also had no people and was quite warm (or strictly speaking not deadly cold) and shallow, making for a nice swim with bugs and frogs.
There was already lots of blueberry on the trail and lots of mushrooms, many boletes munched by squirrels.
Dog vomit slime:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2909730168 - 18.6 miles r/t, 5300' gain.

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awilsondc
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awilsondc
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PostTue Aug 07, 2018 7:41 am 
Nice report!
kitya wrote:
It was about a mile of 'scramble' through very dense forest, hopping through thousands of blowdowns, and other such class 3 'fun', exacerbated by insane amount of bugs. I had to carry Cookie most of the way, so that she doesn't get tangled in the bushes.
Sometimes I wish I had someone to carry ME through dense 'schwacking. Must be nice. biggrin.gif
kitya wrote:
I feel there is a distinct lack of of shorter and simpler summer hike reports recently. This report is an attempt to fix that... ...there is no trail to the top, not even a faint climbers boot path... it is heavily forested, offering almost 0 views for a very tiresome bushwhack through very dense forest, infinite number of blowdowns... ...18.6 miles r/t, 5300' gain
lol.gif rotf.gif

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Martin S
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Martin S
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PostTue Aug 07, 2018 9:29 am 
kitya wrote:
it is not often climbed
Apparently you and I were both there on the same day, both reflecting on how seldom climbed it is. I went in via the Top Lake trail, camped at Pear Lake, and wandered up to the summit of Fortune late in the afternoon. I think I saw your footprints. I hear ya about the heat and bugs and wishing for autumn.

"nothing's for certain" took the elevator down while "anything can happen" climbed the stairs - Ryszard Krynicki
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mbravenboer
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mbravenboer
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PostTue Aug 07, 2018 10:46 am 
kitya wrote:
last week I spent a few hours of my life trying to remember if I have been to Spectacle lake before, only to realize that the lake I have actually been too, also by PCT, but different section, was the Glasses lake.
smile.gif Amusing write-up! The naming is indeed very unhelpful.
kitya wrote:
shorter and simpler summer hike reports
kitya wrote:
18.6 miles r/t, 5300' gain.
That says enough about the average effort here wink.gif

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



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kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostTue Aug 07, 2018 11:27 am 
awilsondc wrote:
Sometimes I wish I had someone to carry ME through dense 'schwacking. Must be nice. biggrin.gif
Ha-ha smile.gif This is the advantage of weighting only 18lbs smile.gif
Martin S wrote:
Apparently you and I were both there on the same day, both reflecting on how seldom climbed it is. I went in via the Top Lake trail, camped at Pear Lake, and wandered up to the summit of Fortune late in the afternoon. I think I saw your footprints.
Wow! This is quite a coincidence. I'm surprised we didn't bump into each other than. I also stopped by Pear Lake, but after Fortune and only for a swim.
mbravenboer wrote:
That says enough about the average effort here wink.gif
Well, I'm happy it was just a day trip and I can get home before it is even dark smile.gif This was definitely not one of these 24 hours day or multi-day backpacks with crazy miles and 4 hours driving to the middle of nowhere first smile.gif But seriously, it was definitely not a hard day, not by the standards of hikes other people seem to be doing here smile.gif I remember in winter people sometimes just go for 8 miles and there is already a long trip report with lots of pictures. But in summer some reports are like 60 miles to glacier peak and back - one photo smile.gif

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



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kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostTue Aug 07, 2018 11:56 am 
BTW, we met a couple of nwhiker's two weeks ago (Sat Jul 28th) near to Glacier Lake (by Chikamin peak). I hope you guys had a good trip too, nice to meet you.

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Nancyann
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Nancyann
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PostTue Aug 07, 2018 1:24 pm 
Really enjoyed your trip report, Kitya. I like to visit that area in the fall when the berries are ripe, but your photos show it’s pretty in summer too. I had a good laugh when I saw the mileage and elevation gain for your “shorter and simpler summer hike report”, but I get your point about the multitude of epic climbs and backpacking trips posted this summer. I enjoy reading them all though, so keep those shorter and simpler trip reports coming! up.gif

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



Joined: 15 Mar 2010
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Location: Duvall, WA
kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostTue Aug 07, 2018 2:39 pm 
Nancyann wrote:
I like to visit that area in the fall when the berries are ripe, but your photos show it’s pretty in summer too.
I'm sure it will be a lot better in autumn. Everything is better in autumn. Red color of blueberry bushes in autumn will be amazing. Fresh air, cool wind, more mushrooms smile.gif Autumn is amazing.

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fourteen410
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fourteen410
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PostTue Aug 07, 2018 4:49 pm 
kitya wrote:
it is obvious that a lake near to the peach lake must be called the eggplant
tongue.gif

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timberghost
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PostWed Aug 08, 2018 5:12 am 
Was up there a couple weeks ago. The bugs in the morning when it was cool were numerous. Lots of people at Pear lake most were PCT travelers. Fortune mtn had a couple people going up when I was coming down. Its a beautiful view when the fall smoke isn't a presence. My dogs loved the meadows on top and was able to see a couple bears up there.

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



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kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostWed Aug 08, 2018 7:11 am 
timberghost wrote:
Was up there a couple weeks ago. The bugs in the morning when it was cool were numerous. Lots of people at Pear lake most were PCT travelers. Fortune mtn had a couple people going up when I was coming down. Its a beautiful view when the fall smoke isn't a presence. My dogs loved the meadows on top and was able to see a couple bears up there.
Interesting! I saw nobody at Pear lake or on Fortune. But maybe this is because Seafair weekend/Sunday. I find hiking on Sunday afternoon is often less busy as weekend campers usually leave early! You are so lucky to see the bears!

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DIYSteve
seeking hygge



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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
PostWed Aug 08, 2018 7:16 am 
It's a cool place. 14 years ago we traversed the mountain, ascending from the NE, leaving the trail at a small saddle between Fortune Ponds and Pear Lake, descending the NW ridge in forest to the trail. I don't recall anything I'd call "class 3." I'd call it straightforward montane forest off trail hiking. We saw a big flock of Gray-crowned Rosy Finches on the summit.

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



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kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostWed Aug 08, 2018 7:34 am 
DIYSteve wrote:
It's a cool place. 14 years ago we traversed the mountain, ascending from the NE, leaving the trail at a small saddle between Fortune Ponds and Pear Lake, descending the NW ridge in forest to the trail. I don't recall anything I'd call "class 3." I'd call it straightforward montane forest off trail hiking. We saw a big flock of Gray-crowned Rosy Finches on the summit.
I think this little saddle between Fortune Ponds and Pear lake is called 'Frozen Finger gap' (if I'm not mistaken). Anyway, the way you went is, I think most popular and logical route and it is the shortest and the easiest. I went down your way. But on the way up, I, instead of using this route, took the other long (1+ mile) forested slope up. My 'class 3 fun' is mostly a joke - it was not exposed, but it was not fun due to extremely dense vegetation - bushes, trees and blowdowns and no views. In contrast the way from the saddle opens up quickly. This is the map of how I walked:

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DIYSteve
seeking hygge



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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
PostWed Aug 08, 2018 8:05 am 
Yup, that map shows our route in reverse. It was a fun day. We had a nice camp off the Meadow Creek trail in a forest edge near a meadow at est. 4100'. My friend's dog started barking like mad at 2AM. The next morning we learned why when we saw fresh cougar tracks within 20 feet of our tent. eek.gif

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kitya
Fortune Cookie



Joined: 15 Mar 2010
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Location: Duvall, WA
kitya
Fortune Cookie
PostWed Aug 08, 2018 8:26 am 
Lucky to meet so many animals. I only saw many pika and one marmot.

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