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The trail over Slate Pass and down into the Middle Fork Pasayten is mostly snow free and easy to follow. A lot of snow has melted off in the last week. It's a bit muddy in spots but most people have been good about walking in the trench and through the mud and not up on the side of trail. The ford over the Middle Fork Pasayten is shallow but cold.

old burn (?) on Middle Fork Pasayten trail north of Robinson Pass.

Near the easy ford, encountered and spoke with 3 other backpackers who were coming back from Freds Lake. They were the only people we saw on the whole trip. Mosquitoes were bothersome at Ferguson Lake in evening and early morning but not that bad overall considering the time of year.

Ferguson Lake in Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

In late afternoon we scrambled up the ridge to the south of Ferguson Lake to the top of the ridge north of Wildcat Mountain. Amazing view up here. Maybe an hour up from the lake?

Middle Fork Pasayten valley and Ferguson Lake from ridge above

GWP on ridge north of Wildcat Mtn above Ferguson Lake, Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

GWP on ridge north of Wildcat Mtn above Ferguson Lake, Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

tundra wildflowers on ridge near Wildcat Mtn

looking south from ridge north of Wildcat Mtn and above Ferguson Lake. Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

GWP on ridge north of Wildcat Mtn above Ferguson Lake, Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

Wildcat Mountain in the Pasayten from knob above Ferguson Lake.

Shellrock Pass area (?) from high ridge above Ferguson Lake, Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

MacLeod Mountain area from near Wildcat Mtn, Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

alpine wildflowers on ridge above Ferguson Lake, Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

GWP, Ferguson Lake and the ridge up toward Wildcat Mtn, Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

alpine wildflowers on ridge above Ferguson Lake, Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

our route up the ridge from Ferguson Lake to top of knob to the north of Wildcat Mtn. Pasayten Wilderness, Washington

No one else at the lake Saturday night.

sunset over Buckskin Ridge from below Ferguson Lake, Pasayten Wilderness

Sunday was a little overcast and muggy at first.

descending from Ferguson Lake to Middle Fork Pasayten

avalanche chute coming down off Buckskin Ridge in the Pasayten Wilderness

avalanche chute wreckage north of Robinson Pass. Note the big chute in the background.

We made a partial loop by hiking up to Robinson Pass then over on Trail 478 A toward Slate Pass. The sun came out and it became hot and sunny. The mosquitoes were pretty bad around the pass. There was a mama hen blue grouse with a few peeping little yellow downy chicks at the pass.

blue grouse mama hen defending her chicks in the Pasayten Wilderness

A lot of snow had melted since we hiked here a week before. The trail was much drier too. But the wildflowers were still out in force south of Robinson Pass.

me hiking near Robinson Pass in the Pasayten Wilderness

We were able to follow Trail 478 A from the big meadow at the large flat saddle all the way to the trail that runs to Slate Pass. This was not possible 8 days ago when I lost the trail in snow patches and avalanche deposits. The southwest end of Trail 478 A is marked by a cairn. It's a great trail. I wish it were maintained. There are blowdowns but they're easy to negotiate.

our route from near Slate Pass

On the drive to & fro, there was a wildfire burning on what looks like the northeast slope of Ruby Mountain, west of Panther Creek in the North Cascades Park Complex. I don't know if they were letting it burn or suppressing it or letting it creep around under watch and containment. From Slate Peak Friday evening it was putting up a small column. It was warm and windy at Slate Peak and Harts Pass Friday night. For details on this hike Google "Ferguson Lake, Pasayten" or something like that. Google books has a sample from Molvar's guidebook which has the numbers for this hike.