[GaliWalker]

July 19, 2008: 5th of July Mountain, from Basalt Ridge Complete solitude, an incredibly green forest, meadows galore, pumice fields, a flower display to rival the best, views of peaks near and far, all culminating in a perch high in the sky - this turned out to be one of the most beautiful and varied ridge systems I have yet hiked on. For all the (justifiable) press that the Buck Pass – High Pass ridge walk (amongst others) gets, I am amazed that this one is so overlooked. My usual early start had me at the Basalt Pass trailhead and on the trail by 5:00am. The hike started off like a bat out of hell; wasting no time in getting to Basalt Pass (~1,200ft in a little more than a mile). The most beautifully lush green forest floor that I have recently seen was a soothing balm for the exertion: deep greens, arranged in complex leafy patterns, carpeted the valley slopes.

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Basalt Pass, on Basalt Ridge was treed and viewless; a most innocent start to the ridge walks to follow. However, first views on Basalt Ridge were soon on offer, as I was treated to a lovely sunrise, sending slanting warmth into the valley I just climbed out of. The flower show, which was to keep me company almost throughout the hike, also began and blinding colors assaulted my senses brought out even more by sunny backlighting.

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Oohing and ahhing (the wonders were coming thick and fast now), I was next treated to first views of Clark Mountain’s glaciated face, with Glacier Peak just beyond. These would be my constant companions on the hike, their views improving evermore. The hiking was predominantly along the ridge crest now. Green meadows, dotted with picturesque trees, began to keep me company, both on the ridge and below me.

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4mi into the hiking Garland Peak rose up in front of me, as well as the first of the pumice fields; a reminder of Glacier Peak’s majesty, from a distant, more violent past. The pumice field took me higher and higher to intersect my second ridge system. Here I took a left on the Garland Peak trail, and before I could catch my breath I was looking at the crags and screes of Devils Smokestack, elevation ~7,400ft.

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15 - Garland Peak

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Next up was the most scenic, as well as cruelest sections of the hike. Pumice slopes, a flower show to rival Mt Rainier’s best (made even more awesome by the incongruous setting), led gently and then steeply down, as the trail contoured around Rampart Mountain. In total 1,500ft of elevation was dropped, all to be regained on the way back…

18 - Pumice fields and the gentler side of Rampart

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A pretty, stream filled meadow (Raven's Roost), nestled beneath Rampart Mountain’s cliffs signaled the end of the drop and was followed by a steep climb up to 5th of July Pass. Green Cow Creek Meadows lay below me, with the Chelan Mountains (including Pyramid Mountain, where I had been last week) a veritable sea of peaks beyond. A much meaner side of Rampart Mountain was an intimidating presence to my south.

20 - Raven's Roost

21 - Cow Creek meadows

From here, my initial plan had been to head to Larch Lakes. However, given the amount of time it had taken me to get to this point and the fact that I was still a good 2-2.5mi away from the lakes, I shelved that plan. 5th of July Mountain, looming high above me to the north, ended up being one fabulous back-up. I headed steeply (all the gain on this hike is steep) up the slopes and a short final scramble had me on the 7,695ft summit. Wow, what a view! The Entiats to the north, Phelps Ridge and the Chiwawa’s to the west, and the Chelan’s to the east. To the south 5th of July Pass was small, made even more insignificant by Rampart Mountain, which towered over it. My ridge route, taken to get to this point, was also visible; a reminder of the long strenuous hike still remaining.

22 - 5th of July summit

23 - Summit views: Rampart Mtn

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25 - Summit views: Chiwawas

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26 - Summit views: Maude and company

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27 - Fortress and Chiwawa

28 - Summit views: 5th of July Pass and Rampart

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Stats: • Elevation gain (cumulative): 6,800ft (including 2,000ft on the return). • Distance: ~17mi • Hiking time: 11hr 40min • Total trip time: 16hr 20min Trip notes: • Snow free • Not a single soul seen • Roads in good shape • Trail tread quite faint in places • Lots of bugs - they ate me for breakfast, lunch and dinner.