Mount Rolo by Buckskin Ridge in Pasayten Wilderness is the highest point along Middle Fork Pasayten River. Its neighbors include Mount Lago and Monument Peak. The closeness to Slate Pass makes it doable as a day trip.
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Mount Rolo at a Glance
Access: Buckskin Ridge Trailhead at Slate Pass
Round Trip: 17.1 miles
Elevation Range: 5200′ -8096′
Gear: helmet
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: with guidance
Mount Rolo
Mount Rolo was a nice change of pace from last week. Glacier Peak Wilderness was a total smoke fest, and we inhaled a lot of it. But there was almost no smoke in this part of the Cascades.
Glad that the Forest Service had lifted restrictions on Middle Fork Pasayten River only days ago. But many roads and trails east of the valley stayed inaccessible in response to summer wildfire activities.
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Starting from Slate Pass
The pup and I slept just past Harts Pass Friday night. Then the following day, we started walking at 8 AM from Slate Pass. Shortly, I noticed the dusting of snow on Mount Rolo, likely from this past week’s snowfall.
It was still cold when we strolled through the basin. And by the time we crossed Middle Fork Pasayten River at the bottom, we had dropped 1700′. So I wasn’t looking forward to going up to the pass later.
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Mount Rolo via the South Ridge
We walked past the Ferguson Lake Trail fork by a few hundred yards. But glad I found the mistake before going any farther. After reaching the lake, we took a break before moving again.
Soon, we moved northeast up to the 7800′ saddle north of Point 7985. Then we had the first stunning look at the Lago Slam and Monumental Slam. But the other Washington highest mountains here weren’t visible yet.
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Ridge Traverse to Mount Rolo
The high traverse wasn’t as enjoyable because of the new inches of snow. We walked the ridgeline while staying on and west of the crest. En route, we bypassed a few high points before reaching the bottom of Mount Rolo.
The final scramble to the top was on chossy but with solid ledges. This vantage point viewed many of Washington’s highest summits above Eureka Creek Valley. Those taller neighbors had visibly more snow on them.
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Mount Rolo Summit Views Plus Exit
High clouds offered decent views to the south, including Robinson Mountain and Devils Peak. Canadian peaks went far beyond the Middle Fork Pasayten River Valley to the north. Soon, we were back at Ferguson Lake.
Shortly, we met the camper scouting for deer and chatted about his hunting trip. We slowly gained back every inch of the 1700′ of altitude on the Middle Fork Trail. Then we reached Slate Pass shortly after dark.
See more trip photos here.