Mount Benzarino and Outpost Peak overlook North Fork Bridge Creek. The former shares the Last Chance Pass with Corteo Peak near Maple Pass Trail. Meanwhile, the latter views the east fringe of Mount Logan‘s Douglas Glacier.
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Mount Benzarino and Outpost Peak at a Glance
Access: Maple Pass Trailhead
Round Trip: 31.2 miles
Elevation Range: 2840′-7910′
Gear: helmet
Route Info: Matt Burton
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: no pets
August 26-28, 2022
Day 2 – Saturday, August 27
Outpost Peak + Bridge Creek Trail + Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)
Night 2 – Fireweed Camp
Day 3 – Sunday, August 28
PCT to Rainy Pass
Friday, August 26
Maple Pass Trail + Mount Benzarino + Grizzly Creek Camp
Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3
The Preface on Mount Benzarino
Mount Benzarino had finally popped up on the climbing list this season. Several reports I found had raved about this obscure peak behind Frisco Mountain. Besides climbing something new, I wanted to check out the hype myself.
This massif surrounds itself with drainages on all sides. Falls Creek flows to the north, Maple Creek to the east, plus Bridge Creek to the west. Moreover, it sits south of the classic Black Peak and east of the valley from Goode Mountain.
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Heather Maple Pass Trail
The trailhead was half full at dawn, as always during the high season. I soon set off for Maple Pass in the shade right after sunrise. En route, I passed two hikers who thought I was a bear when they heard me coming up from behind.
Climbing Corteo Peak was when I last hiked the north Maple Pass Trail. I was also here again last year but took the south trail to Frisco Mountain. After passing Lake Ann, I quickly checked out Black Peak from Heather Pass.
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Maple Pass to Maple Creek Basin
Before long, I saw my first goal, Mount Benzarino, from Heather Pass. A hiker emerged as I took a break and changed into mountaineering boots. Soon, I dropped into Maple Creek Basin on the west and continued.
A faint boot path took me below Horsefly Pass, where I left the trail and headed southwest. I kept an attitude between 5800′ and 6000′ as I rounded southeast of Corteo Peak. Apart from one screaming marmot earlier, it was overall quiet.
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Lake 6240 to Mount Benzarino East Basin
I made a rising traverse south of Corteo Peak through grass. Then, I reached Lake 6240 below Last Chance Pass in under a mile and took a break. The shoreline was too rocky to camp but had a great view of Frisco Mountain.
I went up the gully to the south and exited the basin at 6700′. Then, for the next 1.25 miles, I kept roughly the same altitude, traversing Mount Benzarino’s east face. En route were endless views of many familiar peaks.
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The Final Stretch
Soon, I reached the south shoulder at 6850′, which turned out rockier than I expected. Then I followed a path of least resistance through a few class 4 spots lower down. Meanwhile, moving in and out of the annoying krummholz was the icing on the cake.
The incline lessened higher on the ridge, viewing Goode Mountain and Storm King. Despite the rocky terrain, I was able to traverse the crest mostly. Before I knew it, I had reached Mount Benzarino’s slanted summit slab.
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Mount Benzarino Summit Views
With our warm summer, seeing an overcast sky was a significant relief. Surprisingly, There weren’t any mosquitoes on top or throughout the trip. So I lay back on the slanted rock and enjoyed the panoramic vistas.
Being the 253rd highest peak in the state, it harbored dramatic views of the surrounding taller peaks. The notable ones were, of course, Black Peak and Goode Mountain. I couldn’t find the register placed by Matt‘s group in 2014.
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Mount Benzarino Northwest Ridge
Before leaving, I gazed at Outpost Peak, 4.5 miles away, for a bit. I had intended to climb it a month ago via Fisher Pass. But the warm weather, plus reports citing the horrendous exit via Cosho Camp, had me scratch my plan.
I wasn’t sure if the northwest ridge would go, but I wanted to try it. Soon, I went down around the east tower before moving through manageable terrain. Despite the rocky ridgeline draped in outcrops, I could stay on the crest.
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En Route to Grizzly Creek
It was steep from 7200′ down to 7000′ with terrible rocks and choss. After moving through that part, the ridge suddenly widened at 6900′ for the next 300′. It would be a scenic place to camp if there were running water.
Points 5590 and 4660 viewed North Fork Meadows and Fisher Creek Valley. Meanwhile, I dropped altitude through several cliffs as it slowly became brushy. I reached Grizzly Creek at 3400′ via an animal trail and crossed the water on a log.
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Grizzly Creek Camp by Mount Benzarino
I couldn’t find info on Outpost Peak’s southeast ridge. But the snow patches by Point 7135 looked enticing from Mount Benzarino for a night’s stay. However, hauling everything up 3700′ for an 800′ climb didn’t make much sense.
After talking myself out of the high camp, Grizzly Creek, for the night, it was! I got a permit for the Benzarino zone, which meant staying east of the creek. But the sizeable sandy area on the west was way more comfortable pitching the tent.
Saturday, August 27
Outpost Peak + Bridge Creek Trail + Fireweed Camp
Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3
Outpost Peak Climb by Mount Benzarino
I was skeptical about the southeast ridge at first without any route info. But soon, I was on the crest after going through the drop-off by the creek. I then went through the initially moderate 400′ incline over the light brush.
The open forest let me bypass vine maples by hugging the crest. After the steep part from 4000′ to 5000′, the rest was distance over elevation. During this, I heard a loud thump below the cliffs followed by shuffling, likely from a bear.
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Outpost Peak Southeast Ridge
The terrain widened after wandering through a brief stretch of dense forest at 5300′. Then endless views poured in from all sides but the west. Along the way were many suitable camp spots and the fall foliage heaven for larch chasers.
I had considered using Dave‘s south route via North Fork Meadows, gaining 4000′ over 1.5 miles. But I opted for the three-mile-long ridge over the 4500’ gain. It was also direct from Grizzly Creek, coming from Mount Benzarino.
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The Final Stretch on Outpost Peak
The last time I was in the area, I was busy with route-finding. But this time, I often stopped to pick blueberries and enjoy the views before the rockier terrain around 6600′. Then I saw Outpost Peak below Point 7135.
The drop-offs above the southeast basin had forced me to stay on the crest. But I was happy to do so to avoid snow and talus in the last 300′. Soon, I traversed over a few notches and some slick, black rocks, but it was overall pleasant.
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Outpost Peak Summit Views
The sky grew cloudier when I reached the top in the late morning. But the clouds were high enough to reveal most nearby peaks. The mountain I had waited to see, Mount Logan, had shrouded itself in the mists.
Seeing the next-door Natal Peak and Incision Peak from a month ago was surreal. In the shadow of Black Peak and Corteo Peak, Mount Benzarino looked underwhelming. But the main attractions were Mount Goode and Storm King.
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North Fork Bridge Creek Trail Below Mount Benzarino
Back at camp, I packed up and soon went to look for Bridge Creek Trail 200′ below. It took some pacing back and forth by the creek to locate the trail. Soon, I walked three miles to the PCT fork, the lowest point of this trip.
I took a break at Mount Benzarino’s southern foothills as a thru-hiker emerged. We briefly chatted before they resumed the rest of their journey to the Canadian border. Then I repacked and was soon on my way back to Rainy Pass.
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Walking the PCT
As I crossed Maple Creek, I noticed a new walkway upslope used during high water. I didn’t get water here, thinking I’d find some from the seasonal streams en route. Sadly, they had all dried up, as I would later find out.
I thought I’d get water at Sixmile Camp and perhaps stay the night. But I didn’t expect to see a tent city when I walked toward Bridge Creek. As I later discovered, it’s one of the two specified campsites for the thru-hikers. Grr.
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A Parched Throat in Need of Water
Not wanting to disturb anyone, I returned to the trail and continued. Soon, I reached South Fork Camp but didn’t want to try my luck there. So I kept walking to Hideaway Camp, where I saw one tent over the spur trail. Ugh!
Before returning to the main path, I saw a dirty puddle under some alder. So I filtered some questionable water since beggars couldn’t be choosers! Before I knew it, I had walked six miles of the PCT to Fireweed Campground.
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A Night at Fireweed Campground
I remembered seeing the flat space by the big log over Bridge Creek from my July trip. So I kept my fingers crossed as I hurried toward it in the dark. Hooray, the perfect spot by the water was available as I had run out of steam.
I was so thirsty that I drank two liters of water as I rested by the creek. Then, I spent the next hour setting up camp, making dinner, and hanging food. It was a restful night after falling asleep watching Uncharted on Netflix. Boooring.
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Day 3
PCT to Rainy Pass
Overview > Day 1 > Day 2 > Day 3
En Route to Rainy Pass
In the morning, I used the toilet quite a ways past the horse camp. OMG, I almost couldn’t hold it; it was that far! I later chatted with a section hiker from Walla Walla before packing for the five miles to Rainy Pass.
I took a break in the shade as two hikers making a loop through Stehekin came up the trail. Their six-day backpacking trip sounded way more pleasant than mine. But walking uphill at the end of a long outing was always icky.
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Back to Rainy Pass
To think that I had considered retracing my steps back to Maple Pass through Mount Benzarino was insane. It would’ve taken longer scrambling than walking the trail. Of course, things always looked great on paper!
I met Margaret (Rocky), a retiree who had driven from Utah to finish the last bit. We walked and chatted for a while before meeting her friend at the Bridge Creek Trailhead. Then I walked the last 1.5 miles alone back to the car.
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