Fifth of July Mountain by Rampart Mountain overlooks Entiat River Valley. Duncan Hill sits on the near east and Garland Peak to the south. Meanwhile, Chilly Peak rises north of Pomas Pass atop Rock Creek Basin.
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Fifth of July Mountain at a Glance
Environs = Basalt Ridge + Devils Smoke Stack + Rampart Mountain
周圍地區=玄武岩脊+魔鬼的煙囪+壁壘山
Access: Basalt Pass Trailhead
Round Trip: 15 miles
Elevation Range: 3850′-7696′
Essential Gear: helmet
Route Info: Brian Hill
GPS Track: available
Dog-Friendly: on the trail
Playlist: Keep Moving
Return to Basalt Ridge in Entiat Mountains
Connor and I spent a long day in the Entiat Mountains between my backpacking trips. Devil’s Smoke Stack has long been on the back burner from the four places we visited. I took my first photo of it in 2009 en route to Garland Peak, still new to snow.
After that, I haven’t set foot on this trail since the late dogs and I visited in 2015. It’s been so long, even the rutted roadway lower down didn’t look familiar. But I remembered the 2020 Chikamin Fire (USFS | Wikipedia) that swept through the upper ridge.
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Hiking the Ridge Trail to Basalt Ridge High Point
We reached Basalt Pass in 1.25 miles, where the small stream in the gully was our last water. I contemplated making a side trip to Basalt Peak but wasn’t sure about the time. So, we continued north through the only switchbacks on this trip below Point 6351.
Basalt Ridge High Point was the closest to the trail and the only “walk-up” peak. Above the old burn, we left the trail as it bypassed the peak at 300′ below from the west. We saw many familiar places from the top, including Buck Mountain, two ridges away.
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Climbing Devil’s Smoke Stack by Rampart Mountain
The next 1.5 miles of trail was all we got until returning from Fifth of July Mountain. We dropped onto the north from the crest to be back on track. Then, we strolled the scenic ridge as the trail faded into the slick pumice rocks below the trail fork.
After dipping slightly to the next saddle, we crossed the upper basin to Devil’s Smoke Stack. Among the steep south gullies was a class 3 route suitable for the dog. Then, the final bit involved much choss and two tall steps to the rocky summit.
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Smoky Glacier Peak Wilderness in the Afternoon
Everything north of Rampart Mountain and the west had begun fading into the haze. However, a sliver of Fifth of July Mountain behind it was still visible. East views were better, but the landscape felt underwhelming. We left the top after half an hour.
A rising traverse from the bottom soon brought us back to the ridge. Instead of finding the trail 200′ below the west, walking on the crest was more efficient. We veered west below Rampart Moutain and viewed the sheer north side of Devil’s Smoke Stack.
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Making the Long Trek to Fifth of July Mountain
There hadn’t been any water since Basalt Pass, so we shared my 3 liters for the entire trip. Meanwhile, Connor continued to envy the snow patches lower in the basin. Soon, we dropped through the scree gully from the 7480′ col on the southwest ridge.
After hopping over massive boulders in the west basin, we had lost 500′ altitude. Moving through a small larch meadow and the rest of the rocks put us back on the ridge. Then, it was a gradual 200′ downhill as I gawked at the sheer size of Fifth of July Mountain.
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A Smoky Evening in the Entiat Mountains
We walked through the larch forest before arriving at Fifth of July Pass. The south ridge was straightforward as we avoided tree debris en route. A quick traverse from the long, broken ridgetop soon led us to the high point.
It was late in the day, so we didn’t stay on top too long before leaving. Cow Creek Meadows below the east looked inviting. I also enjoyed the ghostly sight of Fortress Mountain and Chiwawa Mountain, cast under a thick layer of wildfire smoke.
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Climbing Rampart Ridge with a Headlamp
We were early for the larches, but the basins would soon become vibrant. The sun was setting when we slowly gained 500′ in the last light back to the col. Then I put on my headlamp, and we ran the ridge toward the high point.
In the dark, we bypassed the crest as the summit loomed in the near north. A short but windy traverse soon brought us to the sandy area before reaching the top. Despite being unable to see things around us, it looked like a great camp spot.
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Leaving Fifth of July Mountain et al. for Basalt Pass
We only spared a minute before returning to the south saddle, looking for the trail. Parts of it had vanished, but we walked in the general direction until it was visible again. Meanwhile, we both were very thirsty; the water had run out a while ago.
Before long, it was all downhill past Garland Peak Trail. Eventually, we reached Basalt Pass and couldn’t have run fast enough down to the stream! After chugging water over a long break, we walked the last mile to the car.
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