I had ambitions to attempt Mount Fernow in 2021 and again in 2023. However, due to its location far from all the other peaks in this area, it eluded me both times. After finishing all the other peaks that are accessed using the Phelps Creek Trail, it was time to tackle Mount Fernow.

To make the push in a single day, I set off from the trailhead at around 7 a.m. with a small pack that included as little as I could for what I expected to be a 16-18 car-to-car push for a summit attempt.

Since my climb would be on Sunday, I thought the parking area would be loaded with cars when I arrived late Saturday night. But I was surprised to see only a few lining the parking area.

The first stretch of Phelps Creek to the Leroy Basin Cutoff went by fast with my light pack and trail runners, and within about an hour and a half, I was walking uphill to Leroy Basin.

Despite the ominous sign warning that the trail to this area is unmaintained, I am surprised by how well-defined it is every time I take it. There are many great peaks to climb here, so I am sure the foot traffic keeps the bushes at bay. But still, for a climber's trail in the Cascades, it is far more luxurious than one could expect. It is a steep 1.6 miles to reach the basin.

However, once you arrive, there is plenty of camping as a staging spot to climb 7 Finger Jack and Mount Fernow. It will also allow access to the Ice Lakes area, where there is more camping, as well as access to both Mount Maude and South Spectacle Butte.

From Leroy Basin, there are two options for accessing the climbing route on Mount Fernow.

The first option is to head Northwest across the basin to a long waterfall cascading down the hill's side. Trails ascending the left side of the falls will take you to a small notch on the ridge of 7 Finger Jack, where the climb of Fernow Begins.

The second option is to continue to follow the trail uphill and to the east, where it will cross several creeks and meet the climbing trail for seven fingers. The trail is faint but noticeable just after the second creek crossing. It is easy to miss, so keep an eye out. If you choose to take this route, work your way up to 7000 - 7200 feet and then traverse west across the face of the peak to the same notch mentioned above.

The notch you are aiming for is at approximately 48.15134, -120.82342.

I lucked out on this trip. I was about 200 feet below the notch, where the basin was heavily covered in snow. The snow allowed me to traverse the side of the hill and down, saving a fair amount of work going to the lake and then over. However, if you look at the map I have provided here, you will probably notice I descended to the lake anyway so I could find some water. The rock around the small lake is worse than the stuff on the face of 7 finger, so if you can avoid it, I highly recommend you do.

Either way, you will need to head for the next waterfall, which is Northwest of the little notch where the descent into the basin began. From here, the route up to Fernow was cairned and easy to follow even though it was early season.

The climb up Mount Fernow to the base of the summit block ranged in difficulty from some easy class 2 to a few moves of class 3 along the route I puzzled out. Once I reached about 8800 feet, there were a lot of different possibilities for how to ascend, and all seemed to range in difficulty from low 3rd to low 5th class. The route I used would have graded out around a class 4 for most people.

The climb up Mount Fernow to the base of the summit block ranged in difficulty from some easy class 2 to a few moves of class 3 along the route I puzzled out. Once I reached about 8800 feet, there were a lot of different possibilities for how to ascend, and all seemed to range in difficulty from low 3rd to low 5th class. The route I used would have graded out around a class 4 for most people.

Working my way around the north side of the summit block, I was surprised to see how committing the small traverse that leads to the final scramble up Mount Fernow is. The small shelf is a mass of loose gravel and scree. Combined with the exposure off Mount Fernow's north side, it felt uncomfortable, at least. Following the first shelf, there was a second shelf to navigate, where the final summit scramble began.

At this point, there were no more cairns, so it fell to me to figure out what route I wanted to use. There were moves along the path I picked that were class 5, but most of this short 100 - 200 feet was at least class 4 with substantial exposure in spots. Despite considering myself a confident scrambler, I found myself a little unsettled at times. "Don't look down; you're almost there," seemed to be the mantra going through my head.

The summit views on Mount Fernow were spectacular. Glacier peak off in the distance, along with eight other Bulger peaks, lined the valley. The only disappointing thing was the massive pioneer fire burning off to the north. The cloud emanating from the fire looked like a small nuclear weapon was detonated on the edge of Lake Chelan. After a 1 hour lunch on the summit of Mount Fernow, I began the long journey back to the car.

The only place on the return trip that felt truly awful was returning to the notch to descend into Leroy Basin. After the long climb of Mount Fernow, this final ~1000 feet of elevation gain was a bit painful.

After successfully returning to the basin and starting the final walk back to the car, I reflected on Mount Fernow's climb. I noticed I felt overjoyed to the point where I was laughing loudly, and despite my long day, I was jogging several times due to a second infusion of energy. I had only seen one other person all day low down in Leroy Basin and, other than that, had the entire mountain to myself. For someone who loves these solo climbs as much as I do, there really could not have been a better way to finish off the Phelps Basin group of the Bulgers.

The only downside to the day was that despite wearing sunscreen, the back of my legs burned so badly from being on snow and wearing shorts that while trying to get some sleep, it felt like someone was stabbing me repeatedly in the legs with hot needles. Nothing some aloe vera and a week or so can't cure, though.