Summit Post details this trail nicely and includes photographs.
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Adapted from Summitpost.org:
Mt. Fernow is about 150 feet higher than Maude and Seven Fingered Jack. It lies between Seven Fingered and Copper at the converging heads of the Entiat River on the east, Copper Creek on the northeast, and Big Creek on the west. The mountain is distinctly alpine yet due to its position east of the crest has little in the way of glaciers. A few small glaciers occupy the Maude-7FJ-Fernow Cirque. There is another small glacier in the Copper Creek drainage east of the peak and yet another on the north side of the peak, but mostly they’re much reduced from earlier times (and dying a slow global warming death).
The mountain offers technical climbing but it is mostly sought as a scramble peak. It can be climbed in a day from Holden Village (which itself requires a day to get to) or possibly from the Phelps Creek Trailhead, but most of the time the mountain requires an overnighter. Yes, why be in a hurry in this beautiful region? Because it seems to be the trend in mountaineering: go fast and light and get back home in time Sunday evening to tuck the kids in for the night.
Nearest Town: Lake Chelan/Entiat
Uses: Mountaineering/Scrambling
Skill: 2
Fitness: 2
Access: For the Chiwawa River / Phelps Creek / Leroy Creek approach, drive east from Stevens Pass or west from Leavenworth on US Highway 2 and turn north toward Lake Wenatchee [at Coles Corner]. After the Wenatchee River bridge go right at a Y, then drive 1.1 miles on county road 22 and turn left on Chiwawa River forest road number 62. Drive 24 miles to near the end of the road [if you get to Trinity camp, you’ve gone too far] and turn right on the Phelps Creek road. Drive to the end of this road to the trailhead. The trailhead is at 3,500 ft.
Leave It Better than You Found It. This should be every user’s goal. Pick up trash left by others, pull noxious weeds along your route, throw branches over unwanted spur trails, etc.
Disclaimer. Treat this information as recommendations, not gospel. Conditions change and those contributing these reports are volunteers–they may make mistakes or not know all the issues affecting a route. You are responsible for yourself, your actions, and your safety. If you won’t accept that responsibility, you are prohibited from using our information.
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