Fisher Peak - Hike Description

June 29th, 2006

Elevation: 7,580 ft (gains 3,165 ft)
Difficulty: Moderately difficult
Hiking time: 5-6 hours (I hiked it in 5h 15m in late July)

The hike to Fisher Peak begins on Forest Road 634, which runs west up Trout Creek toward Pyramid Peak. Five miles after turning onto the Trout Creek road you'll see Trail 27 to the right with a long pull-out for parking.

The first 0.7 mile cuts steeply up from the Trout Creek road onto the north face of the gorge. When I began climbing at five a.m. my legs were immediately soaked by the heavy dew and residual rainfall from the night before. The trail is narrow and covered in places by small brush and beargrass that makes it impossible to stay dry. I finally gave up the fight and soon began hearing the familiar "wrank-squeek" as my socks and shoes filled with water. The stream crossing at 0.7 mile was easy in the low July runoff levels.

The trail zigzags up into dense forest and beargrass as you continue up the south-facing ridge. At mile 2 you suddenly emerge into the light of an old clearcut where most of the trees are still tiny, and brush, grass and granite boulders predominate. I sighted a huge buck staring back at me across the steep clearing. If you can keep the trail (which at times is difficult to track-look for stacks of rock to steer you right) you'll pick up the trail again on the northwest corner of the clearcut and begin the hike up to Farnham Ridge. This area is again densely forested with no hint yet of the views to come.

As you approach Farnham Ridge you'll begin to get glimpses of the Kootenai River valley below, although the jutting peaks along West Side Road obscure most of the view at this point. After some switchbacks to surmount the ridge you'll finally see your goal, Fisher Peak. Picking your way across the rock-strewn saddle between Farnham Ridge and Fisher Peak is probably the most challenging part of the trail simply because it is hard at times to know where the trail is. At moments I wondered if I had completely lost it, only to come upon a rock cairn where previous hikers had marked the path.

After a rocky descent onto the saddle you'll cross the ridge and discover the view of Parker Creek drainage to the north. This is one of the most stunning views on the hike, with mountain vistas stretching endlessly and several beautiful peaks outlining the steep slopes of the gorge. Continue on a short ways until you see the remains of the old lookout. You've arrived at Fisher Peak, elevation 7,580. Your reward is a lovely view of the Kootenai stretching toward Canada, where you can pick out the tiny town of Porthill along the border and a valley running northeast that leads to Eastport. Farms dot the landscape below, while mountains stretch off into the wilds of Montana to the east.