WillhiteWeb.com

Fifes Peaks (The West Peak)

Access:

Hike the Crow Lake Way Trail 4.0 miles to the saddle at 5,850 feet.

Route:

Elevation: 6,897 feet
Hiking distance: 5.5 miles one-way
Elevation gain: 3,600 feet
Prominence: 481 feet

From the trail highpoint at 5,850 feet, you can easily scramble up the Fifes Ridge South Peak, then traversing the ridgeline or do a rising climb east, crossing several gullies, and then climb north to the ridgeline. Whatever you choose, eventually you will reach the south wall of the west peak. Traverse below its cliffs east looking for a class 3 gully. The gully will get you up near the upper reaches of the peak where it is easy scrambling up to the top.

Millions of years ago, this was the location of the Fifes Peak volcano. The cascades have a 40-million year history of different volcanos. The lifespan of a volcano is only 2 million years. This one had its time, but has long lost its hot spot, has eroded but still retains some of the base and inner core lava. Others speculate that the rock is from lava streams that once flowed from the volcano. This large composite volcano of early Miocene age, had a basal diameter of about 5 miles.

This west peak is the highest of the three Fifes Peaks, although points on Fifes Ridge just to the north is even higher. But it is these Fifes Peaks you see from the highway and therefor this summit is a coveted prize. A mountaineers register with lots of names recorded has been on the summit since 2000.

Link to Crow Lake Way Trail

Name History:

Fifes Peaks were named for the placer miner Thomas Fife (1853–1922). Thomas, his brothers, and their father, John, mined the Blue Bell claims at the head of Union Creek. Tom homesteaded at Goose Prairie, near Bumping Lake. After Tom Fife died, he willed his homestead land to the Boy Scouts where Camp Fife exists today at Goose Prairie.