It's been a long time since I planned a hike outside a protected area, such as a wilderness or National Park. I didn't really plan this trip in the unprotected National Forest, and I don't plan to repeat the mistake again soon.
Photo: Snapping a photo from the ridgetop, across the valley where Highway 410 climbs toward Chinook Pass.
This weekend was dubbed "Plan C," early on. The scheduled snowshoeing trip, with a snow camp at the summit of Chinook Pass, was unappealing in thick fog, gusting wet winds and below-freezing wind chills. So, plan B was to go backpacking along Highway 410 on the east side of the Cascades.
Sure enough, as we drove east on Hwy 410 toward Yakima, we got out of the fog within about five minutes, and had sunshine and blue skies. We took care of some logistics and chose the Fifes Ridge trail as our alternate. At the west end of the trail is Fifes Peak, still snowed-in but supposedly spectacular. Up the trail we went, with the snowshoes stashed in the car and the sun on our backs.
We finally reached the top of the ridge, sweating and dusty. It's only 1100' above the trailhead, but the view across the valley is nice, so we stopped to rest. That was when the first four dirt bikers passed us. A mile further up the trail, another four, then another four. We waved politely and trudged westward, hoping they would all go home as dinnertime approached.
That's when the gunfire started. Someone was target-practicing out of sight in the woods (shooting, like dirt-biking, is perfectly permissible in the National Forest). They were irresponsible enough not to use a backstop, which is a requirement I learned before Kindergarten. One stray bullet richocheted over our heads, and we took cover.
We sat behind a fallen tree, discussing our alternatives. The negligent shooters were firing across the trail, so we couldn't go on as long as they were shooting. We worked hard to gain the ridge, backpacks and all, and didn't want to go back down. The east end of the ridge, where we were pinned down, was clearcut and not an attractive camping area.
So, back down to the car we went. We had a burger at the lodge in Cliffdale, and camped along the Bumping River. Our backpacking weekend had been spoiled, but not lost. Sunday was another day, and time for Plan C.
Getting there: The Fifes Ridge trailheads are located on Highway 410 east of Chinook Pass. The western trailhead is more direct in its approach to Fifes Peak. This report describes the east trailhead, which follows the ridgeline west to the peak.
Note: This is backcountry wilderness travel. Any trail can become very dangerous in winter conditions. You are responsible for informing yourself of the hazards and taking the necessary precautions. Please read Terms of Use.