We had a last minute change in destination when we discovered that our expected backpacking trip was closed by the crescent mountain fire.
The main trail on our spontaneous Plan B trip from Slate pass to Ferguson Lake was in excellent condition, supported by the work of a WTA work party we passed on the way in. The trail up to Ferguson Lake was also in good shape.
After finishing most of the climb up, we crossed a stream and found an inconspicuous sign pointing to Ferguson lake, 1 mile. This was the marker for the unmaintained trail we used for a day hike on day 3 of our trip.
The next day we woke to low hanging clouds and decided to wait a day for better weather. The clouds lifted at noon, so we took a short hike up the ridge next to Ferguson Lake that can be a direct route up Wildcat Mountain.
On day 3 we headed up the unmaintained trail to the pass south of Wildcat Mountain, clearly a well built trail in a former life. We kept our eye out for cairns and were able pass through trees and a sizable boulder field in good time. At the pass we turned right intending to reach the 7,619 foot high point of the ridge, but rain drops and building clouds made us turn back. A great view of Robinson Mountain was diminished by haze from the crescent mountain fire.
We had a pretty good outing, but I might check on forest fire updates the day before our next overnight trip.
Mosquitoes were a nuisance at times but already diminished from the July peak season. Black flies were out to get my wife, but mostly ignored me.
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