Fish Eagle Peak ("Solomon Peak")

Fish Eagle Peak ("Solomon Peak")

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 47.51743°N / 120.99569°W
Additional Information County: Kittitas
Activities Activities: Scrambling
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Additional Information Elevation: 7095 ft / 2163 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Peak Overview

Scrambling the RidgeClimbing Ridge of Fish Eagle
Fish Eagle Peak (also known as Solomon Peak) is the unofficial name for point 7095 at the head of Scatter Creek in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It commands a central position between the Stuart Range to the south, and the Mt. Daniel area to the northwest. Technically easy (mostly Class 2), the main challenge in climbing this peak will consist of the many different stream crossings, some of which can be very challenging depending upon conditions. The Scatter Creek trail, which gives access to the peak, is also a very steep and rocky trail which shows almost no maintenance. For a nice scramble in a beautiful area that doesn't see much traffic, Fish Eagle is a good option.

Getting There

Marshy MeadowsMeadows
Fish Eagle RouteTOPO! Software Image
OOOPS! Taking a SwimCreek Crossing #2
Fish Eagle PeakSummit Ridge
Drive Interstate 90 eighty miles east from Seattle. Get off at the Salmon La Sac exit #80 and head north through Roslyn and Ronald. Continue past Salmon La Sac and continue 9 miles until just before the Scatter Creek Crossing. Find Scatter Creek Trail #1328.

Hike up a steep, rocky trail with no switchbacks for about 1.5 miles, and look for a junction. There are many windfalls on this trail, as the Forest Service (we were told by them) is trying to having this area revert to wilderness. Head left at the junction. You will soon come to two large stream crossings. The first is challenging, the second even harder. After the second stream crossing, the trail enters boggy meadows and peters out. Head upstream parallel to the creek in muddy marsh, and eventually, you will find the trail again. Follow this trail to the headwaters of Scatter Creek. Great campsite here. Directly above the headwaters is Scatter Creek Pass. Gain the pass (about 5800 feet), and gain the final 1300 feet by following the ridge north to the summit. Class 2. Elevation Gain: 3800 feet. Round trip: 11 miles.

Red Tape

Mt. DanielDaniel from Fish Eagle
Stuart RangeStuart and Ingalls Peaks
This is a non-protected area, and so officially, there is no red tape. However, there are some over-zealous rangers lurking about. My partner and I put up some red tape to mark the way through the marshy bogs. Judging from the condition of the trail, with no apparent maintenance in years, we thought there would be no problem. The next day, my partner gets a call from the Forest Service. Apparently, an irate ranger saw the tape, and on the off-chance that the person who had marked it had climbed the peak, he climbed the peak, hoping to find the guilty party in the summit register. He then wrote down our names, looked up my friend's number in the phone book, and called, admonishing him not to use red tape. Now that's determination.

For those who wish to contact the Forest Service, use the following contact information:

US Forest Service
Cle Elum Ranger District
West 2nd Street
Cle Elum, WA 98922
(509) 674-4411

Camping

Numerous campsites along Scatter Creek trail. A beautiful camp exists at the headwaters of Scatter Creek below the pass. Very idyllic.