We backpacked into Fight Lake on Day One, then we did a 16 km return hike to the summit of Battle Mountain and back on Day Two.   Battle Mountain is the fourth mountain in a line from Clearwater – Raft Mountain, Trophy Mountain, Table Mountain, then Battle Mountain.     Battle Mountain stands at 2369 m (7772 feet) and the shortest hike to the top is 17 km one way.

 

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We left our camp at Fight Lake early in the morning.   Battle Mountain stood above Fifty-Two Ridge to the north.

 

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From the meadows we climbed through wet meadows and a series of glades up the ridge.   Mimulus (pink monkey-flower) was flowering in large patches by the streams.

 

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To get to Battle Mountain, we had to first go over Fifty-Two-Ridge.   It was formed as a series of volcanic eruptions under the Ice Age glaciers.   Tuyas are flat-topped and steep-sided volcanoes and are relatively rare world-wide, but a number are found in Wells Gray Park.   We went down into two craters and found some outcrops from lava flows and some pumice.   We tested some of the lightest materials in a water pool and they floated.

 

 

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From Fifty-Two Ridge, we descended into picturesque Bull Valley.   This was once an active area for caribou.  The route to the top of Battle Mountain was up a steep drainage to the notch between the two halves of Battle Mountain.

 

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On my last climb of Battle Mountain (many years ago) I went to the west summit and visited the old forestry lookout shelter on top.   On this recent trip we went to the center summit on top of the rocky ridge instead.

 

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The forest-fire lookout hut stood on top about 1 km west.

 

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The view to the south was across Fifty-Two Ridge to Fight Lake with Table Mountain behind.   The Trophy Mountains filled the skyline beyond.

 

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To the north were the mountains overlooking Azure Lake.   Garnet Peak is on the left and Mount Hugh Neave stands behind, overlooking Hobson Lake.

 

To the east were the Monashee Summit Ranges.

 

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To the north east we could see past Murtle Lake to the Premiers Range, the source of the North Thompson River.   Mt. Wilfred Laurier stood above all other mountains at 3516 m ( 11 535 feet).

 

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We returned by descending Battle Mountain to Bull Valley, then chose a route over Fifty-Two Ridge through the meadows and scattered glades back to our trail.   We were following an established  GPS track, but it must have been for skiing since there was no visible trail to be seen.   We recommend hikers to use the established trail on the west approach to and from the mountain.

 

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Most of the route back to Fight Lake was through open meadows and glades so we had fine views under blue skies.

 

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We returned to our campsite at Fight Lake for a quiet night of camping, then backpacked down the trail to Philip Lake and Philip Creek (9 km) to the trailhead the next morning, a 3 day round trip trek to Battle Mountain.