
From the Anthem East Trailhead.

A long trail through mostly flat desert leads to The Fortress. Rattlesnake Mountain is visible on the left, The Fortress is the hump in the center.

Approaching the base of Rattlesnake Mountain.

We left the trail just past the base of Rattlesnake Mountain and headed into the wash on the right.

Within the wash, view back toward Rattlesnake Mountain.

Ascending the wash to the base of The Fortress, visible center.

A split in the wash. Left leads up a Class 3 route (more fun, less dumb terrain), right leads up a Class 2 boulder-filled slope. We ascended to the left and came back later on the right.

Approaching a narrow conglomerate section.

View back into the wash as we ascend to the Class 3 stuff.

Class 3 up a narrow conglomerate section.

More fun Class 3 as we exit the conglomerate narrow section.

Steep slope to a small saddle on the west side of The Fortress.

At the small saddle, view toward the crux of The Fortress. Austin is seen starting up a Class 2 ramp before the crux. This is where either route option mentioned before would lead.

Class 3 move. Saddle we were just at visible up top.

Above the crux, a view toward Black Mountain. A couple of zig-zags lead up on Class 2 terrain.

A slope brings us to the north side of The Fortress.

Summit area of The Fortress.

The Fortress summit, view toward King/Queen/Jack and Railroad Peaks.

The Fortress summit, view toward Black Mountain to the south.

Class 2 rocky slope descent option, if you'd rather not descend the Class 3 conglomerate chute from earlier.

At the base of Rattlesnake Mountain. I took the diagonal eroded road visible in the center of this photo for my ascent, then headed up the slope to the ridge. I descended the ridgeline on the left on my way down after getting the summit.

Along the ridgeline to the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain.

Rattlesnake Mountain, view toward The Fortress.

Rattlesnake Mountain, view down the west ridgeline that I'd hike to get back to the trail system.

Almost at the bottom of the west ridge where I rejoined the trail.
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