panatomicx
Trail Wise!
Less noise and more green
Posts: 496 
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Post by panatomicx on Dec 19, 2015 14:29:02 GMT -8
Too early to start planning? The mention of Sierra Creek in the previous post got me thinking. Two years ago we were planning to go there. We came up past Becker, Albino, and Jasper lakes, but got stuck in some bad weather at Cloverleaf Lake and ran out of time. So now I was thinking to start at Island Lake again, but head a bit Northeast on the Beartooth Highlakes Trail to Green Lake and access the drainage that way. Bit of elevation gain the first two days, but that's usually the case.
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Post by bstark on Dec 21, 2015 12:31:34 GMT -8
In 2008 we did a trip in the Beartooths starting and ending at Beartooth Lake. Our route back toward the trailhead included the trail from Green Lake back down to Beartooth Lake. Not a bad trail, and it will sure get you to the Sierra Creek area. I do recall we missed a turnoff somewhere and started down the wrong side of Clay Butte. We cut off-trail up around the butte and found a bit of it to be miserable hiking. All soft, wet, springy clay. It was truly 2 steps forward, 1 backward for a couple hundred yards. We hiked from Spogen Lake to the trailhead in one day.
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Post by cweston on Dec 21, 2015 18:59:35 GMT -8
In 2008 we did a trip in the Beartooths starting and ending at Beartooth Lake. Our route back toward the trailhead included the trail from Green Lake back down to Beartooth Lake. Not a bad trail, and it will sure get you to the Sierra Creek area. I do recall we missed a turnoff somewhere and started down the wrong side of Clay Butte. We cut off-trail up around the butte and found a bit of it to be miserable hiking. All soft, wet, springy clay. It was truly 2 steps forward, 1 backward for a couple hundred yards. We hiked from Spogen Lake to the trailhead in one day. Yeah, there are a ton of social trails in that area, many of them look just as well-travelled as the official trails. It can be pretty confusing. We had a similar thing happen not far from the Beartooth Lake trailhead and basically wasted a whole morning following unofficial trails. I would advise keeping a very close eye on the map/compass (or, for weenies, the GPS) when following trails in that area. The hike up Sierra Creek from Green Lake is absolutely, jaw-droppingly gorgeous. It's not the most direct route to the Crystal/Alp/Flatrock lakes area, but it is so spectacular that I consider it a must to use that approach either coming or going. The more direct route to that area would be via Becker, Albino, Jasper, etc (which is also gorgeous). |
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Post by cweston on Dec 21, 2015 19:06:13 GMT -8
Also, it's NW, not NE, from Island Lake to Green Lake. Just a typo, I assume, but just making sure.
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panatomicx
Trail Wise!
Less noise and more green
Posts: 496
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Post by panatomicx on Dec 22, 2015 19:14:19 GMT -8
Yes, of course, Northwest!
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Post by cweston on Dec 22, 2015 20:13:35 GMT -8
You can make a great loop from the Beartooth or Island Lake trailhead. Go up Sierra Creek via Green Lake then back via Jasper, Albino, etc. We did that in August 2011 (the huge snow year--there was still a LOT of snow in the high country.) We base-camped 3 days at Alp Lake. Great trip.
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