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- Dec 23, 2013
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I've been heading up to Yellowstone every year since I graduated (yeah right) from college back in 1987. At first, I did the touristy things and a couple of short day hikes. But about three years later, I began to plan and go on backpacking trips every year into the backcountry, usaully doing multiple trips each year. So over the last 30 years, I've seen quite a bit of the park, but there are two locations that I have never hiked or backpacked in before and they are the Slough Creek and Pebble Creek areas, located up in the northeast corner of Yellowstone. So this year I decided to knock out Pebble Creek, with my wife and daughter, for a five day trip that would include staying at two backcountry campsites along Pebble Creek and two day hikes mixed in for fun. Here's our report.
Pre-hike - Madison Campground
Our first day, we drove up from Salt Lake and stayed at a pre-booked campsite at the Madison Campground. Our tent neighbors directly to the south of us weren't very neighborly though, as they arrived late and made loud conversation deep into the night. I was very tempted to let loose some bear spray into their tent the next morning when we got up to head to the trailhead, but somehow I refrained.
Our tent setup at Madison Campground
My two partners in crime for the trip
Where the Gibbon (L) and Firehole (M) Rivers meet to form the Madison (R). I got lucky and took this shot when there were no people around.
After about ten minutes, people from the campground began to show up after finishing their dinner. It's a great spot to sit up on the
bluff above the rivers and just ponder life.
a
This is where I was setting up the shot for the book cover. I placed my little point-and-shoot on my water bottle to take the shot,
but as you can see, I forgot to put the self timer on as the shadows reveal. Oops!
Day 1 - Warm Creek Trailhead to Campsite 3P5
From Madison Campground to the Warm Creek Trailhead is about 85 miles, and with slow traffic conditions, it took us a few hours to reach the trailhead. It's a short hike into 3P5 (about 2.1 miles - yeah, I'm a wussy), but you start off climbing up and over a steep ridge before dropping down into the Pebble Creek Drainage proper. I did my usual trailhead routine: Left hip ready? Check. Left knee ready? Check. Right foot ready? Check. Well then, I must be ready. My pack weighed in at 44 pounds, not including my bear spray and cameras. The ladies waited patiently as I went through my trailhead gyrations, thinking to themselves, "So lets get this show on the road already." Alright, alright I'm ready as I'll ever be.
This might mean there could be bears in the area? Nice pictures anyway.
Bad sun. Bad picture. Bad photographer. Did I say my left hip was okay? Information sign at the trailhead.
Sheila, beginning the climb.
Katie up ahead with Barronette Peak looking on
Some camera issues at this point
Looking to the east towards Unnamed Peak 9595 and Meridian Peak, with Republic Mountain in the distance
The view to the north as you drop down into the Pebble Creek Drainage with Unnamed Peak 9962 above
Approaching the turnoff to our campsite
Found it!
What Pebble Creek looks like at campsite 3P5
The new Half Dome 4 Plus Tent fully loaded. It fits three very nicely. It does way about eight pounds though, and guess who got to
pack it in? Did I say if my left hip was okay?
Some paintbrush by the creek
Dinner Time! I'm starving! Scatman has been known to get Hangry!
Day 2 - Day Hike to Wolverine Peak
Today was Katie's 19th birthday, and to celebrate we are heading up, off-trail to Wolverine Peak, located at the head of the drainage. Sheila decided to sit this one out.
The eating area at 3P5
Harebells
I thought you told me this would be easy? He-he. Heading up the Pebble Creek Drainage
Rounding the bend, and Wolverine Peak comes into view
Katie holds the food of the Gods - Strawberries! We had found the mother load of wild
strawberries. I think I spent more time picking and eating these than I did hiking. Yum.
Looking back at Unnamed Peak 10,270 and Baronette Peak
My balancing skill set could use some work. From (LR) - Sunset Peak, Mineral Mountain and Meridian Peak ahead.
Wolverine Peak dead ahead
Beginning the ascent. We just went straight up the ridge which turned out to be very steep going.
Two steps rest, two steps rest.
Looking up at the summit
YNP Boundary Marker on the ridge
The views are stating to open up at this point
Beginning to get really windy - Looking into the Beartooth Wilderness
Shots from the summit of Wolverine Peak
Shots from the summit of Wolverine Peak
Miller Mountain
Shots from the summit of Wolverine Peak with Index Peak in the distance
Happy Birthday Katie!
Heading back to camp
Day 3 - Campsite 3P5 to Campsite 3P2
Day three was an easy four mile hike down Pebble Creek to campsite 3P2
On our way to 3P2 with Cutoff Mountain ahead.
Hitting the willows now
How do you like the new Crocs? Fording Pebble Creek.
Sheila giving it a go.
The day hike for tomorrow
More water in Pebble Creek at campsite 3P2
We had six deer pass through our campsite for the rest of the day.
Day 4 - Day Hike to Bliss Pass
Our second day hike took us up to Bliss Pass and down a bit on the other side, to get a view of the Slough Creek Drainage to the west. The temperature, after being perfect for the first three days of our trip, really started warming up today.
Breakfast at 3P2
Fording Pebble Creek again
The Bliss Pass Trail
32 switchbacks ahead as we approach the head of the pass.
Grizzly track on the trail. We started seeing lots of bear sign as we neared the pass and beyond.
Pooped at the pass. Do I look Blissful?
Bear scat on the pass
A pond on the pass
Lunch time with a view of Slough Creek and Anderson Ridge to the west
View to the northwest from our lunch spot
Heading back to camp. We are just about to drop off the pass. When I first saw this picture, it looked fake to me - kind of like an
old movie set with the foreground being a painted wall, so it looks like Katie and I are about to walk into the wall. Weird.
The Pebble Creek Drainage below Bliss Pass
This little guy liked me for some reason.
Day 5 - Campsite 3P2 to Warm Creek Trailhead
All we had to do this day was hike the six miles back to the trailhead.
Leaving camp
A moose is on the loose.
A look back up at Bliss Pass.
Same ford, different day.
In case one didn't know the name of the creek.
Heading back up the day 1 ridge. Who put that eight pound tent in my pack?
Fini !
After Hike
Stopped by Moos in Jackson for an Oreo malt, but Moos for some inexplicable reason was closed on Tuesday. So instead, we went to Jackson Drug to get one. Not nearly as good as Moos, but while sitting outside to eat my malt, I took these shots.
Stagecoach time! Hey @Rockskipper, I think I have found a job for Dooley. If you could finish off that straw hat you promised, he could
be the talk of the town and might boost my reputation too. Think of how many of the new book we could sell. This was suppose
to make up for not stopping at the Lamar River Trailhead and getting pictures of real mules.
Do you think they would let the Scatman drive the coach?
The End
Pre-hike - Madison Campground
Our first day, we drove up from Salt Lake and stayed at a pre-booked campsite at the Madison Campground. Our tent neighbors directly to the south of us weren't very neighborly though, as they arrived late and made loud conversation deep into the night. I was very tempted to let loose some bear spray into their tent the next morning when we got up to head to the trailhead, but somehow I refrained.
Our tent setup at Madison Campground
My two partners in crime for the trip
Where the Gibbon (L) and Firehole (M) Rivers meet to form the Madison (R). I got lucky and took this shot when there were no people around.
After about ten minutes, people from the campground began to show up after finishing their dinner. It's a great spot to sit up on the
bluff above the rivers and just ponder life.
a
This is where I was setting up the shot for the book cover. I placed my little point-and-shoot on my water bottle to take the shot,
but as you can see, I forgot to put the self timer on as the shadows reveal. Oops!
Day 1 - Warm Creek Trailhead to Campsite 3P5
From Madison Campground to the Warm Creek Trailhead is about 85 miles, and with slow traffic conditions, it took us a few hours to reach the trailhead. It's a short hike into 3P5 (about 2.1 miles - yeah, I'm a wussy), but you start off climbing up and over a steep ridge before dropping down into the Pebble Creek Drainage proper. I did my usual trailhead routine: Left hip ready? Check. Left knee ready? Check. Right foot ready? Check. Well then, I must be ready. My pack weighed in at 44 pounds, not including my bear spray and cameras. The ladies waited patiently as I went through my trailhead gyrations, thinking to themselves, "So lets get this show on the road already." Alright, alright I'm ready as I'll ever be.
This might mean there could be bears in the area? Nice pictures anyway.
Bad sun. Bad picture. Bad photographer. Did I say my left hip was okay? Information sign at the trailhead.
Sheila, beginning the climb.
Katie up ahead with Barronette Peak looking on
Some camera issues at this point
Looking to the east towards Unnamed Peak 9595 and Meridian Peak, with Republic Mountain in the distance
The view to the north as you drop down into the Pebble Creek Drainage with Unnamed Peak 9962 above
Approaching the turnoff to our campsite
Found it!
What Pebble Creek looks like at campsite 3P5
The new Half Dome 4 Plus Tent fully loaded. It fits three very nicely. It does way about eight pounds though, and guess who got to
pack it in? Did I say if my left hip was okay?
Some paintbrush by the creek
Dinner Time! I'm starving! Scatman has been known to get Hangry!
Day 2 - Day Hike to Wolverine Peak
Today was Katie's 19th birthday, and to celebrate we are heading up, off-trail to Wolverine Peak, located at the head of the drainage. Sheila decided to sit this one out.
The eating area at 3P5
Harebells
I thought you told me this would be easy? He-he. Heading up the Pebble Creek Drainage
Rounding the bend, and Wolverine Peak comes into view
Katie holds the food of the Gods - Strawberries! We had found the mother load of wild
strawberries. I think I spent more time picking and eating these than I did hiking. Yum.
Looking back at Unnamed Peak 10,270 and Baronette Peak
My balancing skill set could use some work. From (LR) - Sunset Peak, Mineral Mountain and Meridian Peak ahead.
Wolverine Peak dead ahead
Beginning the ascent. We just went straight up the ridge which turned out to be very steep going.
Two steps rest, two steps rest.
Looking up at the summit
YNP Boundary Marker on the ridge
The views are stating to open up at this point
Beginning to get really windy - Looking into the Beartooth Wilderness
Shots from the summit of Wolverine Peak
Shots from the summit of Wolverine Peak
Miller Mountain
Shots from the summit of Wolverine Peak with Index Peak in the distance
Happy Birthday Katie!
Heading back to camp
Day 3 - Campsite 3P5 to Campsite 3P2
Day three was an easy four mile hike down Pebble Creek to campsite 3P2
On our way to 3P2 with Cutoff Mountain ahead.
Hitting the willows now
How do you like the new Crocs? Fording Pebble Creek.
Sheila giving it a go.
The day hike for tomorrow
More water in Pebble Creek at campsite 3P2
We had six deer pass through our campsite for the rest of the day.
Day 4 - Day Hike to Bliss Pass
Our second day hike took us up to Bliss Pass and down a bit on the other side, to get a view of the Slough Creek Drainage to the west. The temperature, after being perfect for the first three days of our trip, really started warming up today.
Breakfast at 3P2
Fording Pebble Creek again
The Bliss Pass Trail
32 switchbacks ahead as we approach the head of the pass.
Grizzly track on the trail. We started seeing lots of bear sign as we neared the pass and beyond.
Pooped at the pass. Do I look Blissful?
Bear scat on the pass
A pond on the pass
Lunch time with a view of Slough Creek and Anderson Ridge to the west
View to the northwest from our lunch spot
Heading back to camp. We are just about to drop off the pass. When I first saw this picture, it looked fake to me - kind of like an
old movie set with the foreground being a painted wall, so it looks like Katie and I are about to walk into the wall. Weird.
The Pebble Creek Drainage below Bliss Pass
This little guy liked me for some reason.
Day 5 - Campsite 3P2 to Warm Creek Trailhead
All we had to do this day was hike the six miles back to the trailhead.
Leaving camp
A moose is on the loose.
A look back up at Bliss Pass.
Same ford, different day.
In case one didn't know the name of the creek.
Heading back up the day 1 ridge. Who put that eight pound tent in my pack?
Fini !
After Hike
Stopped by Moos in Jackson for an Oreo malt, but Moos for some inexplicable reason was closed on Tuesday. So instead, we went to Jackson Drug to get one. Not nearly as good as Moos, but while sitting outside to eat my malt, I took these shots.
Stagecoach time! Hey @Rockskipper, I think I have found a job for Dooley. If you could finish off that straw hat you promised, he could
be the talk of the town and might boost my reputation too. Think of how many of the new book we could sell. This was suppose
to make up for not stopping at the Lamar River Trailhead and getting pictures of real mules.
Do you think they would let the Scatman drive the coach?
The End