The Sour Creek Expedition. An 8 day trip into Yellowstone's Wapiti Lake/Broad Creek Area

[Joey]

This is a video from a backpacking trip I did the first week of September in Yellowstone National Park. The poster @scatman wrote a trip report for it here: http://backcountrypost.com/threads/wapiti-lake-sour-creek-ynp-august-30-2014.3628/ . We explore the Hot Springs Basin Group area, Wapiti Lake, White and Tern Lakes, and bush whack down Sour Creek, which is not a trailed route.

 

[Eugene]

Unbelievable shots! Your arm must have been tired after hold the camera as much as you did. Thanks for the GREAT video.

 

[Chuck the Mauler]

I really enjoy the hard work and effort on these video's, Utah. They seem to get better with each one you do. I like the intro at 1:40 mark and your attempt to jump....Pathetic. And again at the 11:50 mark, it's as if you set him up to fail. Nice capture. I liked the Fern Lake area. Seemed like nice open meadows with decent views and the off-trail along Sour Creek. I know the feeling you had toward the end about "not worried about keeping you boots dry". Usually means the end is near.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

I'm gonna get my popcorn ready, pop open an Allagash, and chromecast this to the big screen tonight! Thanks Joey!

 

[Joey]

Unbelievable shots! Your arm must have been tired after hold the camera as much as you did. Thanks for the GREAT video.

Thanks for watching! The camera is pretty light actually, so its not hard at all to hold up.

I really enjoy the hard work and effort on these video's, Utah. They seem to get better with each one you do. I like the intro at 1:40 mark and your attempt to jump....Pathetic. And again at the 11:50 mark, it's as if you set him up to fail. Nice capture. I liked the Fern Lake area. Seemed like nice open meadows with decent views and the off-trail along Sour Creek. I know the feeling you had toward the end about "not worried about keeping you boots dry". Usually means the end is near.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks! Yeah, they are definitely getting better. Sour Creek was similar to Leigh Canyon. So you know how that goes.

I'm gonna get my popcorn ready, pop open an Allagash, and chromecast this to the big screen tonight! Thanks Joey!

Hopefully you like it and don't find it boring. It is a rather long video.

 

[scatman]

Great video @Joey. Thanks for the time and effort that went into making it. I'm surprised my chronic cough didn't ruin it. It's not easy to always get my good side (that would be my good looking side) when you're filming but somehow you pulled it off.

I get tired and sore just watching the hike down Sour Creek! I never did ask your opinion on the Life Straw. Did you think it was worthwhile?

 

[Joey]

I never did ask your opinion on the Life Straw. Did you think it was worthwhile?

It works. Is it practical in the backcountry? Not really. But it works. I think its a great idea to keep in your car for an emergency. I'm glad that Ryan had it, although it really wouldn't have bothered me to just drink out of the creek. But there are better options out there.

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

Just watched it from beginning to end and really enjoyed it. Great job taking us along and telling the story of the trip. Glad you got better weather after the first few days. I thought it was going to be a wet slog at first. The campsites on the peninsula of wapiti lake and the open meadow site on day 5 were really sweet spots. Day 7 bushwhacking along sour creek looked like a real tough day. Good thing you guys had that back up filter. Thanks for making this. Wasn't bored at all, I found it really relaxing to watch.

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

Is the life straw like the sawyer mini? That's what I use and it's done well for me. Also, I couldn't tell, what was that stuff on the surface of wrangler lake? We're they rocks sticking out? stumps? Looked interesting.

 

[scatman]

If you use the straw attachment for the sawyer mini then it would be similar.

 

[Joey]

Is the life straw like the sawyer mini? That's what I use and it's done well for me. Also, I couldn't tell, what was that stuff on the surface of wrangler lake? We're they rocks sticking out? stumps? Looked interesting.

Yes, with out the bag. I've used the mini sawyers with the bag with @kcwins I believe, and they are great. Because you have the bag to push the water through. With out the bag, your basically using your own sucking power to get the water, and its more work.

Those were lily pads on Wrangler Lake. Pretty common for lakes found within the Yellowstone Caldera. I often tell people central Yellowstone reminds me a lot of swampy Florida.

 

[Vegan.Hiker]

Ahh I see. I couldn't tell what they were. Got it on the life straw. Besides the bladder and straw attachment, the sawyer mini screws onto a standard reusable water bottle which I like. They also have an adaptor so you can just attach it in-line to your camelback but I don't have it. I would think that for the length of time you guys were out and since there were 4 of you, a bigger gravity system like the one you had that broke is the best way to go.

 

[Keith]

Burr!

Glad you survived the "sour creek death march". It makes the marsh near Beula look like a picnic!

I really need to spend a couple days exploring hot springs basin.

Thanks for sharing the video!

 

[scatman]

Burr!

Glad you survived the "sour creek death march". It makes the marsh near Beula look like a picnic!

I really need to spend a couple days exploring hot springs basin.

Thanks for sharing the video!

The thing about the trek down Sour Creek was that the marshy areas didn't show on the 7.5' maps, so it was all quite unexpected.

 

[Joey]

I really need to spend a couple days exploring hot springs basin.

We are starting to plan out a trip for 2016 that may take us back there. We are going to come down Specimen Ridge, and cross the Mirror Plateau. From there, where not really sure what to do next. But one idea I have is to go back to Hot Springs Basin, and also back to Joseph's Coat and the Coffee Mud Pots.

If not on that trip, then I will most likely plan another trip similar to this Sour Creek one, where I visit all of those thermal areas, and also the springs by Dew Drop Lake. Late August or September would be the best time.

Hopefully you can come on those. I really wanted to get back out there this year, but it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to.

 

[Keith]

Both those trips are certainly of interest to me! I certainly want to cross the Mirror Plateau and that seams like something I would need a @Joey or @scatman to guide me through . Without the winter trip, I'll have more time to spend in the summer so it's not all bad. My only August/September constraint at this point is taking my daughter on "one last trip" to Yellowstone starting Labor Day weekend before she heads off to college. She doesn't want to do the backcountry this year -- once was enough for her.

 

[Joey]

Both those trips are certainly of interest to me! I certainly want to cross the Mirror Plateau and that seams like something I would need a @Joey or @scatman to guide me through . Without the winter trip, I'll have more time to spend in the summer so it's not all bad. My only August/September constraint at this point is taking my daughter on "one last trip" to Yellowstone starting Labor Day weekend before she heads off to college. She doesn't want to do the backcountry this year -- once was enough for her.

As of now, our mirror plateau trip looks like an 8 night/9 day trip for late July, 2016. First night would be an undesignated site along Specimen Ridge, 2nd night at Opal Creek on the Mirror Plateau, 3rd and 4th nights at the Pelican Creek headwaters (with a day spent going to Pelican Cone lookout Tower), 5th night along Myst Creek, 6th night near Frost Lake outside the park boundary, 7th night near Lamar Mountain, and 8th night near the junction of Miller Creek and the Lamar.

 

[Keith]

Sounds very interesting. The view from Pelican Cone should impressive.