Beartooth Mountains, Lake Plateau

John Goering

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2014
Messages
484
We did this trip July 26 through August 1st. It began by a rendezvous at the Bozeman, MT I90 rest area 8:00 am on the 26th. We caravan-ed the remaining portion, hitting Swingly Road out of Livingston, down the West Boulder River to MT 298 just south of McLeod, and then MT 298 and FS 6639 to the Hicks Park Trailhead (Upsidedown Creek) where all the gear, 6 adults and 3 canines were loaded in the JK for the 9 mile Jeep trail (FS 6639 & 121) to the kickoff near the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness boundary just east of Independence Peak on FS Trail 121 (Independence Trail). We entered the Wilderness on FS Trail 121 (old sign still showed 104) and continued to the junction of 121, 104, and 27 at the East Fork of the Boulder River. We camped a short distance up Trail 104 as it was about 6:30 pm by that time.

Elephanthead Mountain at the upper end of Mission Creek, about 2.5 miles within the northern end of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, from Swingley Road (Boulder Road on USGS maps). The view despoiled by what is becoming the new Montana.
19701132124_f17a080acc_b.jpg


At the junction of Swingley Road and MT 298. This was an all Jeep trip, but a pretty diverse collection.

20135737548_0b5eae901a_b.jpg



FS Road 6639 a few miles above the forest boundary.

20297498586_11d8cbec1c_b.jpg



The JK at the kickoff point, trailhead for FS 121 near the wilderness boundary.
19702740593_de5c95d635_b.jpg


This trip was a decidedly geriatric geezer adventure with the mean and median age both being 65 something, ages ranging from 61 to 70.

20846687075_848d2902d1_b.jpg


Haystack Peak, from about a mile in on 121.

19701006194_cfd58e07bb_b.jpg


Heading into the East Fork Boulder River Drainage from the trailhead.

20659951959_a2fed12d56_b.jpg


Wet meadows and several small lakes dropping into the East Fork of the Boulder River. Not to be confusing, but there is a West Boulder River, a Boulder River, an East Boulder River, and the East Fork of the Boulder River. All are separate entities.

20323709115_1c8b2fddf8_b.jpg



What to do? Deciding where we wanted to camp the first evening.

20323625955_02752f7764_b.jpg



East Fork of the Boulder River near camp.

19700937954_c9c63c856c_b.jpg



The next morning arrived cool and clear and we continued about a mile or so on Trail 104 before off-trailing up the upper end of Slough Creek (about 12 miles north of where it enters Yellowstone NP).

Part of Sheepherder Mountain and what is surely moose heaven, morning of day 2.

20135529490_97b8e2000c_b.jpg


We bushwhacked about 3 miles through burn, heavy timber and then more open timber to the head of Slough Creek and then out on the plateau just short of the west approach to Columbine Pass. It was here that the storm predicted for the day finally caught up to us, starting with rain that quickly turned to snow along with 30 mph wind. It was also here that a member of or 6 person group ran into some problems with medications and had to stop for a breather every 100 yards-not a good situation. It was close to 7:00 pm when we finally made Favonius Lake at the east foot of the pass. We managed to get the tent pitched without getting it too wet, I filtered a couple liters of water at hit the down bag with very cold fingers. We had two very cold canines at that point and we put every last piece of extra clothing over them and it took about an hour before the older one (12 years old) quite shivering. That was good because the last option was wet dog in the down bag.

Part of FS Trail 104 traverses an old burn (probably the 2006 or 2007 fires-definitely more recent than the 88 Yellowstone fires). The flora was in full bloom.

20315113602_47c238c28a_b.jpg



The first part of the bushwhacking after leaving FS 104 was more of the same burn (tough going), or spruce/subalpine fir (even tougher going), but here and there were a few openings to look at the view across upper Slough Creek.

20135485450_e3fd6a2ed9_b.jpg



Eventually, the bushwhacking lead to more open whitebark pine terrain, and near the upper end, some wet meadows.

20315077242_575ca83d8c_b.jpg



We arrived on the divide above Columbine Lake at the same time as the predicted storm. Columbine Lake.

20329530861_bae98cff70_b.jpg



Columbine Pass.

19700843754_68ec1e81f8_b.jpg



Why would anyone change a trail number just because you have a pass?

20135438670_cab21830d4_b.jpg



Favonius and Pentad Lakes in the sleet.

20329504391_791f459587_b.jpg


We were greeted the morning of day 3 with 3 to 4 inches of heavy wet snow and decided to chill out (forgive the pun) for the day as we had two days built into the trip for day hikes. It didn't warm up very quickly but by mid afternoon most of the snow was melted and my wife and I did a short hike to the east of camp.

Morning of day 3 at Favonius Lake.

20138164409_6daa8fac90_b.jpg


20298570076_88be14b817_b.jpg


Twin Peaks, afternoon day 3.

20298527526_4419575ae7_b.jpg



Favonius Lake, afternoon of day 3.

20136734770_084a1d7f83_b.jpg



Day four started clear and cool, with no bugs anywhere. This was an entirely on-trail hike following FS Trails 97, 90 (over Jordan Pass), and finally a short reach of 91 to a camp on the north end of Wounded Man Lake-something close to 7 miles.


Outlet of Favonius, morning of day 4.

20324757245_d3b50e4aae_b.jpg



Pentad Lake.

20324746105_8c3dcc0f89_b.jpg



South side of Jordan Pass.

20324695455_5dfbb037ca_b.jpg



Looking northeast into Wounded Man Creek from near Jordan Pass.

20316256202_351198dc50_b.jpg



Heading down the switchbacks on the north side of Jordan Pass. Most of this reach is in the timber, but you are treated to a few views in the talus.

20330704551_80bb7e39c2_b.jpg



Wounded Man Creek at the bottom of the pass.

20136558920_1072de07a6_b.jpg



Wounded Man Creek immediately below Wounded Man Lake.

20324591375_18f60d4043_b.jpg



We found a nice camping area on the north side of the Lake. Wounded Man Lake evening day 4.

20316125172_e5b10b6e98_b.jpg



By the morning of day 5, it was warming up with a corresponding dose of the Beartooth's famous skeeters.

Wounded Man Lake and Jordan Mountain, morning day 5.

19703562193_cfd3aba622_b.jpg


The goal for the day was a day hike 4 to 5 miles down the top of Flood Creek to Cimmerian Lake, the fifth lake in that chain. Unfortunately we got a late start and decided to bag it at Lake Surrender (appropriate????) as we didn't want to be using flashlights to get back to camp. It was a real pleasant hike anyway.

Lake Pinchot.

19703504473_fe5a816243_b.jpg



Pinchot outlet.

20330512961_5cc4cc6090_b.jpg



Dreary Lake-actually very pleasant.

20298224466_160bcb7feb_b.jpg



And a couple shots of Ravin Lake.

20324432435_6a6fc7633e_b.jpg



20315975222_4c791f86be_b.jpg



Day six was a move from Wounded Man Lake via FS Trails 26, 28, and 44 to Horseshoe Lake, about 7 miles, saving day seven for the approximately 6 mile exit on FS 26 out Upsidedown Creek to the Hicks Park Trailhead.

Looking south east from FS Trail 44 above Wounded Man Lake.

20111279750_137b4f5aa7_b.jpg



Owl Lake.

20299293495_00a840244e_b.jpg



Upper-most of the Rainbow Lakes.

19676630884_6c4c33cfae_b.jpg



Dropping into the largest of the Rainbow Lakes.

20290787012_564522673b_b.jpg



20299189515_308ffee84f_b.jpg



The lowest of the Rainbow Lakes.

20272814716_871e900410_b.jpg



It was below lower Rainbow Lake that we turned to FS Trail 26, headed to the Hicks Park Trailhead.

19678070703_75aab451f2_b.jpg



Un-named lake above Horseshoe Lake.

20272718026_2e67a6ccff_b.jpg



From near camp at Horseshoe Lake looking SW into the upper Boulder River area.

20290496512_4ed4ac0907_b.jpg



Horseshoe Lake, morning of day 7.

19676099504_9e6b141fe1_b.jpg



FS Trail 26 doesn't offer too many great views but occasionally when in the open talus there are some.

Looking into the upper Boulder River.

20297587605_a4d297c110_b.jpg



19674929204_4c0126d179_b.jpg



20289171022_2128261d83_b.jpg



We reached the Hicks Park Trailhead about 1:30 pm on day 7. Fortunately, we were coming down Upsidedown Creek rather than up (FS Trail 26) which we have done several times in the past. There is an oversupply of switchbacks on that trail but some nice views.

Cutsie FS trailhead sign.

20109472890_3f2311282a_b.jpg


But the adventure wasn't quite over as there was still the 9 miles of Jeep trail to retrieve the JK. And we were going to do it in my friend’s Willys wagon with no skid plates or traction devices. I was fully prepared for another long day hike, but although we needed several different lines in a few places, the Willys did make it. We made it home uneventfully at midnight. A long day.

A few shots of the Willys trip.

19676457673_238a8b0d2f_b.jpg



20297405535_03bb24c612_b.jpg



19676395003_302d51d825_b.jpg



19674636154_ee576e15fa_b.jpg



19676297923_456dc3fac6_b.jpg



Back where we started.

20297258745_08ebe31f3c_b.jpg



Dene and the Jeeps with Haystack Peak in the background.

20270992336_26e698c13a_b.jpg



Heading home.

20297213145_ab892d9f80_b.jpg


And as an epilogue, I somehow managed to remove the last 6 inches of the steel brake line to my right rear wheel of the JK about a half mile from where we had parked it 7 days previously and we went the 100+ miles home on the front brakes. Coming off the 9 miles of Jeep trail, I was extremely thankful it was a stick shift. We have been pretty happy with the Rubicon, but running brake lines on the outside of the frame rails was not someone’s idea of good engineering. I added a couple Adel clamps to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Fortunately, the fix was less than $20 and I didn’t have to remove the master cylinder to bench bleed it.

20362777723_7597261808_b.jpg


Featured image for home page:
slide.jpg
 
Last edited:
Great report as usual John. I like the upside down trail sign and snow in July. Burrrr....
 
Last edited:
That's some beautiful looking country out there John. Loved the report, thanks for posting it.
 
Outstanding! Somewhere along the line I got in my head that the mountains in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness west of Cooke City were all thick forest. Thanks for showing me that's not true...and adding more places to my list!
 
I went to these mountains once when I was a teenager. I believe we went into Froze To Death Lake. Haven't been back since but would like to someday.
 
Outstanding! Somewhere along the line I got in my head that the mountains in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness west of Cooke City were all thick forest. Thanks for showing me that's not true...and adding more places to my list!

Yes, more trees than out on the Beartooth Plateau, but the higher portions of the Lake Plateau are still pretty similar. Thought we would run into more bear sign but didn't see a single track or scat pile. People wise, we didn't see another person until day 4 at Wounded Man Lake. Met another party of 6 at Pinchot as we were returning to camp from the day hike-they had an outfitter bring them in that day and were eating dinner of real food and sitting in regular camp chairs when we passed there. And we met a family of 4 on their way in about 3 miles from the trailhead on day 7. Definitively not over-populated, at least not that week.
 
Man, LOVING that old Jeep. I'd love to get my hands on a vehicle like that, and outfit it with a lifted suspension, bit mudder tires, a skid plate and maybe a snorkel.
 
Man, LOVING that old Jeep. I'd love to get my hands on a vehicle like that, and outfit it with a lifted suspension, bit mudder tires, a skid plate and maybe a snorkel.
Don't know about the latter. I get a smirk on my face every time I see one. If you actually get the rig in deep enough water to need one, it's pretty much toast in every other way anyway. Think Katrina------

There are still a lot of Willys wagons out there and is usually the case, find one that someone else lost their butt fixing it up. If you're serious, join the Old Willys forum.

http://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/forum.php
 
I was only semi-serious, but I do actually prefer older, more mechanical cars and one of these days a restored older Willys sounds like a great buy, if I can find one that's not too badly beat up and worn down. The fact that Jeep is now rolling out software controlled brakes across their line-up isn't comforting to me.

As for the deep water, I was more thinking Hatari! but I admit that I've never taken a rig into those conditions, so I don't really know how much a snorkel helps or not. I'm more thinking of the couple of times my small passenger car, during monsoon style rains, as had the engine flood and stall in deeper water on the road, and I'd love to avoid that at fords.
 
Great report! I've also been wondering how it was up that way!
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
John Goering Return to Goose Lake/Grasshopper Glacier area of the Beartooth Mountains Hiking & Camping 7
westy Beartooth Mountains Backpacking 5
B Beartooth Lakes Info Trip Planning 1
John Goering The ancient past. 1980 Beartooth trip Backpacking 11
Ymyr Suggestions in a Yellowstone and a Beartooth trip Trip Planning 29
Bob Beartooth changes from Spring flooding General Discussion 2
scatman Beartooth Wilderness - Flat Rock Lake Lollipop Loop - July 26, 2021 Backpacking 56
futurafree Beartooth Lakes and Passes Trip Planning 2
Dustynails0 Beartooth lake to East rosebud traverse Trip Planning 6
McKee80 beartooth beginner trip Trip Planning 5
westy Beartooth plateau Backpacking 1
W Absaroka Beartooth near Yellowstone Trip Planning 3
LarryBoy Off the Beaten Path - Five Days in the Beartooth Range Backpacking 11
Joey 7 Day Yellowstone, Slough Creek, Hellroaring, Absaroka Beartooth Loop Backpacking 21
Bryan Harwood Absaroka- Beartooth Wilderness: 6 Trips July-Sep. 2015 Backpacking 12
b.stark A Very Late Beartooth Report Backpacking 14
John Goering Beartooth's Hellroaring Plateau Backpacking 10
John Goering Beartooth's Goose Lake area Hiking & Camping 2
John Goering Beartooth loop Backpacking 27
BobFink Goschute Mountains, NV , Pisgah Peak, Hawk Watch Migration Site Everything Else 2
westy San Juan mountains, Colorado Hiking & Camping 8
M Backpacking 50 miles in the Uinta Mountains for 5 days with ~50 pound pack Backpacking 4
kansas good place to watch sunrise in the La Sal mountains Trip Planning 0
NorthwestWanderer First time in the High Uintas | Red Castle SNEAK Loop | I give these mountains 5 out of 5 stars Backpacking 7
westy Wallowa Mountains, Oregon Trip Planning 3
John Goering Pioneer Mountains, Montana <50" UTV trip Off Road 3
Kerrie at Thru We Go Packraft Trip in the Sierra Nevada Mountains Trip Reports 3
John Goering Boulder Lakes, Tobacco Root Mountains Off Road 0
John Goering Tobacco Root Mountains South Meadow Creek Off Road 1
C Utah Mountains in Late May Trip Planning 12
S Mentasta Mountains, Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve- family backpack Backpacking 1
Noun Sequitur Magdalena Mountains, Mesa Trail Loop Hiking & Camping 3
Mountain Wanderer Four Lakes Basin in the Southern Cabinet Mountains - Montana Backpacking 12
Artemus Wind River Mountains Conditions 2021 Trip Planning 17
J Death Valley NP Black Mountains and beyond Hiking Dec 19-20, 2020 Hiking & Camping 1
scatman Grassy Benchmark - Grassy Mountains - April 24, 2021 Hiking & Camping 18
scatman Peak 6551 - Lakeside Mountains - April 17, 2021 Hiking & Camping 7
norwegianxplorer In the shadow of the Henry Mountains, Utah Backpacking 2
Mountain Wanderer Cedar Lakes Loop in Montana's Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Backpacking 4
Janice Porcupine Mountains in Michigan's Upper Peninsula - August 2-7 Backpacking 15
balzaccom Ruby Mountains, Nevada Hiking & Camping 2
fossana 2fer in the Tushars (Tushar Mountains, UT) Hiking & Camping 4
TeamJenkins17 Bighorn Mountains Trip Planning 2
T Grizzly bears in Wind River Mountains Noobs: Introduce yourself! 12
fossana Bat Mountain traverse (Funeral Mountains) Hiking & Camping 5
westy Meadow Valley Mountains Backpacking 7
westy Meadow Valley Mountains Hiking & Camping 2
scatman Tabby's Peak, Cedar Mountains - November 19, 2019 Hiking & Camping 10
westy Delamar Mountains. Again. Hiking & Camping 0
westy Delamar Mountains Hiking & Camping 4

Similar threads

Back
Top