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- Dec 23, 2013
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I completed a four day backpacking trip with a couple friends to Grebe Lake in Yellowstone National Park in mid-September, where we set up a base camp at campsite 4G4. From camp, we did day hikes to the headwaters of Lava Creek on the 14th and another hike to Observation Peak on the 15th.
The hike into Grebe Lake is an easy one at 4.1 miles. The trail is relatively flat, with a very gradual descent down to the lake. Our campsite, 4G4, was located on the northern shore of the lake, so we had to walk around the eastern shore of Grebe, where there is still a fair bit of marshiness to contend with.
Site 4G4 is a nice campsite, tucked in off the trail by the lake. It certainly had a lot more appeal than site 4G3 which we passed on our way in.
Since we drove up from Salt Lake and hiked in on the same day, we arrived at camp a little after four in the afternoon. After setting up camp and eating dinner, I made my way down to the lake to watch a pair of swans that call Grebe Lake home.
The hike in overview map
Trailhead shot
Seems a bit dated
Typical of the trail to Grebe Lake
A quick break just past the halfway point to the lake
Arriving at Grebe Lake
Making our way around the lake
Signpost for our campsite
Tent sites at 4G4
Swans on the lake
Day 2 - Off-trail day hike to the headwaters of Lava Creek
Now the night before, I had used my collapsible bucket to put out our campfire, and had left the bucket half full, next to a sitting log by the fire pit. When I got up in the morning, much to my chagrin, the bucket was gone. Something had come in to our campsite in the night and hauled away my bucket.
We searched a wide perimeter around camp, but could never find it.
Well, after breakfast, two of us headed put to reach the headwaters of Lava Creek. This hike is 3.5 miles one way, and we would essentially be drainage hopping until we reached the meadows of Lava Creek. The first three quarters of mile were the toughest of our route due to old burn, downfall and seeps along the hillside of the stream that flows into the northwest corner of Grebe Lake. The rest of the drainage hiking was pleasant, with lots of sign of elk along our way to Lava Creek.
Headwaters of Lava Creek overview map
Grebe Lake in the morning
Ready for an adventure
Marshy due to seeps
Definitely wet feet for the first 3/4 of a mile
Hiking up the first drainage
The stream has gone dry at this point
Hiking up the second drainage
Water has appeared again in the stream bed of the second drainage
A small meadow near the head of the second drainage. At this point, we will head into the trees on the
left side of the image, up and over a saddle and drop into the drainage that will lead us to Lava Creek.
Dropping down into the third drainage
Stepping out of the trees into the meadows at the headwaters of Lava Creek - looking south
Headwaters of Lava Creek - looking north
Tiny Lava Creek
A yummy taste of Lava Creek Water.
Some interesting square rock slabs in the stream on our way back to
camp.
My legs are beat up after the bushwhack
Day 3 - Day Hike to Observation Peak
On our third day we set out to hike to the summit of Observation Peak and take in Cascade Lake which was along our way.
Observation Peak day hike overview map
The observation lookout on Observation Peak as seen from our campsite on Grebe Lake
Trail junction sign
Looking back west at Grebe Lake
Typical scenery between Grebe and Cascade Lakes
Made it to Cascade Lake
Cascade Lake with the Washburn Range in the distance.
Time to turn off to the peak
Fall colors taking hold of the Fireweed.
A look down on the headwaters of Tower Creek
Hayden Valley below to the south
Grebe Lake below
The lookout on top of Observation Peak
Mount Holmes to the west. There are a lot of dead Whitebark Pines on Observation Peak
Electric Peak to the northwest. @Artemus
Time for lunch
Heading back down the trail
A look to the east and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
The Washburn Range
Cascade Lake form above
More Fireweed
Day 4 - Back to the trailhead
A non-eventful hike back to the Grebe Lake Trailhead, though we did run into some wolf track along the east side of the lake.
Wolf track on the trail
Weebles wobble but they don't fall down.
Beautiful day
Almost back at the trailhead.
I had a wonderful time on this trip - other than losing my bucket. The weather was perfect: low to mid-sixties every day, with low to mid-thirties at night. We had elk bugling around our tents every night, and pretty much all night long. We also had an owl hooting two of the three nights. Beside the swans on Grebe Lake, we saw hawks, ravens, geese, ducks, one elk on our hike to Lava Creek, one weasel and too many squirrels to count. One of those squirrels fancied dropping pinecones on my tent early in the morning. At one point, we got to witness the swans chasing Canadian Geese off the lake - something that I have never seen before.
The hike into Grebe Lake is an easy one at 4.1 miles. The trail is relatively flat, with a very gradual descent down to the lake. Our campsite, 4G4, was located on the northern shore of the lake, so we had to walk around the eastern shore of Grebe, where there is still a fair bit of marshiness to contend with.
Site 4G4 is a nice campsite, tucked in off the trail by the lake. It certainly had a lot more appeal than site 4G3 which we passed on our way in.
Since we drove up from Salt Lake and hiked in on the same day, we arrived at camp a little after four in the afternoon. After setting up camp and eating dinner, I made my way down to the lake to watch a pair of swans that call Grebe Lake home.
The hike in overview map
Trailhead shot
Seems a bit dated
Typical of the trail to Grebe Lake
A quick break just past the halfway point to the lake
Arriving at Grebe Lake
Making our way around the lake
Signpost for our campsite
Tent sites at 4G4
Swans on the lake
Day 2 - Off-trail day hike to the headwaters of Lava Creek
Now the night before, I had used my collapsible bucket to put out our campfire, and had left the bucket half full, next to a sitting log by the fire pit. When I got up in the morning, much to my chagrin, the bucket was gone. Something had come in to our campsite in the night and hauled away my bucket.
We searched a wide perimeter around camp, but could never find it. Well, after breakfast, two of us headed put to reach the headwaters of Lava Creek. This hike is 3.5 miles one way, and we would essentially be drainage hopping until we reached the meadows of Lava Creek. The first three quarters of mile were the toughest of our route due to old burn, downfall and seeps along the hillside of the stream that flows into the northwest corner of Grebe Lake. The rest of the drainage hiking was pleasant, with lots of sign of elk along our way to Lava Creek.
Headwaters of Lava Creek overview map
Grebe Lake in the morning
Ready for an adventure
Marshy due to seeps
Definitely wet feet for the first 3/4 of a mile
Hiking up the first drainage
The stream has gone dry at this point
Hiking up the second drainage
Water has appeared again in the stream bed of the second drainage
A small meadow near the head of the second drainage. At this point, we will head into the trees on the
left side of the image, up and over a saddle and drop into the drainage that will lead us to Lava Creek.
Dropping down into the third drainage
Stepping out of the trees into the meadows at the headwaters of Lava Creek - looking south
Headwaters of Lava Creek - looking north
Tiny Lava Creek
A yummy taste of Lava Creek Water.
Some interesting square rock slabs in the stream on our way back to
camp.
My legs are beat up after the bushwhack
Day 3 - Day Hike to Observation Peak
On our third day we set out to hike to the summit of Observation Peak and take in Cascade Lake which was along our way.
Observation Peak day hike overview map
The observation lookout on Observation Peak as seen from our campsite on Grebe Lake
Trail junction sign
Looking back west at Grebe Lake
Typical scenery between Grebe and Cascade Lakes
Made it to Cascade Lake
Cascade Lake with the Washburn Range in the distance.
Time to turn off to the peak
Fall colors taking hold of the Fireweed.
A look down on the headwaters of Tower Creek
Hayden Valley below to the south
Grebe Lake below
The lookout on top of Observation Peak
Mount Holmes to the west. There are a lot of dead Whitebark Pines on Observation Peak
Electric Peak to the northwest. @Artemus
Time for lunch
Heading back down the trail
A look to the east and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
The Washburn Range
Cascade Lake form above
More Fireweed
Day 4 - Back to the trailhead
A non-eventful hike back to the Grebe Lake Trailhead, though we did run into some wolf track along the east side of the lake.
Wolf track on the trail
Weebles wobble but they don't fall down.
Beautiful day
Almost back at the trailhead.
I had a wonderful time on this trip - other than losing my bucket. The weather was perfect: low to mid-sixties every day, with low to mid-thirties at night. We had elk bugling around our tents every night, and pretty much all night long. We also had an owl hooting two of the three nights. Beside the swans on Grebe Lake, we saw hawks, ravens, geese, ducks, one elk on our hike to Lava Creek, one weasel and too many squirrels to count. One of those squirrels fancied dropping pinecones on my tent early in the morning.
At one point, we got to witness the swans chasing Canadian Geese off the lake - something that I have never seen before.
