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- Dec 23, 2013
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This was my second trip to Ice Lake this year. While the first trip was with my family, this one consisted of coworkers, ex-coworkers and retirees plus Kevin. The weather held for this one until the last night when we got some substantial rain. Lucky for us, it stopped about 7:30 in the morning so we didn't have to pack up and hike out in the rain.
This is the annual trip that includes Danny who has had back issues for quite some time now. He informed me the day before we drove up to Yellowstone that his back could not handle a pack on it for more than a couple of minutes so he was going to pull a collapsible wagon with his gear in it to our campsite on Ice Lake. Fortunately, the trail was wide enough for the most part to accommodate his wagon with the exception of a couple of lifts over some pine tree roots.
While at Ice Lake, a group of us hiked back out to the trailhead for a couple of day hikes: one to the summit of Mount Washburn and a second to the summit of Observation Peak. I have never summited Washburn before and our route up Observation Peak took in the Cascade Creek Trail which I had never been on before, so a little something new while staying at a very familiar campsite 4D2 on Ice Lake.
Here are some shots of our trip:
Day 1 - Ice Lake Trailhead to Campsite 4D2
Easy 1.3 miles into 4D2 (unless you are pulling a wagon
) which is located on the east end of Ice Lake - a five star campsite in my opinion.
Tradition to stop at Sill's for breakfast on our way up
The Sube passes 277,000 miles on our way up
Fred Chatty showing off some shots of fisher remains that he observed in the Park. Fred could tell a story! He claimed that there
weren't any fishers left in Yellowstone, but he claimed he knew people who had seen them before. I told him that I saw one on my
bushwhack up to Plateau Lake back in 2018. They also had a new backcountry video that Fred particularly liked. He was a hoot to
say the least!
Of course Ernie's for lunch. I had the Grizzly sandwich.
At the Ice Lake Trailhead. Look at that vintage pack!
Closer shot for those that are drooling.
Trailhead shot. Hey, nice wagon!
Heading down the trail to the lake
Love the old signs
Ice Lake, looking east
The Howard Eaton Trail! We'll be heading in the Wolf Lake direction
How's that wagon treating you?
Setting up my tent at 4D2
Kevin was already at camp waiting for us to arrive.
Downward Dog is always welcome at 4D2. What form!
Can't leave home without one.
Ice Lake has gorgeous sunsets
Bad moon arising
Day 2 - Day Hike to the Summit of Mount Washburn
Started our day off by hiking back out to the Ice Lake Trailhead then driving over to the Mount Washburn Trailhead and then following the old road up to the summit.
Ice Lake in the morning
33 degrees so not quite freezing.
Warning sign at the Washburn Trailhead
Ha ha ha! Good thing I can't read. I'm getting Hayden Valley vibes @TractorDoc and
@Rockskipper
Looking back on Dunraven Peak above and the Grand Loop Road below
View to the south towards Hayden Valley. Mount Sheridan can be seen in the far distance, and if you squint hard enough you can
just make out the Tetons
Nice gradual ascent on the old road. You know Model-Ts used to drive this.
Coffee Pot Hot Springs to the east
Looks like a black bear was on the road at some point
Afghan goat herder ahead.
A couple coming down were nice enough to take our group shot at a switchback in the road
First view of the lookout on the summit
Dunraven Peak and a portion of the Carnelian drainage to the west/southwest
Mount Holmes in the distnace
Cook Peak is out there somewhere along with the Tower Creek drainage
Electric Peak in the distance
Looking down on the Washburn meadows along with the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
The ridgeline that is supposedly closed. Oh, I forgot, I can't read.
Lookout ahead. The wind was really starting to pick up at this point.
Nice looking lookout
View down to the northeast into the Antelope Bear Management Area. Can you see Bell Lake down there. I've got a story about
Bell lake that I'll have to share someday. The old Howard Eaton Trail is down there somewhere.
View out towards the Thunderer and The Needle and into the Beartooth Wilderness on the last bends of the road before the
lookout.
Thar she be!
View back down the way we had come up
Yellowstone Lake can be seen in the distance
Made it. The wind was howling. I could barely stand up, and I was getting cold. .
Hey there is that ridge and trail that are supposed to be closed again. Ha ha ha! Good thing I can't read. Hayden Valley is not a
bear management area, Hayden Valley is not a bear management area, Hayden Valley is not a bear management area, There is no
place like home, There is no place like home, There is no place like home.
This way to the observation room and out of the wind
Electric Peak top the northwest. This hot was taken through the glass window of the observation room.
Hayden Valley, the Yellowstone River, Mount Sheridan and the Tetons. Taken again through the glass.
Carnelian Creek drainage to the west
View into the Beartooth Wilderness beyond the Park
Leaving the comfort of the observation room behind
Do I really have to say it again? Ha ha ha!
Looking back west on the lookout on the summit of Mount Washburn from the trail that is closed. Wait a minute, I can't read.
The hurricane force winds were worse on the hump to the east of Washburn.
Wind blowing hard on the forbidden knoll.
Heading back down the road to the trailhead
Switchback ahead
Look at these three! Dare I say three wisemen?
Some geraniums were still in bloom
What's this? A grizzly on the lower slopes of Washburn.
Always good to see the great bear.
Back on the Ice Lake Trail, we ran into some fresh grizzly scat on the way down to the lake that hadn't been there on our way out
in the morning.
Just after the scat encounter, we ran into two young ladies who were on a hike and had left the main trail and were standing on a little feeder trail to west side of Ice Lake with their bear sprays ready for action. They told us that two people had passed and told them that there was a grizzly on the trail and that it was approaching them. The young ladies said that this happened about five minutes ago. They seemed to be a little nervous and I asked if they would like to follow us to our campsite as they were trying to do a loop hike that would take them past Ice Lake and on to Little Gibbon Falls and out. They came with us up to the runoff to our campsite and then headed on towards the falls. We told them that if they ran into any trouble to just come get us at our site.
Did this little guy see the grizzly?
Wolf track along the shore of Ice Lake. It appeared that there was more than one wolf from the tracks
Bikini Pose!
Of course, a celebratory shot of Woodford Reserve for summiting Washburn, but I think
I was celebrating the grizzly sighting more.
Tonight's meal.
The wagon puller himself.
Some funky clouds overhead at the lake
And another gorgeous sunset
Day 3 - Summit of Observation Peak via the Cascade Creek Trail
I've summited Observation Peak many times over the years, but have never hiked along the Cascade Creek Trail to get there, so I was looking forward to see what the trail had to offer. Again we had to hike out to the trailhead before driving over to the Cascade Creek Trailhead.
Breakfast on day three
They are quick! Warning posted for the Ice Lake Trail from the encounter the day before
Just in case you need to know.
The beginning of the Cascade Creek Trail
The old information sign. I'll take it over the new generic ones anyday.
2.5 miles to the lake and the junction with the Observation Peak Trail
First meadow that we encountered along the Cascade Creek Trail. It just make you want to go frolic doesn't it?
Fall colors along the trail
This trail is in nice order
Lone bull. Let's hope this one behaves himself.
Cascade Creek I presume?
Opening up with Cascade Lake just around the corner to the left
Cascade Lake with three swans on it. I'm pretty sure that those are the three swans that were on Grebe Lake on my family trip
back in August.
Time to start heading up
Leaving Cascade Lake behind
A strawberry bloom along the trail
I'm pulling up the rear as usual
More frolicking meadows below - along with some of the Tower Creek upper drainage
Ran into this guy on his way down. He asked, "Is your name Hugh?" I said, 'Yes, it is." He said that he followed me on a Facebook
page called, "Yellowstone Hiking." His name is Ric, and he is from Chicago and comes out every September to do day hikes in the
Park. I invited him to join @TractorDoc and I next September on whatever hike Dave comes up with. Ric claimed that he is clumsy
and doesn't do well on logs when crossing creeks. I think @TractorDoc may have to hoist Ric up on his back at all river and creek
crossings next year. Anyway, it was good to meet you Ric.
Observation Peak above. Same as it was in August.
Grebe Lake below
Reaching the lookout
Wolf Lake below and Ice Lake beyond
Cook Peak to the north
My last Turkish fig for this trip
Summit group shot at the lookout
Fall colors on our way back down
Campsite 4E4 near Cascade Lake
Two trails diverged in a green wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two trails diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Back at the Cascade Lake Trailhead
And back at Ice Lake
Getting to be about dinner time. at 4D2
Day 4 - Campsite 4D2 back to the Ice Lake Trailhead
Ready for the hike out, extremely wet tent though.
Bye, bye Ice Lake
Back at the vehicles. Now after taking this picture, I put my camera in the back seat of the Subaru, closed the door and started to
get in the front seat when Jordan (the goat herder) called out, "Bear!" I thought that he was just pulling my leg at first, but sure
enough a large, dark colored, boar grizzly bear had just come out of the trees next to the trailhead, crossed the road and went into
the pines on the other side. By the time I opened my back door and grabbed my camera the grizz had already gone into the trees
on the other side of the road.
Oh well, maybe next time. What a thrill. That's the second time I've had a grizzly near me and I
didn't have my camera in hand to get a nice picture.
But two grizzlies in one trip isn't half bad you know.
It was then onto West Yellowstone and Hank's Chop Shop for some pizza.
And then on to Idaho Falls and Reed's Dairy
For a Monster Cookie malt made with chocolate milk
And, I'm not sure what flavor of ice cream Jordan had, but I do remember him saying
that it was good. He has since told me that it was Gorilla Crunch.
The End.
This is the annual trip that includes Danny who has had back issues for quite some time now. He informed me the day before we drove up to Yellowstone that his back could not handle a pack on it for more than a couple of minutes so he was going to pull a collapsible wagon with his gear in it to our campsite on Ice Lake. Fortunately, the trail was wide enough for the most part to accommodate his wagon with the exception of a couple of lifts over some pine tree roots.
While at Ice Lake, a group of us hiked back out to the trailhead for a couple of day hikes: one to the summit of Mount Washburn and a second to the summit of Observation Peak. I have never summited Washburn before and our route up Observation Peak took in the Cascade Creek Trail which I had never been on before, so a little something new while staying at a very familiar campsite 4D2 on Ice Lake.
Here are some shots of our trip:
Day 1 - Ice Lake Trailhead to Campsite 4D2
Easy 1.3 miles into 4D2 (unless you are pulling a wagon
) which is located on the east end of Ice Lake - a five star campsite in my opinion.Tradition to stop at Sill's for breakfast on our way up
The Sube passes 277,000 miles on our way up
Fred Chatty showing off some shots of fisher remains that he observed in the Park. Fred could tell a story! He claimed that there
weren't any fishers left in Yellowstone, but he claimed he knew people who had seen them before. I told him that I saw one on my
bushwhack up to Plateau Lake back in 2018. They also had a new backcountry video that Fred particularly liked. He was a hoot to
say the least!
Of course Ernie's for lunch. I had the Grizzly sandwich.
At the Ice Lake Trailhead. Look at that vintage pack!
Closer shot for those that are drooling.
Trailhead shot. Hey, nice wagon!
Heading down the trail to the lake
Love the old signs
Ice Lake, looking east
The Howard Eaton Trail! We'll be heading in the Wolf Lake direction
How's that wagon treating you?
Setting up my tent at 4D2
Kevin was already at camp waiting for us to arrive.
Downward Dog is always welcome at 4D2. What form!
Can't leave home without one.
Ice Lake has gorgeous sunsets
Bad moon arising
Day 2 - Day Hike to the Summit of Mount Washburn
Started our day off by hiking back out to the Ice Lake Trailhead then driving over to the Mount Washburn Trailhead and then following the old road up to the summit.
Ice Lake in the morning
33 degrees so not quite freezing.
Warning sign at the Washburn Trailhead
Ha ha ha! Good thing I can't read. I'm getting Hayden Valley vibes @TractorDoc and
@Rockskipper
Looking back on Dunraven Peak above and the Grand Loop Road below
View to the south towards Hayden Valley. Mount Sheridan can be seen in the far distance, and if you squint hard enough you can
just make out the Tetons
Nice gradual ascent on the old road. You know Model-Ts used to drive this.
Coffee Pot Hot Springs to the east
Looks like a black bear was on the road at some point
Afghan goat herder ahead.
A couple coming down were nice enough to take our group shot at a switchback in the road
First view of the lookout on the summit
Dunraven Peak and a portion of the Carnelian drainage to the west/southwest
Mount Holmes in the distnace
Cook Peak is out there somewhere along with the Tower Creek drainage
Electric Peak in the distance
Looking down on the Washburn meadows along with the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
The ridgeline that is supposedly closed. Oh, I forgot, I can't read.
Lookout ahead. The wind was really starting to pick up at this point.
Nice looking lookout
View down to the northeast into the Antelope Bear Management Area. Can you see Bell Lake down there. I've got a story about
Bell lake that I'll have to share someday. The old Howard Eaton Trail is down there somewhere.
View out towards the Thunderer and The Needle and into the Beartooth Wilderness on the last bends of the road before the
lookout.
Thar she be!
View back down the way we had come up
Yellowstone Lake can be seen in the distance
Made it. The wind was howling. I could barely stand up, and I was getting cold. .
Hey there is that ridge and trail that are supposed to be closed again. Ha ha ha! Good thing I can't read. Hayden Valley is not a
bear management area, Hayden Valley is not a bear management area, Hayden Valley is not a bear management area, There is no
place like home, There is no place like home, There is no place like home.
This way to the observation room and out of the wind
Electric Peak top the northwest. This hot was taken through the glass window of the observation room.
Hayden Valley, the Yellowstone River, Mount Sheridan and the Tetons. Taken again through the glass.
Carnelian Creek drainage to the west
View into the Beartooth Wilderness beyond the Park
Leaving the comfort of the observation room behind
Do I really have to say it again? Ha ha ha!
Looking back west on the lookout on the summit of Mount Washburn from the trail that is closed. Wait a minute, I can't read.
The hurricane force winds were worse on the hump to the east of Washburn.
Wind blowing hard on the forbidden knoll.
Heading back down the road to the trailhead
Switchback ahead
Look at these three! Dare I say three wisemen?
Some geraniums were still in bloom
What's this? A grizzly on the lower slopes of Washburn.
Always good to see the great bear.
Back on the Ice Lake Trail, we ran into some fresh grizzly scat on the way down to the lake that hadn't been there on our way out
in the morning.
Just after the scat encounter, we ran into two young ladies who were on a hike and had left the main trail and were standing on a little feeder trail to west side of Ice Lake with their bear sprays ready for action. They told us that two people had passed and told them that there was a grizzly on the trail and that it was approaching them. The young ladies said that this happened about five minutes ago. They seemed to be a little nervous and I asked if they would like to follow us to our campsite as they were trying to do a loop hike that would take them past Ice Lake and on to Little Gibbon Falls and out. They came with us up to the runoff to our campsite and then headed on towards the falls. We told them that if they ran into any trouble to just come get us at our site.
Did this little guy see the grizzly?
Wolf track along the shore of Ice Lake. It appeared that there was more than one wolf from the tracks
Bikini Pose!
Of course, a celebratory shot of Woodford Reserve for summiting Washburn, but I think
I was celebrating the grizzly sighting more.
Tonight's meal.
The wagon puller himself.
Some funky clouds overhead at the lake
And another gorgeous sunset
Day 3 - Summit of Observation Peak via the Cascade Creek Trail
I've summited Observation Peak many times over the years, but have never hiked along the Cascade Creek Trail to get there, so I was looking forward to see what the trail had to offer. Again we had to hike out to the trailhead before driving over to the Cascade Creek Trailhead.
Breakfast on day three
They are quick! Warning posted for the Ice Lake Trail from the encounter the day before
Just in case you need to know.
The beginning of the Cascade Creek Trail
The old information sign. I'll take it over the new generic ones anyday.
2.5 miles to the lake and the junction with the Observation Peak Trail
First meadow that we encountered along the Cascade Creek Trail. It just make you want to go frolic doesn't it?
Fall colors along the trail
This trail is in nice order
Lone bull. Let's hope this one behaves himself.
Cascade Creek I presume?
Opening up with Cascade Lake just around the corner to the left
Cascade Lake with three swans on it. I'm pretty sure that those are the three swans that were on Grebe Lake on my family trip
back in August.
Time to start heading up
Leaving Cascade Lake behind
A strawberry bloom along the trail
I'm pulling up the rear as usual
More frolicking meadows below - along with some of the Tower Creek upper drainage
Ran into this guy on his way down. He asked, "Is your name Hugh?" I said, 'Yes, it is." He said that he followed me on a Facebook
page called, "Yellowstone Hiking." His name is Ric, and he is from Chicago and comes out every September to do day hikes in the
Park. I invited him to join @TractorDoc and I next September on whatever hike Dave comes up with. Ric claimed that he is clumsy
and doesn't do well on logs when crossing creeks. I think @TractorDoc may have to hoist Ric up on his back at all river and creek
crossings next year.
Anyway, it was good to meet you Ric.Observation Peak above. Same as it was in August.
Grebe Lake below
Reaching the lookout
Wolf Lake below and Ice Lake beyond
Cook Peak to the north
My last Turkish fig for this trip
Summit group shot at the lookout
Fall colors on our way back down
Campsite 4E4 near Cascade Lake
Two trails diverged in a green wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two trails diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Back at the Cascade Lake Trailhead
And back at Ice Lake
Getting to be about dinner time. at 4D2
Day 4 - Campsite 4D2 back to the Ice Lake Trailhead
Ready for the hike out, extremely wet tent though.
Bye, bye Ice Lake
Back at the vehicles. Now after taking this picture, I put my camera in the back seat of the Subaru, closed the door and started to
get in the front seat when Jordan (the goat herder) called out, "Bear!" I thought that he was just pulling my leg at first, but sure
enough a large, dark colored, boar grizzly bear had just come out of the trees next to the trailhead, crossed the road and went into
the pines on the other side. By the time I opened my back door and grabbed my camera the grizz had already gone into the trees
on the other side of the road.
Oh well, maybe next time. What a thrill. That's the second time I've had a grizzly near me and Ididn't have my camera in hand to get a nice picture.
But two grizzlies in one trip isn't half bad you know.It was then onto West Yellowstone and Hank's Chop Shop for some pizza.
And then on to Idaho Falls and Reed's Dairy
For a Monster Cookie malt made with chocolate milk
And, I'm not sure what flavor of ice cream Jordan had, but I do remember him saying
that it was good. He has since told me that it was Gorilla Crunch.
The End.
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