Lamar River, Mirror Plateau, and Pelican Valley (Yellowstone NP) - mid-September 2020

[travel2walk]

@travel2walk I sent you my CalTopo notes. I like the route @scatman identifies, as well. Shallow Creek in particular is a really pleasant walk and only gets marshy right before you hit Wapiti Lake. I didn't follow Wrong Creek long, but I think the photo @scatman shared is a good representation. If you go that route I'd definitely take a day (or two) to explore the plateau from Wapiti. I particularly liked the upper Flint Creek drainage (east side) and upper Pelican Creek drainage (west side).

Thanks for the track. Yea, I had 4w2 circled as a good multiple night spot. Seems from Joey's videos that it's a favorite place to camp at.

 

[travel2walk]

Soda Butte to miller creek to parker peak back down Lamar out most pass....

Thanks @Bob, I saw your suggestion of this on another post. Kinda wish there was a way to loop it. Kinda like loops or point to point with hitch possibly or a friend. But I'll do some research in the next few days consider going up to parker as a side trip.

 

[scatman]

Thanks @scatman! That sounds like a pretty cool plan. The pictures look very doable, but I will do my due diligence and do some research on the route since your reputation precedes you . I'd have to think twice if those peaks involve endless downfalls.

Anyways, really appreciated the suggestion and may come back with me questions in the next few days.

My reputation is shot now @travel2walk.

Okay, we are going to let the majestic bison do the work for you on this one. Those peaks are just bumps on top of the plateau. The toughest part, other than distance, will be the stretch between Deep Creek and the Wrong Creek Drainage. There are sticks down on the ridge between the two, but it is only about a quarter mile in length if you chose wisely and the south side of the ridge doesn't have much new growth to contend with, so you will have open views to decide which path through is the easiest . Other than that, you can take advantage of bison/game trails and the streams. Check out the attached KMZ files.

 

[travel2walk]

My reputation is shot now @travel2walk.

Okay, we are going to let the majestic bison do the work for you on this one. Those peaks are just bumps on top of the plateau. The toughest part, other than distance, will be the stretch between Deep Creek and the Wrong Creek Drainage. There are sticks down on the ridge between the two, but it is only about a quarter mile in length if you chose wisely and the south side of the ridge doesn't have much new growth to contend with, so you will have open views to decide which path through is the easiest . Other than that, you can take advantage of bison/game trails and the streams. Check out the attached KMZ files.

That's awesome, I will check out these gps tracks. Thanks again @scatman for all the help!

 

[Georgia Yankee]

Yeah, I got me a Notch, and then very next year they updated it with the little improvements along with the Li series. If only I had the patience to have waited a little longer...

Well, @MountainRabbit and @WasatchWill, I don't know whether to curse you or thank you. Tarptents. Never thought about them. Now I won't be satisfied until I have one. Wow--the weight savings. And with a decent shelter, too. Right now looking at the Durston X-Mid 2P...

 

[Bob]

Well, @MountainRabbit and @WasatchWill, I don't know whether to curse you or thank you. Tarptents. Never thought about them. Now I won't be satisfied until I have one. Wow--the weight savings. And with a decent shelter, too. Right now looking at the Durston X-Mid 2P...

I have had the tarptent bowfin 2 person since they came out....tarptent rainbow before that for about 10 yrs.... Both are great. You do get condensation like any single wall and you need extra guylines in high wind or heavier snow....

 

[WasatchWill]

Well, @MountainRabbit and @WasatchWill, I don't know whether to curse you or thank you. Tarptents. Never thought about them. Now I won't be satisfied until I have one. Wow--the weight savings. And with a decent shelter, too. Right now looking at the Durston X-Mid 2P...

Haha...I couldn't resist the newer improvements anymore and just got an updated Notch and will sell my old one. You interested in it? Sounds like you'd like something with a little more space though if you're looking at the X-Mid 2. I have an original model of the X-Mid 1. It's great except it had some weak points on it that were corrected in the current models and I prefer the smaller footprint size/space that the Notch takes up. I can fit it in spots that are more limited in space and thus many more spots to choose from than what I could with the X-Mid. I'm not a very big guy either, so I don't feel too claustrophobic with the Notch. If you are looking for a bit more room and space, the Stratospire 1 from Tarptent is a great one to consider because it will actually fit two standard size pads in it, making it effectively a small 2 person shelter, and can shelter/sleep 3 people in a pinch with the fly only set up. The Durston's X-Mids are great though, especially with the things corrected from the original model, and you get the benefit of not having the material stretch since it's made with polyester materials and not nylon.

With my new tarptent, I opted to stay with the Silnylon over the "Li" DCF version. Couldn't justify twice the cost for only 8 oz of weight savings and the convenience of not having to tighten down the tension after it stretches. Maybe if I were a thru-hiker trying to preserve calories day after day.

I have had the tarptent bowfin 2 person since they came out....tarptent rainbow before that for about 10 yrs.... Both are great. You do get condensation like any single wall and you need extra guylines in high wind or heavier snow....

All true, but if you're careful with site selection, you can greatly minimize the amount of condensation that forms. I've actually had more nights than not where condensation didn't form much at all when sleeping out in my Notch. On the new one I just picked up, I opted to get the partial solid inner to try that out. It's now got a solid top along with the solid bottom panels that should prevent any condensation from dripping through what would otherwise be mesh (something I never had much experience with anyway) as well as protection against higher winds and any intruding splash back in a big down pour. This way I can feel confident leaving the pitch-loc ends open for the added ventilation they provide as well as allowing the walls of the fly to stand a little higher off the ground. I did enjoy the bigger views afforded by the full mesh of my older tent though on clear, calm nights when I could pin up all the fly doors. The new ones also come with apex guylines pre-installed, so that makes it convenient for giving it more strength and stability in higher wind and snow situations, not that it was difficult to add your own guylines as desired.

 

[Bob]

I don't get condensation all the time....depends on atmospheric conditions and where I set up...

 

[Georgia Yankee]

Haha...I couldn't resist the newer improvements anymore and just got an updated Notch and will sell my old one. You interested in it? Sounds like you'd like something with a little more space though if you're looking at the X-Mid 2. I have an original model of the X-Mid 1. It's great except it had some weak points on it that were corrected in the current models and I prefer the smaller footprint size/space that the Notch takes up. I can fit it in spots that are more limited in space and thus many more spots to choose from than what I could with the X-Mid. I'm not a very big guy either, so I don't feel too claustrophobic with the Notch. If you are looking for a bit more room and space, the Stratospire 1 from Tarptent is a great one to consider because it will actually fit two standard size pads in it, making it effectively a small 2 person shelter, and can shelter/sleep 3 people in a pinch with the fly only set up. The Durston's X-Mids are great though, especially with the things corrected from the original model, and you get the benefit of not having the material stretch since it's made with polyester materials and not nylon.

With my new tarptent, I opted to stay with the Silnylon over the "Li" DCF version. Couldn't justify twice the cost for only 8 oz of weight savings and the convenience of not having to tighten down the tension after it stretches. Maybe if I were a thru-hiker trying to preserve calories day after day.


All true, but if you're careful with site selection, you can greatly minimize the amount of condensation that forms. I've actually had more nights than not where condensation didn't form much at all when sleeping out in my Notch. On the new one I just picked up, I opted to get the partial solid inner to try that out. It's now got a solid top along with the solid bottom panels that should prevent any condensation from dripping through what would otherwise be mesh (something I never had much experience with anyway) as well as protection against higher winds and any intruding splash back in a big down pour. This way I can feel confident leaving the pitch-loc ends open for the added ventilation they provide as well as allowing the walls of the fly to stand a little higher off the ground. I did enjoy the bigger views afforded by the full mesh of my older tent though on clear, calm nights when I could pin up all the fly doors. The new ones also come with apex guylines pre-installed, so that makes it convenient for giving it more strength and stability in higher wind and snow situations, not that it was difficult to add your own guylines as desired.

Thanks for all the info! I was thinking of the X-mid 2P for my wife and I. But I'll think about whether I also need a one-person.