Looking for info on Clark Creek drainage/Pierpont Pass into Hidden Basin in the Washakie Wilderness

[TeamJenkins17]

Planning next summer’s trip and hoping to find some good info on the Clark Creek/Hidden Basin area in the Washakie Wilderness area of the Southern Absaroka’s. I posted a few weeks ago, but unfortunately didn’t get any responses.

I’m starting this trip at the Bonneville Pass trailhead and working my way up onto the Buffalo Plateau over to and down Marston Pass to the south fork of the Shoshone, through Bliss Creek meadows and into the Clark Creek drainage. This is where I’m hoping to get a little info as to whether there’s an actual maintained trail still through here or if it’s basically just a game trail/outfitters trail? I know this area is notorious for showing trails, but then being virtually non existent once there.

From Hidden Basin the plan is to hike up and over Cougar Pass and down to Frontier Creek and camp there for the night and try to get up onto Devils Graveyard which is supposed to be pretty spectacular country up there. We tried once before using a different route heading up the drainage just under Norton Point just across Frontier Creek from Double Cabin, but got cliffed out and then afternoon storms rolled in. So if anyone has been up there I’d love to hear about it.

I’m also pondering walking the ridgeline up there over towards green lake and Emerald lake and dropping down into the Emerald Creek drainage and taking that down to the Wiggins fork and back to Double Cabin. From what I’ve read and heard the Emerald Creek drainage is about as wild as it gets.

Thanks again for any info any of you have.

 

[Georgia Yankee]

I hiked west from Emerald Lake over to Frontier Creek a while back. Some loose stuff on the Emerald Lake side. I remember thinking I was happy to be going E-W rather than W-E but with care it should be ok. I climbed onto the Frontier/Gentian Ck divide above the little tarn at the very top of Frontier Ck. (came up just west of peak 11881). A lot of scree but easy to avoid the cliffs. I didn’t walk the ridge at all. I thought Emerald Creek was wonderful. At least some of it burned since I was there but I don’t know how much. Can’t help you with the rest of it, I'm afraid. Sounds like a challenging route--my feet are hurting just thinking about the descent from Marston Pass!

 

[TeamJenkins17]

I hiked west from Emerald Lake over to Frontier Creek a while back. Some loose stuff on the Emerald Lake side. I remember thinking I was happy to be going E-W rather than W-E but with care it should be ok. I climbed onto the Frontier/Gentian Ck divide above the little tarn at the very top of Frontier Ck. (came up just west of peak 11881). A lot of scree but easy to avoid the cliffs. I didn’t walk the ridge at all. I thought Emerald Creek was wonderful. At least some of it burned since I was there but I don’t know how much. Can’t help you with the rest of it, I'm afraid. Sounds like a challenging route--my feet are hurting just thinking about the descent from Marston Pass!

Thank you for the reply and info, definitely very much appreciated. I may forego adding anything extra after that long grueling descent down Marston, as you noted I’m sure we will be feeling it and most likely will spend two days at Bliss Creek healing up before heading up Clark Creek. Since we plan on spending another week at Double Cabin I may just relax and fish a couple days and then take a few days and just explore the drainage up to Emerald Lake. Thanks again.

 

[Georgia Yankee]

Good luck--hope to see a trip report!

 

[TeamJenkins17]

Good luck--hope to see a trip report!

Thanks and absolutely!

 

[Kmatjhwy]

Now did send you an email on this. Sorry that I can't help you much on this, but personally I have never been to Hidden Basin. From this Hidden Basin to the east in this part of the Washakie Wilderness, never have been in much. But have been all over the South Fork of the Shoshone, the head of the South Fork of the Shoshone, the Bliss Creek meadows area and so forth. Also have been up Clark Creek which had a wonderful trail up this drainage when I was there. head that the trail is fine over to Frontier Creek. But that whole area up near Green Lake and area, head of Emerald Creek, and on the other side with the head are of Needle Creek is super wild.

Next summer I just might be back in these Absarokas somewhere for it has been a few years for myself now and miss it. Last summer with the smoke and heat went back to Alaska.

Wishing You the Very Best!