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- Dec 23, 2013
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In preparation for a hike with my son in the Sierras, I headed out with my daughter and a friend to Yellowstone for four days with the intent on camping at Mallard Lake with day hikes to DeLacy Lakes and other unnamed ponds in the area.
I've been meaning to get to DeLacy Lakes for three years now, but thing have always come up that kept me from reaching it, so this trip was planned specifically to reach the lakes.
The hike in to Mallard Lake, at 3.5 miles, is relatively easy though it is uphill for most of the way. The trail makes its way through old burn for the most part, though the new trees are starting to get some height after 30 years. Once at the lake, we pitched our tents at campsite OB3 on the east side of the lake.
Route to Mallard Lake - roughly 3.7 miles to campsite 0B3
Obligatory trailhead shot
Katie runs into a Bison early on
The Firehole River
Typical trail walking to Mallard Lake - I can remember when these trees were knee high
More of what the terrain looks like on the way to the lake - looking down on unnamed stream
Marmot along the way
Chipmunk too
Mallard Lake in the late afternoon
Sunset on the Lake the first night
The second day we day hiked off-trail (about 4 miles one way) past a few unnamed ponds to DeLacy Lakes. When we arrived at the lakes, we were entertained by an otter who caught two fish and ate them at the end of a downed log in the lake, while we ate our lunches.
Map of our day hike to DeLacy Lakes
Hard to do a hike without a couple of superheroes
Pond #1
Little bit of open space along the drainage - who is the ugly guy in the middle of this shot?
More of the open area, with a touch of snow ahead
Pond #2
Pond #3 - this pond was larger/longer than the first two.
DeLacy Lakes (western portion)
Otter that entertained us while we ate lunch.
Another shot of the otter
Another shot of DeLacy Lakes (western lake)
Katie at DeLacy Lakes
Bearpole back at camp
On day 3, we hiked to an unnamed pond that is located northeast of Old Faithful. Our route began on the Mallard Creek Trail but soon turned into an off-trail adventure to the pond.
Map of our route to unnamed pond on day 3
Hiking along the Mallard Creek Trail
Unnamed pond northeast of Old Faithful - lots of elk prints in the mud along the shore of the pond
Lunch at the pond - rumor has it that that might be @McGimpkins at the end of the log
Balancing act required for making it to this pond - Katie on her way back to camp
Katie at Mallard Lake - apparently didn't get enough of the matchsticks going to and from the pond.
Mosquito Heaven!
Sunset on day 3 at Mallard Lake.
Day four consisted of us hiking back to out vehicle at the Trailhead and heading home.
I've been meaning to get to DeLacy Lakes for three years now, but thing have always come up that kept me from reaching it, so this trip was planned specifically to reach the lakes.
The hike in to Mallard Lake, at 3.5 miles, is relatively easy though it is uphill for most of the way. The trail makes its way through old burn for the most part, though the new trees are starting to get some height after 30 years. Once at the lake, we pitched our tents at campsite OB3 on the east side of the lake.
Route to Mallard Lake - roughly 3.7 miles to campsite 0B3
Obligatory trailhead shot
Katie runs into a Bison early on
The Firehole River
Typical trail walking to Mallard Lake - I can remember when these trees were knee high
More of what the terrain looks like on the way to the lake - looking down on unnamed stream
Marmot along the way
Chipmunk too
Mallard Lake in the late afternoon
Sunset on the Lake the first night
The second day we day hiked off-trail (about 4 miles one way) past a few unnamed ponds to DeLacy Lakes. When we arrived at the lakes, we were entertained by an otter who caught two fish and ate them at the end of a downed log in the lake, while we ate our lunches.
Map of our day hike to DeLacy Lakes
Hard to do a hike without a couple of superheroes
Pond #1
Little bit of open space along the drainage - who is the ugly guy in the middle of this shot?
More of the open area, with a touch of snow ahead
Pond #2
Pond #3 - this pond was larger/longer than the first two.
DeLacy Lakes (western portion)
Otter that entertained us while we ate lunch.
Another shot of the otter
Another shot of DeLacy Lakes (western lake)
Katie at DeLacy Lakes
Bearpole back at camp
On day 3, we hiked to an unnamed pond that is located northeast of Old Faithful. Our route began on the Mallard Creek Trail but soon turned into an off-trail adventure to the pond.
Map of our route to unnamed pond on day 3
Hiking along the Mallard Creek Trail
Unnamed pond northeast of Old Faithful - lots of elk prints in the mud along the shore of the pond
Lunch at the pond - rumor has it that that might be @McGimpkins at the end of the log
Balancing act required for making it to this pond - Katie on her way back to camp
Katie at Mallard Lake - apparently didn't get enough of the matchsticks going to and from the pond.
Mosquito Heaven!
Sunset on day 3 at Mallard Lake.
Day four consisted of us hiking back to out vehicle at the Trailhead and heading home.
