Middle Basin over Haydens

MtnMatt

Watch yer top-knot
Joined
Apr 27, 2013
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This is one of those trips that is really 3 trips. I went into Ryder Lake with a couple of my brothers a few years back. We went in from Christmas Meadows like any normal (smart) people do. It is a really nice hike along a beautiful stream but its kinda long and at the end when your already tired it gets REALLY STEEP. Then you are rewarded with being in a beautiful basin that is full of lakes most of which have fish and some have some pretty nice ones. I had heard my Dad tell stories of visiting this area years ago but he claimed to have just parked at the highline trailhead and humped it over the ridge. this was back in the day...no GPS or high tech gear just "knowing where he was going" and "just doin it" I called BS every time we would look at Hayden peak from the look out on the highway just below bald mtn pass. But now that I was in there and taking some waypoints on my GPS and lookig things over I decided I needed to try it for myself. We caught some pretty big Cuts in one of the lakes so my motivation to get back as soon as possible was even greater. I needed to know if this was somewhere I could visit for a nice day trip or even a quick overnighter. We got out from this trip as the snow started to fly for the year so I had to wait all winter but as soon as the snow was melted the next spring I recruited a couple of hiking buddies to see if we could get over the ridge. We just made a day hike to get to the top and look around. The hike up from the Highline was BRUTAL but once up there it was sooo cool to see the other side. I owed Dad an apology

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I took a minute to ponder and think about how to get down the other side and maybe should we try it right now??

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Naw time to go back and tell Dad he was right AGAIN and then gear up and get in there! One of the guys on the day hike was all geeked about going back with me so we planned to go over the 24th of July. It was going to be a long weekend and I hate parades so what better time to get away from the crowds and catch some big fish. The day before we were set to go my buddy calls up and says he can't make it, something about previous commitments that he forgot about until his wife reminded him. Im pretty sure he camped out for a spot on the parade routeo_O

Whatever. His loss was my gain. My wife heard my dissapointment from the other room and being the best friend that she is she said if we could get my neice to watch the boys overnight she would go with me. She is AWESOME! so is my neice for the sake of this story. So we head out for the trailhead kinda late. It is a quick drive from Layton. We park the car and she looks at the route and has serious 2nd thoughts but we're here so lets go for it. an hour later we are on top of the world or at least the ridge and the setting sun is playing out the most amazing show down in the basin. I start to break out the tripod and set up for some amazing photos but Sherry points out that we still need to get down the other side of a very steep mountain in the setting sun and we have never been on this route so in other words: Move it or loose it buddy! I did the best I could without the tripod

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It looked SOOO Much better in person.
So we scramble down the other side and it was pretty bad. really steep. lots of loose talus and a couple of fairly big rocks that seemed precariously perched. just waiting to be knocked loose by some idot trying to use them to stop his out of control skiing down the hill. We got to the bottom as the last of the evening twilight faded into black. We found a great campsite and set up the tent in the dark. I promised to cook dinner while Sherry set up the beds. There was a spring nearby and really in the full light of midday I couldn't have found a better campsite. This is what it looked like the next morning.

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So now we had the whole basin to ourselves and it was time to do some exploring and show the wife where the big fish were. Of course the big fish didn't co-operate this time but we still had a great time and the wildflowers were more than willing to compensate. The fishing was ok too just no big guys

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So it was time to pack up and get back over the ridge. It was easier going up and over from this side. We made good time and got to the car just ahead of the weather.

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Best overnighter ever! and it only took calling my dads bluff, hiking in the long way, reconitering it the right way, freind bailing last minute, BEST FREIND ponying up last minute and my neice helping out. Yep. peice o cake:thumbsup:

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sorry about the small pics. still getting to know my way around this digital world:cautious:
 
I fixed the image sizes for you--man, you got some nice shots! I love the ones of the last sunlight hitting the mountain tops. And that campsite at the base of the talus slope is so sweet. When I backpacked into Amethyst last year I researched whether one could scramble up the divide and look out over the south slope. It would have been awesome but I didn't have a chance to try it. It looks like your trip over the ridge was worth it. :)
 
such a rad spot. got any shots of the actual descent route on the middle basin side?
 
Amethyst Basin_081711_0752.JPG We went into Amethyst last year, with the boys this time. For scenery it beats middle basin I think. Those waterfalls on the way up from the junction are pretty sweet. Amethyst lake is amazing too! We camped at a little pond off trail below Ostler. The fishing was FAST for average brookies. Perfect for my 8 year old. He is hooked.
 
such a rad spot. got any shots of the actual descent route on the middle basin side?
the picture of our campsite shows it kind of. We just came down through that notch and followed the "gravel flow" that pours out and looks like it curves around the cliffs. hard to tell from that shot but there is a little section of cliffs just above the green that we had to come back to the left. then it was some seroius boulder hopping and your down
 
the picture of our campsite shows it kind of. We just came down through that notch and followed the "gravel flow" that pours out and looks like it curves around the cliffs. hard to tell from that shot but there is a little section of cliffs just above the green that we had to come back to the left. then it was some seroius boulder hopping and your down
nice. i'm trying to figure out exactly what talus slope that is. there is another route that comes over the ridge from the highline traiheadl that is likely quite a bit easier than that. did you happen to take a gps waypoint? cool to know there is actually a couple options up there.
 
nice. i'm trying to figure out exactly what talus slope that is. there is another route that comes over the ridge from the highline traiheadl that is likely quite a bit easier than that. did you happen to take a gps waypoint? cool to know there is actually a couple options up there.
Sorry I didn't take my GPS with me on this one. Had already found my route the week before. I did try another route earlier...but going up from the highline side was bad. We actually got to about 100 yards from the top and it just got too steep. then a thunder storm rolled in and traped us under a boulder for about an hour. I think if we had been able to find a way up that last hundred yards the descent down the other side would have been better. Like the TR indicated it usually takes me a couple of times to finally find the best route. but thats the fun of it. my family gives me a bad time about that stuff...the journey is the destination
 
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haha, indeed, good stuff. do you happen to have a photo of the highline side? i have heard rumors about going up a gully on the highline side as well, and i wonder if that's what this route is?

the only way i've done it is to stay on the fairly obvious ridge that goes up from the highline trailhead. About 200 feet from the top, you have to do a 4th class move or two, and then contour to the north towards a pretty gentle pass. It's a pretty steep but fairly easy descent down from there. my guess is you are farther south, toward agassiz than the route i've done. sounds like you likely did the second variation i've heard of, but not actually seen photos of. did you cross right here? http://goo.gl/maps/dIH5X

good stuff, thanks for posting, always been curious about the "other" route!
 
haha, indeed, good stuff. do you happen to have a photo of the highline side? i have heard rumors about going up a gully on the highline side as well, and i wonder if that's what this route is?

the only way i've done it is to stay on the fairly obvious ridge that goes up from the highline trailhead. About 200 feet from the top, you have to do a 4th class move or two, and then contour to the north towards a pretty gentle pass. It's a pretty steep but fairly easy descent down from there. my guess is you are farther south, toward agassiz than the route i've done. sounds like you likely did the second variation i've heard of, but not actually seen photos of. did you cross right here? http://goo.gl/maps/dIH5X

good stuff, thanks for posting, always been curious about the "other" route!
I'll try to find the photos from the highline side. I think they are on my other computer. looks like you got the spot on that link. and it sounds like we were just a couple of moves away from success before. I'm gonna blame the storm for not trying harder. Next time. now Im curious about the other route that is other than the one I did.
Thanks for your info!
 
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I've been up and over that "pass" twice. Just park at the Highline TH and head for the notch. Yeah the elevation change is brutal, but it sure beats spending most of the day on the trail from Christmas Meadows!
 
Man, I've got to try this one. I've only been to Middle Basin one time and that was with you and your brothers, MtnMatt. I've always wanted to go back. Maybe this year I'll make it.
 
Man, I've got to try this one. I've only been to Middle Basin one time and that was with you and your brothers, MtnMatt. I've always wanted to go back. Maybe this year I'll make it.

Good to see you Garyatrics. When your ready to do this let me know and Ill go with you. You were great company on our first trip in the long way. As I recall you had some great pics from that trip. You ought to share.
 
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