- Joined
- Feb 15, 2020
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- 635
Wasn't sure we were going to make our usual 'end of school' trip up to Yellowstone this year, but glad we did. Grabbed a last second site at the Mammoth CG - I must say, it's a much more pleasant spot with the new north entrance road largely avoiding it. I spent some leisurely time around the park with the family, but took one day to hike up and over Mount Everts. For the last few years, I've enjoyed taking a day on our frontcountry trips to hike from our campsite - no cars, no shuttles - and just see what the 'coolest' thing I can find is. It's often the most prominent high point I've been looking at from camp and from the Mammoth CG that's obviously Everts.
The sites are a little small, but my boys explored every inch of that hillside.
I walked from the campground to the Lava Creek trail, which I took over to Undine Falls, then hopped off-trail to (roughly) follow the ridge all the way up. I would drop off the west side and take the old road back to the Mammoth CG.
On the trail. (Fair warning: the Gardner River crossing requires finding a smart spot this time of year and still gave a pretty good push. There are warnings at the trailhead that it is impassable until late July, but I'd scouted it out the day before.)
Got a later start than usual, but the weather was wonderful. Just enough clouds to keep the sun from being a problem.
Across the river.
Gardner River Bridge.
A good look at the Huckleberry formation that makes up the top layer of the mountain.
Undine Falls. Cool falls - only place on my route I saw anyone else, since it's only about 200' from the road. Just after the falls, I left the trail behind.
If you zoom in, you can see a beautiful little Western Tanager that I followed for quite a while up the ridge.
There were so many elk bones scattered along the whole of Mount Everts - easily the most bones/mile of any hike I've done in Yellowstone. On the western end of the ridge there were some fresher remains, but only the beetles were still finding much to eat.
Starting to get some long-distance views.
Can still see the road - pretty close to it 'as the crow flies' throughout the hike, but it rarely feels like it.
Easy walking up top.
Neat to see Osprey Falls at this distance.
Looking over Mammoth for a quick lunch break. My youngest son says he could see me, but I think he's a liar.
Doesn't feel like much of a 'summit' when you're looking north.
360° from (near) the summit of Mount Everts.
Sad little summit marker.
Heading down the west side to complete the loop.
Gardiner, MT.
I finished the loop by walking up the old road to Mammoth CG. Wonderful way to spend a day in the park.
Can't wait to be back in July - but first: leaving in the AM to take a quick drive up to the Arctic Ocean.
The sites are a little small, but my boys explored every inch of that hillside.
I walked from the campground to the Lava Creek trail, which I took over to Undine Falls, then hopped off-trail to (roughly) follow the ridge all the way up. I would drop off the west side and take the old road back to the Mammoth CG.
On the trail. (Fair warning: the Gardner River crossing requires finding a smart spot this time of year and still gave a pretty good push. There are warnings at the trailhead that it is impassable until late July, but I'd scouted it out the day before.)
Got a later start than usual, but the weather was wonderful. Just enough clouds to keep the sun from being a problem.
Across the river.
Gardner River Bridge.
A good look at the Huckleberry formation that makes up the top layer of the mountain.
Undine Falls. Cool falls - only place on my route I saw anyone else, since it's only about 200' from the road. Just after the falls, I left the trail behind.
If you zoom in, you can see a beautiful little Western Tanager that I followed for quite a while up the ridge.
There were so many elk bones scattered along the whole of Mount Everts - easily the most bones/mile of any hike I've done in Yellowstone. On the western end of the ridge there were some fresher remains, but only the beetles were still finding much to eat.
Starting to get some long-distance views.
Can still see the road - pretty close to it 'as the crow flies' throughout the hike, but it rarely feels like it.
Easy walking up top.
Neat to see Osprey Falls at this distance.
Looking over Mammoth for a quick lunch break. My youngest son says he could see me, but I think he's a liar.
Doesn't feel like much of a 'summit' when you're looking north.
360° from (near) the summit of Mount Everts.
Sad little summit marker.
Heading down the west side to complete the loop.
Gardiner, MT.
I finished the loop by walking up the old road to Mammoth CG. Wonderful way to spend a day in the park.
Can't wait to be back in July - but first: leaving in the AM to take a quick drive up to the Arctic Ocean.
