Upper Hazard & Hard Trail Creek lakes. Grassy Mountains, Idaho.

BrettCottrell

Brett Cottrell
Joined
Feb 14, 2013
Messages
18
August, 2012

The Grassy Mountains are on the western side of the Salmon River Mountains, northwest of McCall, Idaho, and south of the Salmon River. The trailheads are about a 30 minute drive from McCall on a good dirt road, and most lakes are less than five miles in, and they’re almost all pretty easy hikes.

Last August, I made a day hike to Upper Hazard Lake and Hard Trail Creek Lake. You start out at a trailhead .25 mile below the Hazard Lake campground, and follow a large meadow for the first mile and a half and then climb a small (200 ft.) ridge before arriving at Upper Hazard Lake (2 miles). It's a pretty lake at the base of granite Bruin Mountain.

Follow the trail from there southwest about .75 of a mile and you’ll be at Hard Trail Creek Lake. There are a few campsites, but they’re rough.

This day was really smoky. There were some serious fires to the west or Cheech and Chong were filming a movie. Who can say? As the pictures show, this area was heavily burned about 15 years ago.It’s making a nice comeback, the flowers were incredible.

The fishing’s a gamble at these two lakes. I always try, and sometimes get some nice brookies, but more often than not just a few nibbles. So, when the fishing’s slow, I do what any reasonable person would do. Jump in the lake.

[picasa=5s]https://picasaweb.google.com/bsubrett/Haz#slideshow/5848724936816374802[/picasa]

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Okay, I take back what I said about Idaho. Well... most of it. That looks really nice! And I agree with Udink on the captions AND Tico. If that was Cheech & Chong, they filmed a really long movie last summer!
Idaho's got tons of great places! Obviously the Sawtooths, but many Idahoans will tell you that the White Clouds are the best in the state. Plus the Pioneer Mountains are pretty incredible, and of course, one of my favorites, the Bighorn Crags. And how can you not like the Seven Devils Mountains that overlook Hell's Canyon? You've got to like them, if for no reason than the names!
 
Okay, I take back what I said about Idaho. Well... most of it. That looks really nice! And I agree with Udink on the captions AND Tico. If that was Cheech & Chong, they filmed a really long movie last summer!

What did you say about Idaho? I really like that state. It has great rock and tons of water(not to mention snow!!), which is often lacking in western states. I was on a journey to find a retirement cabin and this state was high on the list. unfortunately my wife did not feel the same. She wasn't keen on West Virginia either(great rock and lots of water with tons of snow).
 
Sorry brett, loved the pictures. I was there a few years ago when MaCall was burning up. Lots of fires that year. You can see the scars remain in your pictures.
 
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