hellroaring
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2026
- Messages
- 4
Greetings I’m a brand new member and this is my first post. I stumbled upon this site while researching for a big trip. I have planned this summer in late July. Naturally, I have some questions for all you hard-core greater Yellowstone veterans.
First of all a quick résumé of some of the stuff I’ve done in the Yellowstone area so you all won’t think you’re dispensing advice to some crazy ass noob that’s going to get in way over their head, which admittedly is always a possibility I guess when dealing with deep wilderness trips
Also full disclosure it has been 15 years since I’ve had the pleasure to do some adventuring up in the Yellowstone area. So it has been a while and I am 15 years older however I do have experience trumping around up there.
So really quick: I spent six years working in Yellowstone first for the concessionaire then the park service. Had a lot of opportunity to spend time in the backcountry. I’ve been across the Mirror Plateau a couple times across the Pitchstone Plateau. Did an amazing trip from Pahaska Tepee to Lamar Valley via the Absaroka crest and down the Cache/Calffee ridge. Climbed eagle peak twice, once continuing all the way to Sylvan pass on the E. Entrance Rd. Did an amazing loop hike starting at Ishawooa Cone, down petrified Ridge, up onto the Trident Plateau to Overlook Peak and then scrambled from Overlook back over the crest to Ishawooa and then back down to the car. I’m not trying to spray or brag. I just wanted to list my experience so that whoever is giving advice will get a rough idea of who they are advising.
Fast forward, it’s been 15 years and I finally have a rare opportunity this summer to get enough time away to be able to plan a long wilderness trip back up in an area I love so very much.
So here goes. Basically myself and probably two others would start at Brooks Lake and head over to Younts Peak. From what I’ve read and researched it seems basic and feasible for an off trail wilderness trip from there I would love to get onto the thoroughfare plateau either by way of hidden creek or if possible from the Yount’s down and up and work myself onto the Thorofare Plateau, hike out to Hawk’s Rest, drop down, somehow get up to Yellowstone Point (accessing it sounds hellish from what I’ve read online), head down the divide towards Ferry Lake and then back out to Brooks Lake.
I have been guilty of the old, my eyes being bigger than my stomach when planning trips in the past and for this trip, I only have nine days max That said if the above itinerary was to ambitious, I’d probably just go from Younts Peak over to Ferry Lake up onto the divide and explore around Senecio Creek/Jay peak, and then head back to Brooks Lake.
So there you have it. The timeframe I’m looking at is starting around July 24 or so I have a few questions. I’m hoping I will be able to get some guidance and advice from some of you.
First off do you think it’s feasible to get from Younts Peak either down and around to hidden Creek or from Younts Peak down over and up onto the Thorofare plateau??
And then I have just three other basic questions:
1) if one is careful about the time of day and where they choose to ford are the river crossings feasible? Lee Mercer’s book makes it sound like you shouldn’t try these fords until after August 1 however, I also know guidebook authors, probably air on the side of caution when writing their book for the masses.
2). That time of year would I normally have to carry an ice axe or crampons or micro spikes? Again, the Mercer book states that the Marten pass area may require an ice axe at that time of year though it seems I have also heard that you generally don’t have to carry one.?
3)) and lastly, if the weather permits, it would be an incredible experience I believe to be able to camp up on top of the plateaus. How do you all store your food safely if there are no trees to hang from? Or maybe there are scattered stance of trees up on the plateaus?
Well, there you have it fellow backcountry people this post was written in haste at work, so excuse me for any incoherence or ramblings
I look forward to hearing back from you, getting out there this summer, and then letting you know how it went
Cheers
First of all a quick résumé of some of the stuff I’ve done in the Yellowstone area so you all won’t think you’re dispensing advice to some crazy ass noob that’s going to get in way over their head, which admittedly is always a possibility I guess when dealing with deep wilderness trips
Also full disclosure it has been 15 years since I’ve had the pleasure to do some adventuring up in the Yellowstone area. So it has been a while and I am 15 years older however I do have experience trumping around up there.
So really quick: I spent six years working in Yellowstone first for the concessionaire then the park service. Had a lot of opportunity to spend time in the backcountry. I’ve been across the Mirror Plateau a couple times across the Pitchstone Plateau. Did an amazing trip from Pahaska Tepee to Lamar Valley via the Absaroka crest and down the Cache/Calffee ridge. Climbed eagle peak twice, once continuing all the way to Sylvan pass on the E. Entrance Rd. Did an amazing loop hike starting at Ishawooa Cone, down petrified Ridge, up onto the Trident Plateau to Overlook Peak and then scrambled from Overlook back over the crest to Ishawooa and then back down to the car. I’m not trying to spray or brag. I just wanted to list my experience so that whoever is giving advice will get a rough idea of who they are advising.
Fast forward, it’s been 15 years and I finally have a rare opportunity this summer to get enough time away to be able to plan a long wilderness trip back up in an area I love so very much.
So here goes. Basically myself and probably two others would start at Brooks Lake and head over to Younts Peak. From what I’ve read and researched it seems basic and feasible for an off trail wilderness trip from there I would love to get onto the thoroughfare plateau either by way of hidden creek or if possible from the Yount’s down and up and work myself onto the Thorofare Plateau, hike out to Hawk’s Rest, drop down, somehow get up to Yellowstone Point (accessing it sounds hellish from what I’ve read online), head down the divide towards Ferry Lake and then back out to Brooks Lake.
I have been guilty of the old, my eyes being bigger than my stomach when planning trips in the past and for this trip, I only have nine days max That said if the above itinerary was to ambitious, I’d probably just go from Younts Peak over to Ferry Lake up onto the divide and explore around Senecio Creek/Jay peak, and then head back to Brooks Lake.
So there you have it. The timeframe I’m looking at is starting around July 24 or so I have a few questions. I’m hoping I will be able to get some guidance and advice from some of you.
First off do you think it’s feasible to get from Younts Peak either down and around to hidden Creek or from Younts Peak down over and up onto the Thorofare plateau??
And then I have just three other basic questions:
1) if one is careful about the time of day and where they choose to ford are the river crossings feasible? Lee Mercer’s book makes it sound like you shouldn’t try these fords until after August 1 however, I also know guidebook authors, probably air on the side of caution when writing their book for the masses.
2). That time of year would I normally have to carry an ice axe or crampons or micro spikes? Again, the Mercer book states that the Marten pass area may require an ice axe at that time of year though it seems I have also heard that you generally don’t have to carry one.?
3)) and lastly, if the weather permits, it would be an incredible experience I believe to be able to camp up on top of the plateaus. How do you all store your food safely if there are no trees to hang from? Or maybe there are scattered stance of trees up on the plateaus?
Well, there you have it fellow backcountry people this post was written in haste at work, so excuse me for any incoherence or ramblings
I look forward to hearing back from you, getting out there this summer, and then letting you know how it went
Cheers
