Day 1: Clarks Fork Yellowstone TH to Big Moose Lake
Day 2: Big Moose Lake to Farley Lake
Day 3: Farley Lake to Mariane Lake
Day 4: Mariane Lake to Fizzle Lake
Day 5: Fizzle Lake to Lower Aero Lake
Day 6: Lower Aero Lake to Lady of the Lake
Day 7: Out to TH and home via Yellowstone
Danny at Lone Elk Lake
This was our only trip to Montana (with a wild goose chase into Wyoming). It was pretty wild, with poor trail signage, lots of cross country scrambles, and many lakes and scenic vistas.
It’s a good thing we were very experienced hikers as we faced several daunting fords along the way. The mosquitoes were out in force for the whole trip as evidenced in the videos herein. Fishing was spotty, being great in some lakes and awful in others.
The hike was very special for me as I had my 60th birthday on the trip, a special day that was 100% off trail, with route finding surprises, and rough terrain. We made it ( or should I say I made it!).
As usual, the guys had cooked up a surprise for me – it will be explained in the photos below.
Adults (45+) on this trip:
Bill Mooseker, Greg Phillips, Fred Stong
Scouts and Alumni Scouts on this trip:
Jon Younger, Danny Stallings, Roger Shively, Shelby Stong, Eric Walkingshaw, Derek Stong, Nick McMahan, Joel Fuller
The descriptions under the photo thumbnails in the album sometimes contain links to maps or additional information. These are identified by "Blue” text for links. I've also inserted links to Hillmap to show where certain photos in the album were taken or to locate features shown in the photos. This is a very versatile program in that you can switch switch from topo (Caltopo FS) to Satellite view, or even a split screen. Basically, you can then zoom in and out using the mouse wheel or drag the map by clicking and holding.
NOTE: Revised 7/2022 - Replaced low resolution photos with new high resolution scans. Also added Hi-8 video clips from trip.
Troop 24 Kickass Trekkers: "The High Adventure Troop" Alumni Backpacking Trip
-Cascade Bill Mooseker
Date(s): August 2003. Album by Cascade Bill. Photos by WHM. 1 - 121 of 121 Total. 2083 Visits.
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If you want to save photos to your computer, click the box under the thumbnails of all the photos you want to download. Then click the "Download" button at the top of the album. Pick the size you'd like to download (Original is best)and the photos will be downloaded as a zip file to the folder of your choice.
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Shelby and Danny waking up at Pine Cr Campground - We arrived at the CG at about midnight after an all day drive that started at 5 in the morning. We couldn't find our assigned campsite in the dark and took this spacious site instead - it turned out to be the Picnic area. Oh well! - we were on our way before anyone else in the camp was awake.
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Fred, Derek, and Jon packing up while Shelby and Danny are still in their sleeping bags.
Information about Pine Cr Campground can be found HERE
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Fred near the Trail Head as we were starting out - This was our first screw up as we missed the bridge and we followed a quickly disappearing fishermans trail down river. After crawling under a couple of downed trees and scrambling down a cliff, I realized that this wasn't a major trail (the official name was "The Beaten Path"), and turned back where we found the trail had taken a sharp left while we went straight.
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Route for Day One: Clark's Fork TH at left to Camp 1 at Big Moose Lake at the right.
There was a big thunderstorm right before we started out and another about the time we got to Kersey Lake (Good view from trail). The guys started off down the Rock Island Lake trail but we got that straightened out.
Eric and Jon disappeared between Rock Island Lk Trail and Widewater Lake - Somehow they had missed the trail.
We found a nice camp at Big Moose Lake.
enlarge 64.59MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 6 Moose Lake campfire.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
Campfire at Big Moose Lake after a long drive to the trailhead through Yellowstone Park, the car shuttle, and often confusing slog on the trail.
Eric and Jon take a little ribbing for getting "lost".
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Day 2 Route: Big Moose Lake to Farley Lake.
I had hoped to make it to Jordan Lake on day 2, but another route (mis)adventure occurred as the trail dipped into Wyoming. I only had Montana maps which show the trail only about a couple of hundred yards apart at the Wy. boundary.
I assumed that the trail dipped slightly into Wyoming before swinging back into Montana. How wrong as the map shows - When we arrived at Lake Reno I was thoroughly confused. The trail on the Montana map follows the route shown as I've drawn, not as on the map.
enlarge 36.10MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 8 Big Moose Lake camp.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
Packing up at our camp at Big Moose Lake. Unfortunately, we have to ford the lake just after leaving camp.
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Day 2 started out with a formidible ford of Big Moose Lake. It was very shallow for most of the way across but it was crotch deep on this side. Of course, long legged Danny had no trouble (only thigh deep for him).
Eric watches as Danny, Fred, Shelby, Greg, and Derek are about over. Still out in the middle are Shelby, Joel, Nick, Roger, and Jon (far side in red).
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Danny has made it, and Fred is going through the deep part.
enlarge 175.95MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 11 Big Moose Lake ford.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Epic ford of Big Moose Lake
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Derek, Greg,Nick, and Jon have made it - Shelby tried a short cut straight across and waded into a deep part up to his waist and soaking his sleeping bag.
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Roger made his own route going way around to the left (south). Unfortunately for him, it was deeper than the way the rest of the group went. (See video above).
enlarge 233KB, 540x800 14 03-396-017 Eric, Jon, and Shelby.
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Our Wyoming mis-adventure - here we are heading due south instead of east as we hoped.
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This is just before the junction of 4 trails (See Map).
One went south - clearly wrong. Another went east, which we took (we missed the faint tread of the correct trail which went north) leading us to Lake Reno. It was truly a WTF moment when we got to the lake. Almost as bad as the creek that was "flowing the wrong way" on our Buckskin Ridge hike in 2000.
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Taking a break - This is where the trail makes a right angle between Lennon Lake and Shrew Lake, a short distance from Farley Lake. We've climbed out of the trees to a more open alpine area.
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Near Fritter Lake, looking north towards crest of the Beartooths. Farley lake is in a depression beyond the trees ahead.
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Day 3 Route: From Camp 2 at Farley Lake to Camp 3 at Mariane Lake: Although there is no trail shown on the map, there is a trail at each end of the route. The tread peters out at Otter Lake and some route finding skills are required.
enlarge 120.36MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 20 Farley Lake.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Breaking camp at Farley Lake. Danny offers up his new "Five Minute Rule".
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Leaving camp at Farley Lake - Jon and Fred lead out. We found a camp on a bench above the eastern side of the outlet. Fishing for fat brook trout 10-12 inches long was good.
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Following the trail along the eastern shore of Farley Lake.
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Greg, Shelby, and Derek near the north end of Farley Lake. The "trail" to Jorden Lake goes over the small knoll at the left.
enlarge 105.10MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 24 Farley to Jorden Lake 1.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
Video highlights of the days hike from Farley Lake to the other side of Jorden Lake. Features the crossing of the outlet stream from Jorden Lake and Roger's Raft secured to his backpack.
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Looking back(south) towards Farley Lake from trail to Jorden Lake. At the junction, we met another scout troop from Fargo, N.D. who were also going this way. They had camped at Elaine Lake the previous night.
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Cascade Bill in the Beartooths - The trail climbs from Farley Lake to this viewpoint. Elaine Lake appears below. The trail contours around the ridge above Jorden Lake.
enlarge 199KB, 518x800 27 03-397-001 Greg at the same viewpoint.
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Greg Packhorse Phillips - This is looking west from the viewpoint above Elaine Lake. You can see the trail winding its way around the fidge. Jorden Lake lies around the hill at the left.
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After going around the ridge, Jorden Lake appears below you - you descend steeply and go around the southern end of the lake here. The flowers here were spectacular.
The trail does not follow the lakeshore but goes down the outlet stream to a ford and then a steep (but short) climb over a small rise to again reach the lake at its western end.
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After the ford at Big Moose Lake, the ford of the outlet stream from Jorden Lake (Farley Cr) was fairly easy. The key is not to worry about getting your feet wet.
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We took a long break at Jorden Lake - Roger unveiled his raft and Shelby his flamingo as Nick looks on. Rather than deflate it Roger strapped it to his back for the rest of the day. He was almost blown off the trail a couple of time.
Although the fishing was reputed to be good here, no one had a strike or even had a fish follow the lures. The troop from Fargo passed us here as we took our break.
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The tread peters out a little between Shrimp and Picket Lake (shown here). But the way is obvious.
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There is no trail at Otter Lake. We struggled along shore hopping from boulder to boulder. At one point about halfway from either end, we came apon this sight - a skeleton of a horse with its saddle still attached. There is a story here and your imagination can come up with a good one. Why anyone would try to take a horse along the shore is beyond me.
Near the eastern end of the lake we met the other half of the troop from Fargo, their "A" team. They had humped it all the way from the northern end of the "Beaten Path" trail far to the north.
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The tread, though vague, reappears at Mariane Lake which is much easier to negotiate than Otter Lake with only a couple of tight spots.
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Cascade Bill (photo by Danny) at Mariane Lake. The flowers (red paintbrush here) were spectacular.
enlarge 182KB, 520x800 36 03-397-010 Another view of Bill at Mariane Lake.
enlarge 97.08MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 37 Gumbo night at Marriane Lk.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Gumbo Night at Marriane Lake
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Cooking supper at Mariane Lake - Jon, Roger, Eric, and Shelby. We met 3 hikers (my contemporaries) who camped near the snag beyond Jon. They were from Montana and moving slow as one of them had a knee brace and was complaining about the rough trip along Otter Lake. They had tried to go high but dropped back down to follow the shore like we did.
enlarge 186KB, 656x800 39 mtday4 (Best viewed at Original size) DAY 4
Day 4: Mariane Lake to Fizzle Lake: My original plan was to make it to Jorden Lake on day 2 and then to Fizzle Lake on Day 3. The realities of route finding and rough terrain forced us to modify that plan.
I had speculated that we would follow the outlet stream down, but we noticed a very vague impression going through the meadow we were camped at at Mariane Lake. This vague tread shortly became a real trail.
enlarge 275KB, 800x599 40 03-397-012a Crossing a meadow near Wand Lake (SEE MAP ).
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We followed the trail until it petered out in a talus slope. Backtracking brought us to this ford which Greg is shown crossing.
enlarge 92.35MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 42 Wand Cr ford.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Jon gingerly fording the creek we had been following.
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Following the trail on the northern side of the stream, we thought we had it made until another ford appeared - Roger is showing his frustration. ( I guess Joel is too in his own way). Some made it across by crossing on slippery logs upstream while others (myself included) did the wading thing.
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After the last ford, it wasn't long before we hit the main trail aptly named "The Beaten Path". This was the trail we had started on originally.
Shown are Greg, Derek, Nick, Roger, Eric, Jon, Danny, Joel, Shelby, and Fred. Fortunately, we didn't have to ford the stream again but found this fine bridge. Jon is not "cold" he is protecting himself from the hordes of mosquitoes.
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Danny at the bridge. This view is looking back up the stream we had followed down from Mariane Lake and forded twice.
enlarge 60.29MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 46 Beaten Path Bridge to Bald Knob Lk.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
enlarge 266KB, 517x800 47 03-397-017 Another view of the stream from the bridge.
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Soon after crossing the bridge, the "Beaten Path" switchbacks up a hill giving this view back up the canyon that we came down from Mariane Lake.
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Looking south from "The Beaten Path" - After climbing the switchbacks from the canyon beyond, this pleasant hanging valley with its meandering creek and shallow ponds gives the heart a break with its nearly level trail. The switchbacks soon begin again as the trail climbs though talus and open forest gaining about 250 feet to suddenly arrive at Ouzel Lake (SEE MAP).
enlarge 260KB, 521x800 50 03-397-020 Danny taking a break along this section of the trail.
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Beyond Ouzel Lake, is this larger unnamed lake which for lack of a better name, I'll call Bald Knob Lake for the nearby peak of the same name. We stopped for a break here and had great fishing for all the small brook trout that you would ever want to catch.
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Breaktime - As usual, Jon is in full mosquito defense mode while Shelby and Danny are sans shirts to catch some rays.
Derek, Roger, and Fred are getting their fishing gear together to try their luck, and the "teeny-weenies" Nick and Joel are just hanging out. (Note: "teeny-weenie" is from the perspective of a 19 to 21 year old to a 16 to 17 year old.)
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The trail switchbacks steeply from the lake below Bald Knob and then begins a steady gradual ascent.
Here, Nick and Joel are framed in a scene looking back on the lake.
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enlarge 72.62MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 55 Bald Knob Lake to Fizzle Lake.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Video highlights from the hike from Bald Mtn Lake to Fizzle Lake
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A last look at Bald Knob Lake before going over a small pass below Skull Lake.
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Taking a card break along trail opposite Fizzle Lake (Greg, Eric, Roger, and Danny).
Our eventual camp was in the meadows on the far side of Fizzle Lake (near the rock bluff that juts into the water).
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One old "Fossil" with Fossil Lake in the background. Fred and I hiked the short distance up to the divide to get a look at Fossil Lake. I had planned to camp here but since we were behind schedule and had a lot of daylight left, we adjusted our plans and backtracked a bit to camp on the far side of Fizzle Lake.
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Backtracking south along the "Beaten Path" above the Twin Lakes. We would leave the trail to cross the creek from Fizzle Lake and follow it up the west side of the lake to Camp 4.
If you enlarge the photo, you can see that the trail goes around to the left of the foreground lake and then between the two lakes.
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Leaving "The Beaten Path" behind we make our way around one of the many arms of Fizzle Lake. Our camp was on another arm just over the ridge beyond. (For location click HERE)
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Two years ago it was "Chickens to Jackass Pass", last year it was a 25 pound watermelon for my birthday on our third day out - but this year Danny "dressed" for dinner with a Suit, tie, dress shirt, black socks, and dress shoes. As always, Dan is the Man!
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On the eve of my 60th birthday, Danny and Greg break out into a rendition of "Wild Thing".
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Day 5 - My 60th birthday - Camp 4 at Fizzle Lake to Camp 5 on Aero Lake. What a way to spend a 60th birthday - a totally off trail scramble through beautiful alpine country. As usual there were the unexpected route finding adventures, but all in all a great way to celebrate six decades of life!
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A short distance from our camp near the outlet from No Bones Lake is this pond (the second one on the map - located HERE). Our route is up this valley to a pass over to the Sky Top Creek drainage at Rough Lake.
The peaks in the background are (L to R): Glacier Peak, Mt Villard & The Spires (12345'), and point 11379. If you zoom the picture, you can see the guys as they make their way up the valley.
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I couldn't resist a picture of this idyllic stream flowing down this fine alpine valley.
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Danny as he catches up to me - He is the fastest hiker and he'll take a break and start off 10 minutes after everybody else. He then passes me and often catches up with the lead group.
enlarge 205.76MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 68 Dannys video.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
Danny caught up to me and then went up the valley to where the guys were taking a break. He came back down and took my pack up the hill for me. He completed the video by filming me going up the final climb to where the guys were waiting.
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Looking back down the valley near it's head. We stopped to take a break here before hitting the steep climb over the pass.
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Break time - Eric, Roger, Shelby, Nick, and Joel. Our route was up the hill beyond Joel.
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enlarge 18.71MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 72 Danny - Greg.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Greg -"Just don't be a Redhead"
enlarge 27.17MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 73 Danny - Jon.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Jon - "Barbecue Flavored Sunflower Seeds"
enlarge 21.58MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 74 Danny - Joel.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Joel - "Just throw shit at him"
enlarge 20.99MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 75 Danny - Nick.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Nick - "So Danny, Having fun with the camera"
enlarge 36.56MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 76 Danny - Roger.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Roger - "Strikes and Gutters, Ups and Downs"
enlarge 48.20MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 77 Danny - Eric.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Eric - "Up 9 for 9 in getting the Skittles Colors right"
enlarge 22.31MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 78 Danny - Shelby.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Shelby - "Would You Eat the Burger?"
enlarge 50.07MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 79 Danny - Fred.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Fred - "The Homeowner is Armed"
enlarge 11.27MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 80 Danny - Derek.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Derek - "Chicken Fried Steak, Good Stuff!"
enlarge 95.25MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 81 Danny - Nike and New Balance.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Danny - "Bring out the Microscope and Roach Clip"
enlarge 71.71MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 82 Danny - Bill.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Bill - "I'm the Oldest and the Youngest Guy Here"
enlarge 123.22MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 83 Danny - jet flyby 1.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. While on our break, some B1 Bombers flew overhead
enlarge 285.00MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 84 Danny - classic Fred - stealth bomber Bin Laden Israelis 1.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
enlarge 42.87MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 85 Danny - I gotta rash carmex.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
enlarge 94.53MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 86 Danny - Big Lebowski 1.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
(Working Lebowski quotes into a conversation worth bonus points since 1998 and on into the future)
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After our long break, we headed up towards the pass on the ridge above. The video covers the portion of the hike over to wrong the pass, then to the correct pass anddown to Rough Lake, to Lone Elk Lake, and up past the pass beyond Shelter Lake to descend to Lower Aero Lake.
enlarge 260KB, 800x617 88 03-398-012a Making our way up - The route gets tough, a heart pounding climb for the FOM.
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Whoops! - This is the wrong pass! We had made a wrong turn at this small pond, shown HERE. Instead of heading NW towards Rough Lake, we went westerly to this pass overlooking Lone Elk Lake. We backtracked to the pond and were soon headed the right way.
Our path would follow the far shoreline of Lone Elk Lake (with its distinctive island) and then to Shelter Lake beyond. Our route to Aero Lake is over the pass beyond Shelter Lake. The large snowfield below this pass looked like it would be difficult to go over.
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Another view of Lone Elk Lake from our vantage point at the wrong pass - It might have been possible to go down this way but it was a steep talus slope with large boulders so I think it was wise to go back. The peak in the background is Mt Zimmer.
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Fred and Derek - above small pond where we made our wrong turn.
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Finally on the right route, we pass this small pond before descending to Rough Lake. (See map) Mt Wilse is the peak to the left and Glacier Peak at the other end of the ridge.
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View from the pass above Rough Lake - I had wanted to spend some time here but our earlier shift in plans had to be made up somewhere. This is truly spectacular country and quite a birthday present. The Mt. Wilse (at left) to Glacier Peak - Mt Villard - The Spires massif (center) that frames Rough Lake is breathtaking. Our route is to follow Sky Top Cr at the lower right down to Lone Elk Lake.
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We took an extended break here to fix up Greg's pack (that is a truly epic saga in itself from 1995 to 2003).
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Fred crossing Sky Top Creek at a small lake between Rough Lake and Lone Elk Lake with Nick at the left. We met a Dad and his son at this lake who had come from Aero Lake so we knew the route was possible which relieved my worries somewhat.
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Danny making his way along Lone Elk Lake - The knife edged ridge that juts out from Mt Villard called "The Spires" is quite impressive. The conical peak at the right was named "Squaw Tit" by Greg.
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Leaving Lone Elk lake we head up a draw and then descend to Shelter Lake for lunch and a break. (good fishing for small brook trout) You can see the pass to Aero Lake above - It still looked scary to me from here, but you actually follow the ledge above the snowfield to the pass.
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Looking back down to Shelter Lake (foreground) and Lone Elk Lake (beyond) you can see our viewpoint from our wrong way route on the far ridge. It would have been a nightmare to try to come down that slope. Although the route up from Shelter Lake looked bad, it was very easy and the snow fields avoided completely.
enlarge 184KB, 900x496 99 mt03-d5-072 Bill & Jon - above Lower Aero Lake
enlarge 159KB, 800x597 100 mt03-d5-073 Another view
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Descending down to Lower Aero Lake was not steep but the bouldery talus made it more difficult than the way up from Shelter Lake. If you zoom the picture you can see the guys going down.
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Getting down to Aero Lake proved to be a challenge - most of the guys went to the left and climbed over the ridge to the left. Negotiating the large boulders on the steep slope seemed too difficult to me so I contoured around and crossed the long snowfield just above the rocks seen in the snow. It wasn't too bad after that. We thought we had lost Danny when he didn't appear but he finally showed up.
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We found a nice camp near a small pond in a pass above Aero Lake. Here Derek and Nick prepare supper. Our camp was located HERE.
The fishing in Aero Lake was good in the evening for large brook trout.
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DAY 6
Day 6: Aero Lake to Lady of the Lake We had to leave the spectacular high country behind for a long descent from the tundra to the timber.
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Bill leaving camp at Aero Lake - Mt Zimmer in the background.
enlarge 228KB, 524x800 107 03-399-004 Close up of Bill as he begins his 6th decade.
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Aero Lake from a high point (you can't just follow the lakeshore around the lake) from the route around the lake. If you zoom the picture, you can see a small blue and pink dot near the far shore at the center of the picture. This is Eric, dressed in Danny's suit, tie, etc. rowing Roger's raft and towing Shelby's flamingo. Eric pulled into shore near some other hikers' camp to their amazement.
enlarge 305.39MB, 800x533 Download MPEG4 109 Eric - Flamingo Escort Service.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
Video recorded by the guys of Eric dressed in Danny's suit, rowing Roger's raft while towing the pink flamingo to the opposite shore where a couple was camped.
enlarge 248.18MB, 900x506 Download MPEG4 110 Aero Lk - camper.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. Conversation with the camper who Eric surprised.
enlarge 112.54MB, 900x506 Download MPEG4 111 Aero Lk - Joel Shelby Roger 16 x 9.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
Joel not having much luck fishing and Shelby and Roger sliding down a snowfield.
enlarge 46.78MB, 900x506 Download MPEG4 112 Dr Love 16 x 9.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View. (No explanation needed)
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Looking back towards Glacier Peak to Mt Villard and The Spires from viewpoint above Aero Lake. Our camp was to the right of the photo. The ridge at the center was where the guys came over the previous day while I had come from the left.
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Leaving Aero Lake you climb to this pass before beginning the long descent down Zimmer Cr.
enlarge 211KB, 604x800 115 03-399-008 Looking back for our last look at Aero Lake high country from the pass shown in the previous photo.
enlarge 107.30MB, 900x506 Download MPEG4 116 Aero Lk to Lady of the Lake.mp4 VIDEO - Click Photo to View.
Video of the highlights of the hike from Aero Lake down to our camp near the outlet of the Lady of the Lake lake.
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Heading down Zimmer Creek - this valley was very much like a Pasayten valley in Washington.
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Looking back up Sky Top Creek from the meadow at the junction of the Zimmer and Star Creeks.
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Another creek to cross - Roger and Jon - at the large meadow above Lady of the Lake (see map).
enlarge 215KB, 800x543 120 03-399-012 Our Last Camp - Lady of the Lake
Greg, Danny, Roger, and Eric are playing a round of Pinochle. Fred, Derek, Shelby, and Joel are lounging around.
It had been a fairly short day with the only difficult part being the scramble from our camp to where the main trail leaves Aero Lake. The hike out the next was also very short so Greg and Fred hiked out to shuttle the cars to our exit trailhead, so we wouldn't be wasting any time before heading home. Along the way, they stopped in Cooke City for a beer and pizza, much to the displeasure of the guys who had remained at the lake.
As the day ended, the clouds opened up with a gentle rain. We built a fire which a couple of treehuggers complained about when they hiked by stating that there was a fire ban in effect. Meanwhile everything around us was soaked.
enlarge 254KB, 793x800 121 mtday7 (Best viewed at Original size)
DAY 7
The Last day's route - It wasn't long but it was a pretty stiff climb out to the cars. Driving back through Yellowstone we stopped for breakfast at Yellowstone's Roosevelt Lodge, where we met Nick's parents who picked up Nick for a family vacation. After breakfast we headed out for the long drive home.
On the hike out Nick and Joel were determined to beat Fred to the cars, but Fred persevered and got there before them.