Ross Lake

Ross Lake
Fitzpatrick Wilderness Area, Shoshone NF
August 6th, 2009

Recently I was called to duty for Lander LLama Company, to go into Ross Lake and pick up a fishing camp that had been dropped there about a week prior. I took few pictures along the way, even some video...

Heading up the Whiskey Mt. trail.

A look up the Torrey Creek drainage and Bomber Basin from along the Whiskey Mt. Trail.

Traversing a boulder field.

This trail is similar in nature to the Glacier Trail (the one used to access Gannett Peak). It's pretty much 4 to 6 miles of 2500 hot and dry vertical feet-- right off the bat, before you get to any decent camping. It's a grunt!

Looking back down at the trail head, about 2000 vertical feet later and a couple of hours.

A profile of the Glacier trail as it climbs up and over Goat Flats and Burrow Pass- it's a long hall. It pretty much follows the green all the way. Click to enlarge.

The basin/ cirque Ross lake lives in.

The flowers were still out in force. Pretty cool for August!

A look down the trail as it clear a pass below Whiskey Mt and heads down towards Ross Lake.

More flower and cool rocks along the way.

Time for a water break.

Looks like a good place to call home for the night! (backside of Whiskey Mt)

Later that evening I hiked down to Ross Lake to scout the trail and get a time estimate of how long it would take us to get to our "x" the nest morning. The lake was pretty cool- very large. Not alot (any) places to camp around it.

Ross Lake

Taking a breather- enjoying the evening and the view.

A fading view of the meadow we camped in, just before tucking in for the night.

The next morning we got up early and headed down the steep, nasty trail into Ross Lake.

Not maintained for horses.

Negotiating a "no fall" zone along the trail.

The llamas did great, although go up this steep stuff with full packs on was a little slower.

The llamas enjoy a water break in the meadow we camped in after climbing back up out of Ross Lake. It was about an hour and half of technical and steep climbing on the way out. Only had one saddle slip going up too- which was pretty good considering how heavy they were and steep the trail was.

I recruited one of my high school students to help with this trip. I'm not sure I could have managed by myself!

Going up an over the pass, heading back down to trail head.

All down hill from here, 2500 feet worth!