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DIAD “the Beaten Path” Absaroka-Beartooth’s
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Home › Forums › Campfire › Member Trip Reports › DIAD “the Beaten Path” Absaroka-Beartooth’s
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Sep 10, 2011 at 8:06 am #1279172
Wanted to get in a high mountain lake patrol that would maximize contacts (and minimize time), decided on the "the Beaten Path"- don't really care for the moniker, but the name has stuck. The route runs from just outside Cooke City to Alpine, 27 miles through some of the most popular high mountain lake fishing country. You have to shuttle vehicles which is a pain as the trailhead at Alpine (East Rosebud) is a bumpy grind and while only 35 miles from Red Lodge takes an hour and a half (one way). The you have to get the other vehicle over to Cooke City and while only 65 miles it's a full two hour drive (granted probably one of the prettiest drives in the US over the Beartooth Highway).
Plan was to start early w/ headlamps to get a little jump on the day. The Forest Service folks graciously arranged a cabin to stay in just outside of Cooke
We were up at 4:15 and on the trail an hour later. Was very happy with my Zebralight H31 on medium setting, did a great job of lighting the trail. Temps were very cool, high 30's- I avoided the temptation of loading up w/ warmer clothing knowing that it would be stripped off in short order
am I awake yet? :)
At 6:30 we had good enough light to turn off the lamps
wasn't too long and we were started up for the pass
almost all the lakes in this area (including some unnamed ones) are stocked w/ fish- you could make a long trek out of it if you wanted to hit all the lakes
Russell Lake (6.5 miles)
Ouzel Lake (8 miles)
nearing the pass (Granite Peak in the background)
view from the pass (10 miles) looking towards Mount Rosebud, the headwaters of East Rosebud the drainage we would follow down
we took a nice 1/2 hour lunch/break here at a little after 10:00
was using a Talon 22 and found a good way to carry my sidearm (Fobus molle attachment I could slide over the hip belt)
Fossil Lake (11 miles)
we some trouble with some locals who claimed they weren't fishing
looking down East Rosebud
Dewey Lake (13.5 miles)- roughly the half way mark and still feeling pretty good
Impasse Falls (15 miles)
not too far past Fossil Lake I turned my ankle while gawking about, it wasn't a bad turn, but it wasn't good either (nagging)- we stopped at Granite Ck and I soaked my feet for about 5 minutes (30 seconds at a time as the water was so cold you couldn't bear it any longer!)- this really seemed to help my ankle (I'm sure the Ibuprofen didn't hurt either :) )
looking into Falls Ck
Rainbow Lake (20 miles)
Rimrock Lake (21 miles)
after Rimrock we had a really steep (and rocky) descent- this was when I really started feeling the miles wear on me, the descent was reeking havoc on my knees as well and my turned ankle reared it's ugly head again
I wasn't smiling as much after this shot :)
Elk Lake (24 miles)- I started getting a little (emphasis on little) second wind at this point, the aches/pains dulled a little bit knowing we were closing in on Alpine
we made it out 7:15 pm, almost 14 hours on the nose. the trip was very successful and we made a lot of good contacts along the route (the majority of the folks we met were there at least in part to fish)
our dinner destination, down the road about 10 miles at Roscoe- 1/2# burger never tasted so good!
Sep 10, 2011 at 8:13 am #1778116Very nice Mike! So were you on the clock for that trip? Lucky if you were.
Sep 10, 2011 at 8:21 am #1778118Wow Mike, now that is one heck of an overnighter! I cannot believe the kind of country you guys have to hike outside your door, it blows my mind.
Great hike, thanks for sharing.
btw, are you as tall as you look in your photos? If I saw you coming down the trail I'd quickly step aside and smile.
Sep 10, 2011 at 9:12 am #1778140thanks gents
Ken- yeah it's a tough job at times, but someone has to do it :)
Eugene- must be the photo's :) (I'm only 6')
Mike
Sep 10, 2011 at 3:21 pm #1778208Thanks for sharing!
Sep 12, 2011 at 12:08 am #1778658Absolutely amazing scenery, Mike. Thanks for sharing.
Sep 12, 2011 at 1:43 am #1778666Very nice photos.
Is that a Sig on you hip belt?
Sep 12, 2011 at 6:27 am #1778697Danke Gents
yup- Sig 239, not UL @ 34.4 oz :)
Sep 12, 2011 at 2:18 pm #1778880Sweet pistol. Sig makes a great product. I have a 229 in .40 cal that I've had since 1992.
Sep 12, 2011 at 6:52 pm #1778984Thanks for the report. Your photo at Elk Lake is fabulous. The Impasse Falls photo is nice too. I was up there a couple weeks ago and thought I saw some regulatory scofflaws up near Cairn Lake. Probably will take a few days to route the rascals though- better take a bag and tarp this time. You won't be catching them sitting at a desk you know.
Sep 13, 2011 at 6:46 am #1779091@ Robert- I carried a 229 for about ten years, great pistol- I recently went w/ the 239 to shed a little weight off my belt, I do miss the mag capacity of the 229 though
@ David- looks like I got some work to do :)
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