Winds: Big Sandy Lake to Fish Park ?

[Greg Mihalik]

I'm planning on this overland route to by-pass the Big Sandy Lodge mess.

Can anyone tell me the optimal route relative to the stream and where to get started?

Stay Left and High?
Up the Middle?
Or "Head west, you can't go wrong."

Thanks.

[Mary D]

On-trail: A slight cutoff–on the Big Sandy Trail, 2 miles west of the junction with the Jackass Pass trail, take the Diamond Lake Trail to your left, pass Diamond and V Lakes, meet the Fremont Trail just above Meeks Lake. Probably saves a mile at most.

Scenic off-trail: Take the Jackass Pass Trail to Cirque of the Towers; go off-trail over Texas Pass to Texas, Billy and Shadow Lakes. Once at Shadow Lake you're on trail to the Pyramid Lake Trail. If you're looking for the Fremont Trail, you can follow Washakie Creek (which drains Shadow Lake) downstream to the Fremont Trail. This route is not easy but gets you into the very heart of the most scenic part of the southern Winds and is often used by Continental Divide Trail thru-hikers.

[Greg Mihalik]

Clarification:
On the northwest corner of Big Sandy Lake is Lost Creek, that flows from Blue Lake, that sits below Fish Creek Pass, on the way to Fish Lake and Fish Creek Park.

I'm looking for information on the best route to Fish Creek Pass from Big Sandy Lake.

Thanks.

[Mary D]

I have no knowledge that there's any sort of path there, so if you've received any indication of such, you know more than I do! I was hiking from the Big Sandy Opening trailhead so had to go that way anyway. I do know that for most of the route you describe, you'll be in bark-beetle-killed forest, so if you're bushwhacking you'll encounter lots and lots of downed trees! You really don't get out in the open until Fish Creek Park. The "short cut" might therefore end up taking a lot longer than the "long" way around.

If I were trying to avoid Big Sandy Opening, I'd take the ultra-spectacular route via the Cirque and Texas Pass rather than bushwhacking through dead forest!

[Greg Mihalik]

I just accomplished this route. It took a little sleuthing, and a little bit of hope. The result was well worth the effort.

Having started the day below Shadow Lake, I topped Texas Pass, dropped into the Cirque of the Towers, and climbed Jackass Pass, wandered down to Big Sandy Lake, where I became a little unsure of attempting this route. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I left Big Sandy Lake at 4pm and arrived in Fish Creek Park and the Fremont trail at 7:30pm.

If you are heading this way and want to avoid the multitude of people and wandering trails around the Big Sandy lodge area contact me via PM and I'll fill you in. (I'd rather not post the details for general consumption, but am more than willing to share with those headed that way.)

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