Beartooth High Lakes Trail, August 2019

 Itinerary

August 24 --
Drive to Beartooth Lake from SLC. 8.5 hours, anticipate 9

August 25 - Trail Day 1

Depart Beartooth Lake. Proceed to Green Lake, Camp 1. 9.28 Miles 2700 feet elevation gain. Familiar trail. Grindy. All on trail. Anticipate 9 to 10 hour day.

August 26  Trail Day 2

Leave Camp 1, proceed to Varve Lake. (4.39 miles, 1284 ft elevation gain). Leave camp at Varve Lake. Proceed up Castle Mountain, time depending. 1.66 miles 2175 ft elevation gain. Total for day is 6.05 miles, 3459 ft elevation gain. Anticipate 9 hour day for this.  Camp 2. BAILOUT OPTION IS OVER OMEGA PASS AND DOWN WEST FORK. THIS WOULD ONLY BE AN ABSOLUTE LAST DITCH EFFORT TO GET OUT. BETTER WILL ALWAYS BE BACK TO BEARTOOTH LAKE. 

August 27 Trail Day 3

Leave Varve Lake, proceed up route to Sky Pilot Summit. 1.44 miles. Losing elevation per route profile, but this is a significant rock hop with many navigation issues. Anticipate this taking at least three hours to summit. Descend to Maryott Lake. Head to Donelson Lake, then down to Triskele Lake.  Camp 3. FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, BAILOUT POINT IS BACK TO BEARTOOTH LAKE.

August 28 Trail Day 4

Option A) Leave backpacking gear at Triskele Lake. Head up to Two Bits Lake. Then, proceed to Silver Tarn. DO NOT get sucked into the outlet drainage of Silver Tarn. Head further north to avoid very bad rock hopping. Summit Beartooth Peak from SW. 3 miles, 2467 ft elevation gain. Boulder hopping hell. Descend back to Triskele Lake and gear. Anticipate this being a very long day. Head toward Jasper Lake to camp. Camp 4.

*Option B) Depart Triskele Lake bound for Jasper Lake. 1.65 Miles, gain and loss about even, at 400 feet. Jasper Lake to Lonesome Lake. 1.72 Miles, plus 617 feet, minus 560. Camp between Abandoned and Lonesome Lakes, toward the east side of southern end of Abandoned Lake. Most likely course of action. Camp 4

Option C) BAILOUT option. Camp at Jasper Lake. From here, it is trail hiking down and around. Go toward Albino Lake, to Becker Lake, then the trail splits two smaller lakes, and past one more lake to east. Trail Ts shortly after this, head west/northwest across head of Beauty Lake. Pass one more lake directly on shore to south, then two smaller lakes on north, before turning up the hill at Lake 9792 and out to Beartooth Lake. This is a longer route, but the trail appears to be solid from Google Earth. This would be used if something were to happen, and an easier trail out were needed. Better chance of running into people here than Lonesome Lakes. Camp as necessary.

August 29 Trail Day 5

Option A) Depart Triskele Lake bound for Jasper Lake. 1.65 Miles, gain and loss about even, at 400 feet. Jasper Lake to Lonesome Lake. 1.72 Miles, plus 617 feet, minus 560. Proceed to Lake 9792. 1.88 Miles, -474 feet. Camp 5.

*Option B) From camp, summit Lonesome Peak. .85 miles 1338 ft elevation gain. Descend to Lonesome Lake camp. Proceed to Lake 9792. 1.88 Miles, -474 feet. Camp 5

August 30 Trail Day 6

From Lake 9792, hike to Beartooth Lake, about 3.75 Miles. Early morning start, drive back to SLC.