Packin' the Beartooths! The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, 8.15.21 - 8.26.21, Part 4 of 6
When we opted to cancel the backpack plan, it meant there were several places we wouldn’t be able to see as they were too far for a day hike. On the other hand, it also opened up new possibilities since we could drive further distances between day hike choices. Our second hike was one Mike came up with after reading a blurb about it as being one of the prettiest lakes in the Beartooths. Just trust me. That’s saying a lot considering how many lakes are in the Beartooths. This particular lake is called Timberline Lake and what intrigued us about it aside from the fact that it was a pretty lake was that it was located in an area of the Beartooths that hadn’t even been on our radar in any of the planning.
Timberline Lake is located in a large valley bisecting two sides of the Silver Run Plateau. It is much further north than the trails on the Beartooth Highway. To access the trailhead, we took the West Fork Road right on the outskirts of Red Lodge. This begins as the same road that goes to Red Lodge Ski Area but then branches off. Passing several campgrounds we found the trailhead eleven miles from Red Lodge. Ours was the only car in the parking lot.
The hike to Timberline Lake was very different than our hike the first day. The trail is a nine mile out and back. It begins by steeply climbing about a thousand feet pretty quickly. This was a bigger test for my acclimatization. I found a good slow pace and the elevation went by smoothly. The weather was warm and sunny and shorts and a t-shirt were all that was needed on this day. During the first mile we were distracted by tons of wild raspberries lining the trail. Wild fruit is always a treat while hiking.
Berry berry good
As we climbed higher we hiked through the burn zone from the 2008 Cascade fire that burned much of the West Fork valley. You would think hiking through the burn would be a drag but oddly enough, burn zones have their own interesting qualities, only one of which was more views than a deep forest hike would normally provide. After the first stiff mile the trail leveled out to a gentler grade and we began to follow Timberline Creek higher into the upper part of the valley.
Sandy hiking through the burn
After about four miles we reached the boundary to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Soon after we arrived at the first lake called Lake Gertrude. From there it was a quick half mile further to the end of the valley where Timberline Lake nestled into the bottom of a huge cirque at 9,620'.
Mike and Sandy
Yours truly
Cool trees at Lake Gertrude
Mike topping out on the rise above Timberline Lake
As advertised, Timberline Lake was indeed spectacular. It was a fairly large lake with a really pretty outlet stream. The Silver Run Plateau encircles the lake like a giant inverted “V”. On the far side of the lake a large bluff guarded what must be an even higher basin. On the end point of the plateau and towering over the entire scene was a huge granite pillar that is part of 12,478' Silver Run Peak. It was tempting to wander down the left side of the lake and climb past a long cascade to see what the upper basin looked like but it was more tempting to lie around in the warm grass and relax in the sun so that’s what we did. Another bonus was that we had the entire place all to ourselves. Another party did eventually show up but that was as we were already packed up and leaving the basin.
Timberline Lake
The pillar on Silver Run Peak
Such a beautiful setting
We all agreed that the approach hike wasn’t really that spectacular, especially as an out and back but the payoff at the end of the trail made it so worth it. Timberline Lake was really gorgeous.
I was very excited for our third hike which was what we were going to do on our first day if we had followed the original backpack plan. This hike would start back up on the Beartooth Highway not far from Beartooth Lake at another beautiful roadside lake called Island Lake. I picked up Mike and Sandy at their campground and we headed up onto the Beartooth Plateau as the sun was just coming up. I was hoping to get some really nice photos on the way to the trailhead but this day started out as the smokiest day we had encountered so far and all the views were about as smoky as when I had been here in the fall of 2020.
Things looked much better close up so when we got up to the top of Beartooth Pass I was really happy to see a herd of mountain goats right off the road. We pulled over and watched them for a bit before continuing to Island Lake.
Full moonset early in the morning
Mama and baby
Mountain goat
I’d rather have the huckleberry pancakes
Nice pose!
The hike continues in Part 5!