30 replies to this topic

[SmoothSteve3]

I was out hiking the park over the first weekend in October, and I led a group of guys up the Mills Lake trail, with the intentions of finding the Shelf/Solitude Lakes cutoff and making a run for them.

It turned out that the rest of my group was feeling too exhausted to go for it, so we just went on up to Black Lake. But for my own knowledge, where the heck is it?!?!

There were several places I saw that it might have been, but I couldn't tell for sure.

Anybody have any pictures or GPS coordinates of it?

-SmoothSteve

[Aaron]

I was out hiking the park over the first weekend in October, and I led a group of guys up the Mills Lake trail, with the intentions of finding the Shelf/Solitude Lakes cutoff and making a run for them.

It turned out that the rest of my group was feeling too exhausted to go for it,  so we just went on up to Black Lake.  But for my own knowledge, where the heck is it?!?!

There were several places I saw that it might have been, but I couldn't tell for sure. 

Anybody have any pictures or GPS coordinates of it?

-SmoothSteve

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Join the club! Glenn and I were gonna get video of it to help people recognize it, but we blew by it on the way to Black Lake and then again on the way back to the trailhead.

--Aaron

[jflo]

I didn't get any real good pics of the spot, but if you look on the topo map, there is a spot that signifies a clearing area, and it's really right there. You basically head off trail to the right, through a small meadow to a huge flat boulder in the middle of the stream. The trail starts just accross the stream, and heads straight up!

Here is a picture looking upstream from the boulder.

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[John]

Maybe I can do a search and find my answer posted previously, but the gist of it is this.

Once you pass the Glacier Gorge camp, you'll have some steps two climb. There are two massive rock walls/boulders on the left. After you pass the second one, you'll see a six foot long plank to walk over. Once you've "walked the plank" you'll see broken down trees ahead on the right, but don't pass them. Immediately head perpendicular from the trail to the stream and you'll see the trail going up from the other side.

[GLENNinPA]

I had always thought it was still in the wooded part just before the GG Camp. No wonder I could never find it.

[mwilson]

This is a picture of where we crossed. Hopefully this link will work for you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlwil/20424...57594220830500/

[John]

That is the place and the link works for me. However, you can't really see that place from the trail. When you see that spot, you will know you left the trail when you were supposed to.

[weatherbe]

Awesome pic Jflo!

Weather

I didn't get any real good pics of the spot, but if you look on the topo map, there is a spot that signifies a clearing area, and it's really right there. You basically head off trail to the right, through a small meadow to a huge flat boulder in the middle of the stream. The trail starts just accross the stream, and heads straight up!

Here is a picture looking upstream from the boulder.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[waterrat]

directions:

hike past Mill and Jewel lake. As you finish rounding Jewel, you will come upon an avalanche area. Look to the right, you should see the big boulders in the river.

I think smudge had it at .68-.7 of a mile past the end of Mills; I'd need him to confirm that, though.

[junkie]

directions:

hike past Mill and Jewel lake.  As you finish rounding Jewel, you will come upon an avalanche area.  Look to the right, you should see the big boulders in the river.

I think smudge had it at .68-.7 of a mile past the end of Mills; I'd need him to confirm that, though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I had no problem identifying it this summer on the way to black. The avalanche area is REALLY REALLY obvious. A few times before we got there you come across some smaller clearings that make you think 'hmmm is that it maybe?'. If you have any doubt, you are not in the avalanche area - keep going. When you hit it there is no doubt.

Not to mention you can look to your right (west?) and see the boulders and the creek when you get there.

Somewhere on summit post is a pic of the avalanche area.

[junkie]

One more thing, shortly after the avalanche area you can see shelf creek descending the hillside to the west and running into glacier crek - if you see it youve gone too far.

[Mr. Jinks]

This is a picture of where we crossed. Hopefully this link will work for you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlwil/20424...57594220830500/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I built a small cairn on that boulder in September. Once you find the proper place to leave the trail to Black Lake and cross the stream, there is a faint trail with occasional cairns all the way to Shelf Lake. It's very faint at times, but you can find it. Actually we didn't find it going up, until we were almost there, but we we're able to follow it all the way down. So it does exist. But if there's is much snow at all, you wouldn't be able to see it.

[Mr. Jinks]

Here's a picture Miss Lucy took while having lunch near Solitude Lake in September.

Notice how I have propped up the massive boulder with a couple of rocks and an ice ax (Well, that's what it looks like...Ha!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/35471833@N00/254573189/

Edited by Mr. Jinks, 19 October 2006 - 11:40 AM.

[DeeCeeM]

Notice how I have propped up the massive boulder with a couple of rocks and an ice ax (Well, that's what it looks like...Ha!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sure looks like it! Neat picture.

[jflo]

This is a picture of where we crossed. Hopefully this link will work for you.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marlwil/20424...57594220830500/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is the "flat boulder" I was talking about. That is where I was standing when I took the picture.