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| Hiking | 10.42 Miles |
3,216 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.42 Miles | | | |
| 3,216 ft AEG | | | | |
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| partners | | On the third day of our trip we headed up to Silverton and over to Ice Lake Basin. Claire originally found this hike and the pics were jaw dropping! We talked about backpacking here but ultimately chose to day hike on a very busy Sunday.
The dirt road to the trailhead is in very good condition but was jam packed with cars & campers. I swear people were camped in every flat spot on this busy fourth of July weekend. We got lucky and found a relatively close parking spot and started hiking soon after. The hike starts around 9,800 ft and you can feel the thin air as you climb. The nice thing is this hike has wonderful views and lots of water to keep things fun. We hit Clear Creek less than a mile in. I opted for crossing some logs while Chumley and Claire climbed up a bit and crossed a wooden plank. From there we kept on climbing and climbing. The trail is in great condition but is steep as you gain elevation.
After a couple of miles we arrived in Lower Ice Lake Basin and reached the wet crossing. I walked up and down looking for a dry spot to cross but there wasn’t one. Claire & I took off our shoes and walked across the creek. The water was cold and moving fast. Once on the other side we dried our feet and continued hiking up the trail. Chumley jumped across the creek and only got his feet a little wet. The final climb to Ice Lake Basin took longer than expected but we eventually arrived.
The Ice Lake Basin area sits at over 12K ft and is truly spectacular! Ice Lake is a deep blue surrounded by peaks covered in patches of snow. It’s another world up here! We took a variety of pics and then continued the climb up to Fuller Lake which sits at just over 12,500 ft. The thin air & elevation were taking a toll on me. I was still recovering from a sinus infection and felt really crummy at elevation. After getting our fill Claire & I started the descent while Chumley went over to Island Lake.
On the way down Claire & I both removed our shoes for the wet crossing and continued down. About half way down some clouds moved in and it started to rain and then hail. We put our rain gear on and continued down. The good thing is our footing was relatively stable on the steep descent. We kept at it and the weather finally cleared and Chumley caught up to us. From there we flew down the final mile and were back to the trailhead around mid-afternoon.
The Ice Lake Basin is a spectacular area and I’m really glad we made the day trip there. There were a lot of people on a busy holiday weekend but I didn’t mind. Everyone was spaced out and were very friendly. I’d like to return another time and backpack and try for some of the peaks surrounding the lake. I highly recommend this hike it’s well worth the time and effort! |
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