Electric Peak and Sportsman Lake - August 14, 2018
Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 12:13 pm
Headed up to the northwestern part of the park for my next backpacking trip. This was originally supposed to be a five day, four night trip that would begin at the Bunsen Peak Trailhead and would include a two night stay at campsite 1G4 on the Gardner River, climbing Electric Peak on our second day at the campsite; moving on to Sportsman Lake and campsite WD2 for night number three, then a short hike to WD1 on the East Fork of Specimen Creek for our fourth and final night before hiking out at the Specimen Creek Trailhead. Unfortunately for us, the Bacon Rind Fire was burning on the west side of the park, and we were notified at Sportsman Lake by a trail crew that the Specimen Creek Trailhead was closed. This required us to hike out to the Fawn Pass Trailhead instead and all in one day. I then had to hitchhike back to the Specimen Creek Trailhead to retrieve my vehicle on the last day.
The views from Electric Peak were spectacular in every direction, and while camping at Sportsman Lake, we had a black bear run right between our tents just before dark. Electric Pass was special too, as we got to watch a large herd of elk to the south of us.
Here are some shots I took along our way. The first three days, we had reasonably good air conditions, while the last day the air was hazy due to smoke form the Bacon Rind Fire.
Day - 1 Backpacking in to campsite 1G4 along the Gardner River
Trip overview map
Electric Peak as seen from near the trailhead
Glen Creek
Hiking up the Glen Creek Drainage
Trail mileage sign
Electric Peak
Campsite signpost
Day 2 - Day hike to the summit of Electric Peak
Electric Peak - we will be climbing straight up the southeastern ridge
View up the Gardner River Drainage towards Electric Pass
Hillside full of Showy Goldeneye
Contemplating the climb ahead
Well, no time like the present
Looking up at a false summit
First glimpse of the true summit
Looking up at the summit of Electric Peak
Making our way along with some exposure to deal with
Some beautiful lichen near the summit
On the summit
Can you make out the town of Gardiner down below?
Gardiner, Montana
Some challenging down climbs to deal with
Sepulcher Mountain, Cache Lake and in the distance Bunsen Peak, Swan Lake and the Swan Lake Flats and in the far distance the Washburn Range
Closer look of Swan Lake and flats
Sepulcher Mountain
Day 3 - From campsite 1G4 to camspite WD2 on Sportsman Lake
Entering the Gallatin Bear Management Area
View of Electric Peak on our way to Electric Pass
View back to the east as we approach Electric Pass
View to the west from the pass
Taken through my monocular - We watched this elk herd playing and prancing on the snow field, on a ridge to the south of us, for over an hour
Our last good view of Electric Peak as we descend down the west side of Electric Pass
If you can see it through the smoky haze, Sportsman Lake down below
Trail junction sign in the meadows near Sportsman Lake
Sportsman Lake
Nearing sunset at Sportsman Lake
Black Bear track of the bear that ran between our tents
Day 4 - Sportsman Lake to the Fawn Pass Trailhead (approximately 12 miles)
Patrol cabin at Sportsman Lake
Sportsman Lake
Black Bear track on the trail heading out of Sportsman Lake Basin
Meadows along Fan Creek
Meadows along Fan Creek
The Bacon Rind Fire
Arriving at the Fawn Pass Trailhead which is now closed
The End
The views from Electric Peak were spectacular in every direction, and while camping at Sportsman Lake, we had a black bear run right between our tents just before dark. Electric Pass was special too, as we got to watch a large herd of elk to the south of us.
Here are some shots I took along our way. The first three days, we had reasonably good air conditions, while the last day the air was hazy due to smoke form the Bacon Rind Fire.
Day - 1 Backpacking in to campsite 1G4 along the Gardner River
Trip overview map
Electric Peak as seen from near the trailhead
Glen Creek
Hiking up the Glen Creek Drainage
Trail mileage sign
Electric Peak
Campsite signpost
Day 2 - Day hike to the summit of Electric Peak
Electric Peak - we will be climbing straight up the southeastern ridge
View up the Gardner River Drainage towards Electric Pass
Hillside full of Showy Goldeneye
Contemplating the climb ahead
Well, no time like the present
Looking up at a false summit
First glimpse of the true summit
Looking up at the summit of Electric Peak
Making our way along with some exposure to deal with
Some beautiful lichen near the summit
On the summit
Can you make out the town of Gardiner down below?
Gardiner, Montana
Some challenging down climbs to deal with
Sepulcher Mountain, Cache Lake and in the distance Bunsen Peak, Swan Lake and the Swan Lake Flats and in the far distance the Washburn Range
Closer look of Swan Lake and flats
Sepulcher Mountain
Day 3 - From campsite 1G4 to camspite WD2 on Sportsman Lake
Entering the Gallatin Bear Management Area
View of Electric Peak on our way to Electric Pass
View back to the east as we approach Electric Pass
View to the west from the pass
Taken through my monocular - We watched this elk herd playing and prancing on the snow field, on a ridge to the south of us, for over an hour
Our last good view of Electric Peak as we descend down the west side of Electric Pass
If you can see it through the smoky haze, Sportsman Lake down below
Trail junction sign in the meadows near Sportsman Lake
Sportsman Lake
Nearing sunset at Sportsman Lake
Black Bear track of the bear that ran between our tents
Day 4 - Sportsman Lake to the Fawn Pass Trailhead (approximately 12 miles)
Patrol cabin at Sportsman Lake
Sportsman Lake
Black Bear track on the trail heading out of Sportsman Lake Basin
Meadows along Fan Creek
Meadows along Fan Creek
The Bacon Rind Fire
Arriving at the Fawn Pass Trailhead which is now closed
The End