Emerald Lake with Turret Peak 13,835 in background – Double click

Lucky to get out in the high country one last time this season.  Normally at this time of year there is a early snowfall, cold weather or too many hunters which keeps us from considering a trip up high.  Main impetus for a short Fall hike was to test out a new UL pack (which didn’t arrive in time) and to see how Mike’s knee would hold up (it did well – recent minicus repair).  There had been snow in the high country a week earlier, but warm conditions melted snow on all the south facing slopes and left only 4-6 inches on the north sides.

Hardly a cloud in the sky the first day and none the second. Only saw one young couple at Overlook Point so we got our photo taken.  Ryler is Mike’s lab, carries her food in and Mike’s gear out. Orange vest is because it’s rifle season. Just behind us is the Chicago Basin and it’s mountain range including the 14’er Eolus (farthest right).

Not sure you can pick up on the elevation loss and gains in the left Google Earth photo but we managed 6,000′ in two days.  Most of that descent and ascent was in 4 to 6″ of crusted snow, which was nice and stable.

This view of Ruby Lake shows the snow on the North side which outside of the reflected glare off the snow was  quite easy to scale up.  Having hiking poles helps especially giving you at least three points of contact.

The water in Ruby was so clear we could see some very large – 18 to 24″ trout – feeding in the shallows as we approached.

Camp was great with a late sun exposure right thru the trees until it sank below the ridgeline.  We expected a cold night so put up plenty of wood for a warming fire which allowed us to stay up until 8:30 almost 9.  Mike’s thermometer read 33° in the morning so we learned the ultra light gear and us passed the test.  Both our packs were below 14 pounds, food and water included.  Base weights were under 10, mine was just a hair over 8 pounds.  Sure makes it easy to go backpacking when you go UL.

WIS Trip Report:

Trip Report: Emerald Lake Loop, October 11-12, 2015 Tom Galbraith & Mike Taylor

Route: TH 3 miles up Henderson Lake Road (081) to Emerald Lake via Overlook Point to Ruby Lake and return

Report: Several hunter camps along Upper Henderson Lake road, didn’t go to Lime Mesa TH thinking there would be numerous vehicles and trailers in parking lot. Started hike from hairpin turn with trail west of Lime Mesa. Interesting to realize that trail is open to mountain bikes and “stickered” brown plastic post only restricts motorized vehicles, and we couldn’t tell when we entered the Wilderness without looking at the map. Boundary appears to be about 1.8 miles up this popular route when it meets the trail from Dollar Lake to Overlook Point. It might be worth considering adding a No Bicycles sticker to the post at the above mentioned Trail head since many people start up from there rather than go all the way to the Lime Mesa Trail Head.

We only talked to two young hikers at Overlook point. No hunters, no rifle shots and no game in our two day hike. The campsite we’d rehab’d the previous year at Ruby Lake looked great, the extra fire rings we’d removed totally gone and grass grown back. Only one plastic water bottle along the trail and a half buried spam can for litter at Emerald Lake. Saw several very large trout in Ruby Lake and only fingerlings in Emerald. No evidence of camping on Emerald Lake point and the upper campsite was in excellent condition. Four to six inches of snow on North slopes down to Ruby Lake.

The previous erosion control measures on the old abandoned road to Overlook Point are working, but new trenching on some steep slopes is occurring. We had to step out of the trail which was eroded deep and narrow 4-5 places in the middle of the uphill section from north Dollar Lake to Overlook Point.

Great days and excellent cloudless weather. Glad we got out.