Glacier Mountaineering Society

Thu, Aug 6 2026 - Mission Range Backpacking & Scrambling (View Original Event Details)

Coordinator(s):		E Boxer
Participants:		E Boxer, Deborah R

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Write Up:
Final trip members: Eric Boxer, Deb Raunig We shuttled a car from the Beaver Creek TH (aka "south Crystal Lk") to the Glacier Creek TH (Turquiose Lk) on the east side, and started up the trail to Heart Lk at about 10AM. Reaching heart Lk, the smoke started to thicken. We initialy started bushwhacking up from Heart to Island Lk, and Deb decided that the off-trail portion would not be for her. Smoke levels also increased substantially later inthe afternoon. Camped together above Lace Lake the first night. Eric continued solo thereafter, days 2, 3 & 4. Traversed the north side of Turquoise lake over to Lone Tree pass. Very challenging about 3 hours to cover 3 miles. From Lone tree, there is very good travel along the ridge up to the top of sunrise glacier, and over to the incredible Garden Wall traverse. There is a good class 2 exit down from Garden Wall to the Mountaineer glacier (remnants) and a short climb + glissade over a col to Mountaineer Lake. I found it still partially frozen even in August. I continued traversing south, holding between 7200 and 8000', over Goat Pass, and high into the High Park basin. Amazing wildflowers that rival anything in Glacier Park. Made it to Grizzly Lk by 6pm and found excellent camping just below. Saturday dawned much better air quality so I made it a summit day. Climbed up to Lowery via the East Face. Then packed up camp and continued with a full pack along the divide over High Park Peak (8800') and Three Summit Peak (8700') before backtrakcing down and hiking around to the foot of Grey Wolf Glacier. From there I made my way easily around to a small set of tarns West of Sunset Crags where I found excellent camping amidst bonsai trees. Sunday hiked down to the traverse the North shore of Grey Wolf Lake; which was a bit of a mistake, I should have stayed waay up high on sunset and traversed over to the ramps that lead down East past the end of Grey Wolf Lk, but it went OK nonetheless. Found a horsepackers path that started at the East end of the lake, took that past Whelp Lk, and up over a low divide to the Buck Lk. A well cleared forest service trail led out 6 miles to the trailhead from there. I saw 0 people after leaing Turquoise Lk on Friday morning. I'd like to return and scout the ramps up to the sunset crags from Whelp Lk.

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