Grand Park via Lake Eleanor — Wednesday, Jun. 12, 2024

Ran up to Grand Park for sunrise this morning.  For ease of reading, I will break my report down. 

SHORT VERSION:

NO snowshoes required if you stay on trail. Navigation yes.  Waterproof boots yes. 

30% of the trail is snow covered. 40% is dry. 30% has 2-3 inches of water.  

This time of year, it is really important to stay on trail. 3” inches of water or not.  Going off trail to save your feet could be life damaging for the young flowers trying to bloom.

LONG VERSION:

The Road 

FS 73:

• Plan on 40 minutes from the turn off on 410 to the TH.
• The most potholes are from 410 to the Skookum Flats TH. Especially entering and exiting the bridge over the White River.
• Skookum Flats TH to the Huckleberry Creek bridge has some large potholes.  Easy to drive around if going at a reasonable speed. Disappointing to see after the re-grading that was done last year. Overall, not bad.
• Huckleberry Creek bridge to Lake Eleanor TH. Not bad.  Not much has changed since last year. The slide just after the bridge has grown a little. Meaning I had to drive over some new dirt that wasn’t there last year.

The Trail

TH to Lake Eleanor:

• The two usual boot sucking mud spots are present and prime!  One right at the park border.  One about a ½ mile from the TH.  I used the rocks and logs currently present and made it through both with only a little mud on my boots.

Lake Eleanor:

• Melted out. Campsites look in great condition. No bear pole up yet.

Lake Eleanor to the lower meadow:

• Uneventful.  Some patches of snow.  Otherwise snow free.

Lower Meadow (the swamp):

• As wet as ever!  No way around the water.  It is a semi swamp after all.  Might as well stay on trail and plan on getting your feet wet.  The further you go off trail, the deeper the water.  Trust me.  I’ve tried.
• On my way back, there was a small herd of elk on the north end of the meadow.  Unfortunately, I was upwind.  As soon as I saw them, they caught my scent and scooted away.  I did get a couple of pics from a distance.

South end of the Lower Meadow up to Grand Park: (including the creek crossing)

• Snow free from the lower meadow to just before the creek crossing.
• Creek crossing - Snow on both sides of the creek.  Easy to manage.  Bridge visible.
• Snow free again just past the creek crossing.
• Just before the climb up to Grand Park is the most snow.  This is normally where the stairs are to climb up to Grand Park.  Stairs are covered in snow.
• Positive is that there is no climbing stairs! It is an easy traverse up the snow. 
• Would highly recommend navigation through this part of the trail. I saw some boot paths.  None were heading in the correct direction.
• With navigation through the snow, I easily found the trail again once up in the north end of Grand Park.

Grand Park:

• Once on the trail in Grand Park, I started in snow, went to frozen ice, then it varied from completely dry,  3 inches of water, mud and occasional snow patches.  This trail variation was all the way to the Northern Loop intersection.

Northern Loop intersection to the Lookout Point:

• The area just past the turnoff is covered in snow.  Tree wells showed 6 feet at some points.
• Once into the forested section on my way to the lookout point, completely snow free with beargrass alive and well.  Looking ready to start some blooms.

Lookout Point:

• Unfortunately, just as I arrived at the lookout, the inversion layer was lifting.  Not much to see of the West Fork valley.
• Phlox has bloomed.  Almost super bloom status.  Give it a week and I am sure some wildlife will have a feast on it.

I didn't see anyone or any cars all morning!