"After the first glass, you see things as you wish they were. After the second, you see things as they are not. Finally, you see things as they really are, which is the most horrible thing in the world."
--Oscar Wilde on Absinthe
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freedeep - Mar 21, 2020 3:42 pm Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2016
A great location with plenty to see along the wayStarted at Island Lake trailhead, then on past Jasper, Triskele, Maryott, Flat Rock, and Cladocera Lakes. Then camped at Snowbank Lake for summit hike. Easy route to summit from the SE. Great views of Granite Peak and Mt Wood from the summit.
SE of Snowbank Lake are excellent examples of the 3+ billion year old rock that is said to be the first continental crust that formed on the planet. The age makes this rock among the oldest on earth.
Another route to Snowbank Mtn takes you past Varve Lake, Navajo Tarn Lake, up across the Castle Rock Glacier and across the plateau south of "West Castle Peak".
Plenty of great lightning and thunder storms to be experienced at these upper elevations, with the thunder echoing almost endlessly up and down the valleys, lightning striking above and below you, and wind blown rain & hail pounding so hard you cannot hear thunder directly overhead.
Enjoy.
VincePoore - Oct 20, 2014 10:21 pm Date Climbed: Oct 3, 2014
A Long WalkNothing too difficult, just patience and stamina required. And I have to say, the easiest way to climb a Beartooth 12er is to just follow Matt. Third summit and always a pleasure.
Matt Lemke - Oct 11, 2014 12:33 am Date Climbed: Oct 3, 2014
Long trip in the snow!Vince and I did this over a 3 day trip. There was 3-6 inches of fresh snow above 10,500 feet making the miles of off-trail talus travel much more difficult. We camped at Wright lake, making our summit day 16 miles long. The first day we had snow all day but the second two days were great.