I've done the Pinchot Creek Route and it goes well -- combination of old trail, elk trails and partly the creek bed in late summer. Crux is the river ford (we went in mid-August, easy then). Stimson towers above you as you travel up the creek valley. Huge grizzly tracks but no trouble. Eric Hansen
It is about 16 miles of trail to Buffalo Woman Lake and no bushwacking from there to the summit if you take the SE Spine Route in Edwards' guidebook. I do remember about a half dozen stream crossings and of course you have to cross the Middle Fork of the Flathead at the start and finish. Your description seems to say that it is a 25 mile approach to Martha's Basin?
My calculations say that it is 21 Miles if you take the coal creek trail, 25 miles via Nyack Creek.
As far as the brush goes, I wasn't able to find an easy way through the bush. Once you get to the gap its grass a talus but I couldn't find a good way to get from Buffalo Woman Lake to the base of the pass without some horrendous bushwacking. If you know of a way through let me know and I will add it.
I don't know how you have done your calculations (could the difference be trail vs total distance?), but my sources are J Gordon Edwards' Guidebook (16 mi of trail) and Erik Molvar's Trail Guide to Glacier (16.5 mi of trail) up the Coal Creek trail to Buffalo Woman Lake. Perhaps the bushwhack is worse than when I was there in 1998, but we had no problem from our campsite at Buffalo Woman lake up to the pass between Eaglehead and Pinchot.(were you perhaps going from Beaver Woman Lake?) I do remember that the Coal Creek trail was nearly overgrown in many spots with nearly chest high plants.
You are right I climbed Stimson from Beaver Woman Lake. It is nice to know that it is easier bushwacking from Buffalo Woman. I will be sure to add a section to the route description because it seems like very valuable information. Could you provide me a brief description of the route from the lake to the pass?
I got the milages from the GPS files that the national park service created. However I misidentified where the Coal Creek Trail starts and you're right, it is 16.1 miles. I will also clear that up.
Thanks for the corrections. I wish I would have known about Buffalo Woman Lake! One of my scariest experiences in Glacier was wading through brush between the pass and Beaver Woman Lake. The sun was going down, the brush was over our heads, and we had just seen a large brown bear hanging out north of the lake. Not fun!
EricHansen - Oct 26, 2007 9:46 pm - Hasn't voted
Pinchot Creek RouteI've done the Pinchot Creek Route and it goes well -- combination of old trail, elk trails and partly the creek bed in late summer. Crux is the river ford (we went in mid-August, easy then). Stimson towers above you as you travel up the creek valley. Huge grizzly tracks but no trouble. Eric Hansen
jimegan - Dec 4, 2009 4:27 pm - Hasn't voted
Coal Creek TrailIt is about 16 miles of trail to Buffalo Woman Lake and no bushwacking from there to the summit if you take the SE Spine Route in Edwards' guidebook. I do remember about a half dozen stream crossings and of course you have to cross the Middle Fork of the Flathead at the start and finish. Your description seems to say that it is a 25 mile approach to Martha's Basin?
whiteroom17 - Jan 14, 2010 2:32 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Coal Creek TrailMy calculations say that it is 21 Miles if you take the coal creek trail, 25 miles via Nyack Creek.
As far as the brush goes, I wasn't able to find an easy way through the bush. Once you get to the gap its grass a talus but I couldn't find a good way to get from Buffalo Woman Lake to the base of the pass without some horrendous bushwacking. If you know of a way through let me know and I will add it.
Thanks,
Nick
jimegan - Jan 14, 2010 7:41 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Coal Creek TrailI don't know how you have done your calculations (could the difference be trail vs total distance?), but my sources are J Gordon Edwards' Guidebook (16 mi of trail) and Erik Molvar's Trail Guide to Glacier (16.5 mi of trail) up the Coal Creek trail to Buffalo Woman Lake. Perhaps the bushwhack is worse than when I was there in 1998, but we had no problem from our campsite at Buffalo Woman lake up to the pass between Eaglehead and Pinchot.(were you perhaps going from Beaver Woman Lake?) I do remember that the Coal Creek trail was nearly overgrown in many spots with nearly chest high plants.
whiteroom17 - Jan 19, 2010 4:26 pm - Hasn't voted
AhhYou are right I climbed Stimson from Beaver Woman Lake. It is nice to know that it is easier bushwacking from Buffalo Woman. I will be sure to add a section to the route description because it seems like very valuable information. Could you provide me a brief description of the route from the lake to the pass?
I got the milages from the GPS files that the national park service created. However I misidentified where the Coal Creek Trail starts and you're right, it is 16.1 miles. I will also clear that up.
Thanks for the corrections. I wish I would have known about Buffalo Woman Lake! One of my scariest experiences in Glacier was wading through brush between the pass and Beaver Woman Lake. The sun was going down, the brush was over our heads, and we had just seen a large brown bear hanging out north of the lake. Not fun!