Need advice - Glacier Lakes to Granite Pass

[Hiker Steve]

I am thinking of doing the Grouse Lake/Goat crest trip to the Glacier Lakes. I prefer a loop as much as possible. Any one know if you can travel due west of the lower Glacier Lakes to the Granite Pass trail? If this is vialbe, will it even save time versus dropping down Glacier Valley and picking up the trail? - Thanx for all help.

[maverick]

I have used Goat Crest Saddle as part of a Grouse Lake-Grouse Lake Pass-Goat
Crest Saddle-Glacier Lakes-Glacier Saddle-Kids Lakes trip.
GCS was an easy class 1 only with some minor route finding needed on the
northern side, but if you are comfortable with class 2 than this will be a piece
of cake.
After climbing GCS descend into the bowl and follow the stream to the Granite
Lake trail.

[Hiker Steve]

Thanks Maverick. How is the terrain from Glacier Lakes to Kid Lakes, and from Kid back to Grouse? I am thinking this might be a better alternative.

[maverick]

Hi Hiker Steve

Bill has a trip report with some pictures that describes this route well with a link to
the map of the route at the bottom of the page, it is exactly the route I did.
http://sierrahiker.home.comcast.net/~si ... rchDivide/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Hiker Steve]

Thanks Maverick, that's a huge help.

[TehipiteTom]

I am thinking of doing the Grouse Lake/Goat crest trip to the Glacier Lakes. I prefer a loop as much as possible. Any one know if you can travel due west of the lower Glacier Lakes to the Granite Pass trail? If this is vialbe, will it even save time versus dropping down Glacier Valley and picking up the trail? - Thanx for all help.

Finally! A question about an area I know.

First, a general comment: one of the (many) great things about the Monarch Divide is that just about every basin has a workable (Class 2) pass into the adjoining basins, so the route options are numerous.

More specifically...

The western Glacier Lakes (the three that aren't in the same drainage as the others, but are labeled "Glacier Lakes" on the topo) are easily accessible from the Granite Pass area; follow the trail down past Shorty's Cabin meadow and traverse around to the lower lake, and follow the drainage up. From those lakes you have easy access to the ridge dividing the two Glacier Lake basins; follow the ridge up to just below the highest (eastern) Glacier Lake, where you can drop down to the north and then follow a gully up to the lake itself.

The easiest pass into the Kid Lakes basin is a little north of the outlet stream--obvious gully, with an intermittent use trail you can follow to the top. That takes you into the North Fork Kid Creek basin. Easy travel from there to the main Kid Lakes.

The second pass I've done into Kid Lakes (directly) is east of the highest Glacier Lake; easy to find on the topo.

The third (actually my first) pass is Mungoat Pass, from Grouse to Kid Lakes Basin. Piece o'cake on the Grouse side, steeper on the Kid side--stay to your left (to your right going the other way) and you'll be fine.

Bottom line here: just based on what I can vouch for personally, you have a ton of loop options in the Granite Pass/Glacier Lakes/Kid Lakes region. Awesome area--amazing views. You should have a great trip.