Thank you all for the kind words, feedback, and route details! I have been lurking on this forum for a couple of years, and getting these responses might be my favorite Christmas present this year.
WD & Harlens – yes, I think one or more rest days would have been a good idea, and I will probably make a point of that on my next trip. My original plan in fact had me spending one more night on trail around Sphinx Lakes. Reading it back now, I'm not sure how to explain the logic of "I'm exhausted, better press on and have a long day instead of stopping here"! I appreciate y'all calling that out, very helpful for my backpacking mindset.
Also, thank you WD, KT, and thegib for those details about Sphinx and alternate ways into Brewer Basin. Now I have to go back!
Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 25, 2024 9:29 pm
KT5519- it sounds like the Morain Ridge route did not get impacted by the fire. Until you mentioned it, I had forgotten about the talus sink hole/depression ... It sounds like coming in from Marvin Pass is another good approach to Big Brewer Lake. Much easier to get a permit too.
From my figuring, looks like a Marvin Pass entry saves about 700' in elev gain and adds only 4 miles (versus starting from the Bubbs TH); a worthwhile tradeoff just for the easier permit as you suggest. But I would prefer leaving a second car at Roads End to avoid walking back to the Marvin TH.
Daisy, if you don't mind a dumb question, does the "Moraine Ridge" option imply heading to Roaring River R.S., proceeding along the Avalanche Pass trail to about the 8500' contour, then leaving the trail (heading ~ south) to gain Moraine Ridge, and following along its spine until you can cross into the Brewer Creek drainage ? It looks pretty obvious you want to avoid side-hilling through the forested slope, but from Google Earth alone, I can't tell if the spine of the ridge goes any more smoothly.
I get why the "charge up the ridge from Cement Table Meadow" approach isn't the preferred strategy.
Grampy- although on the map, it looks like you are on the ridge right on the edge, I used the very narrow gully next (NE) to the ridge. It was a long dirt/grass ramp from the headwall at about 8850. I dropped into this location just east of point 9033 because I really intended to take the next ridge to the northeast and intersect the Avalanche Trail much higher up. I really could not see in the snowstorm and was a small angle off which put me down the way I went. Continuing up to Brewer Creek is a bit nasty until you get past the depression shown on the map. Perhaps not bad in good weather without snow on the ground. I recall having to backtrack a few times to find a reasonable route. There may have been a better route from the headwall upward, than the one I did.
As for going up from Cement Table Meadow, Old Ranger had mentioned years ago on the forum that back in his day he knew of an old trail that a horseman could get up. I would not say that it does not still exit; I just could not find the start. Being impatient I simply went up, trying to gain elevation with as little distance possible, hence- quite steep. I was coming from Colby Lake, so going all the way down to Roaring Fork did not make sense either.
I agree that there are better loop routes from Roads End and going back to Marvin Pass is less than ideal. Having never been on that trail, I really cannot say.
Big Brewer Lake is one of the destinations in Arnot's book. I cannot remember what he recommended.
Wandering Daisy wrote: ↑Wed Dec 25, 2024 9:29 pm
KT5519- it sounds like the Morain Ridge route did not get impacted by the fire. Until you mentioned it, I had forgotten about the talus sink hole/depression. The route was not bad but since I was headed to Avalanche Pass, I lost a lot of elevation. Given the fire, loosing this elevation and hitting the trail just before the crossing (which is what I did) is probably needed. It sounds like coming in from Marvin Pass is another good approach to Big Brewer Lake. Much easier to get a permit too.
And I had forgotten about the fire until you mentioned it - I was curious and looked up the footprint. The area that I was in when I encountered the very thick trees (they were young Lodgepole pines) is just on the tail end of it; I left the trail around that way point. I don't know how fast Lodgepole pines grow, but I wonder now if that thicket wasn't the young regrowth post fire (this was the 2023 trip; the fire was in 2020). I do remember a lot of burned dead trees near that boggy area that I encountered as well.
