Emigrant trip advice around Big/Hyatt lakes area

[murphtron]

@schleppy thx for update. I’ve done that section during lower waters so I always assumed the waterfall upstream a short way was impassable during high water. Maybe I’ll never need to worry about it!

How far up WF did you go? There’s another crux point beyond where there’s a bit of a maneuver to get up (on north side) and then there’s a huge campsite (I assume kayakers).

Also about the large granite ramp you mention. I went down that way once from Hyatt. Easy enough but nerve racking as it’s fairly steep and long and a tumble would be catastrophic. And then there’s rhe brush at the bottom! Heh.

[Schleppy]

...I always assumed the waterfall upstream a short way was impassable during high water. Maybe I’ll never need to worry about it!

I was there last week. It's a big water year, but late. That said, I didn't see anything in that specific stretch that would indicate difficulty in high water. That side of the creek seems to offer so many easy opportunities to climb a little higher should one encounter problems. Crossing, no...Just walking along side, no foreseeable issue.

How far up WF did you go? There’s another crux point beyond where there’s a bit of a maneuver to get up (on north side) and then there’s a huge campsite (I assume kayakers).

In respect to the West Fork, I haven't traveled north of that woody area (beneath the ramp) or below Louse Canyon. I aspire to, however, so thanks for heads up.

Also about the large granite ramp you mention. I went down that way once from Hyatt. Easy enough but nerve racking as it’s fairly steep and long and a tumble would be catastrophic. And then there’s rhe brush at the bottom! Heh.

Yes, I completely agree! I Just came down the grippy finger on the ramp's NW edge. It's foreboding, and super difficult to find from the top. Had hopes that it might offer a lazier alternative to the frequented approach to Hyatt. It almost does, save the anxiety. Petty cool thing to walk down though! Have you gone up it?

I'm currently a bit fixated on "new-to-me" paths of access to both Cherry Creek (propper) and the interior of Emigrant. Next I'll likely be exploring your route via Chain Lakes. Not the one crossing Studhorse, but the one dropping directly into lower Louse Canyon. Any advice?

[murphtron]

That’s familiar! Did the ramp for the same reason. Didn’t want to return through the brush maze to the saddle south SW of Hyatt. We spent the entire layover day looking for the access to the NW edge of the ramp. I actually haven’t been back to Hyatt since. It’s a great lake but the camping options are very limited.

I still haven’t tried the route down from Chain Lakes directly down to near the WF/Paiute confluence. But near the base of that descent is the large camp I mentioned which I assumed was kayakers. I suspect it is easily possible and probably cairned. But I’m not sure.

The Studhorse route was cairned. But that was maybe 10 years ago? And then over the saddle to WF/Louse is easy. Much better than going down Piute Cr from Studhorse.

Have fun. I love that area. Going N from main Cherry to Big Lake is also good. Or going all the way up Cherry to Huckleberry Lake. Or all the lakes that surround Boundary Lake.

[liquidaddicted]

For what it is worth, here are some of the routes/trails that I used in 2018

Where did you get this map from?

[mschnaidt]

For what it is worth, here are some of the routes/trails that I used in 2018

Where did you get this map from?

WD's map is from the old National Geographic Topo program. Installed on PC. I still use it also.