2024 visit: Window Lake, Deadly Descent & Eroding Trail

First day was 6-mile trek to Window Lake, rarely visited alpine lake nestled below an 11,000-foot ridge. On other side was Boulder City, a deserted mining town accessed by old road which became trail to a pass. We would camp at Window Lake, cross Boulder Basin, drop into South Fork-East Fork Salmon River basin for a second camp, hike down East Fork bike trail, and hike over West Pass to return to our start at North Fork-West Fork Wood River trailhead.

When we scrambled over last ridge to Window Lake we saw mountain goats racing up the hillside. More secure half mile above us, they loitered on the steep slopes for several hours as we found a campsite, set up near lake (only flat area) and David got out fishing gear.

The lake exploded with jumping fish and David reeled in a large rainbow on almost every cast. Later we enjoyed four fish cooked in foil on a small fire from gathered dead wood.

Instead of fishing, I went exploring. In a side basin with smaller lake I surprised two nannies and two kids! Next I walked around our lake and checked out best route for ridge climb, a trail of sorts. Or so I thought.

But the next morning, after circling lake and following trail up a drainage I suddenly found myself clawing my way up a rocky couloir. David had gone up the scree to a trail of sorts; but my “trail” suddenly turned straight up a drainage.

At top I skittered across side slope to David’s “trail.” The steep climb had a few switchbacks and near the top a view of the “Window” stone formation that gave the lake its name. We looked down other side at steep Boulder Basin.

On his 2021 trek, David dropped into the basin to find old road and trail we had taken to the pass. This time he thought we might find a better route over a small peak and down a ridge. But David’s scouting scramble revealed much more rugged terrain than visible from his planning with Google Earth imagery. Back into the basin, with 500 more feet to drop in only one-third mile distance—that translates to 1500 ft elevation change per mile—yikes!

Terrain went from slidy soil to small rolling rocks. I froze, terrified, and wedged myself on a boulder. David told me to leave the pack. I was frightened just getting it off and stabilized on a rock.

I nervously made my way down a bit further. David bounced across, got my pack, and left it halfway down the basin in some brush. He told me to follow the vegetation down. I saw him striding on scree far ahead as I buckled on my pack and inched down the draw. I passed a couple old game routes heading back to the ridge.

Finally gained Boulder Pass Trail, much worse than I remembered. Hard to believe we had backpacked it in 80s and 90s with no problem. It made short steep switchbacks in the scree, near pass crossed slick eroded side slope. On pass a route headed down. I was so focused on getting down that I missed seeing lake we viewed on our last 2018 fall hike to Boulder City and ridge.

Following a route through basin below, we found a spring in a drainage and stopped to make breakfast. Trail on down was good where used by wildlife, and almost nonexistent through sagebrush and rocks. Beautiful aspen stands by white scree. About three miles down the trail improved, probably due to outfitter with horses whose hunter base camp was on East Fork Salmon River below. Only 6 miles hiking for whole day but I was beat as we made camp in trees by creek.

On to East Fork, elk hunters and fall colors

Just after dawn we were on the trail. I heard a bull elk bugle in dark woods below me. A little later we heard a strange sound, sounding like an elk’s multi-toned bugle but rising to high-pitched squawk instead of shrill elk scream. We soon met four guys in camouflage looking embarrassed. Perhaps they thought our rustling down trail (anticipating another bugle) was the big bull answering their imitation. On down we saw their four horses tethered. I think the real bull elk was long gone. (David also met horses on 2021 trek but never saw the hunters).

Near the river we missed the cutoff trail looping around and hiked more heavily used track through outfitter camp which looked deserted, although I could smell breakfast fire. A mule and two horses in makeshift corral startled as we passed. We put on sandals and forded East Fork—chilly and slippery but only ankle deep—then got on the main East Fork Trail, used by motorcycles, mountain bikers, and stock coming to outfitter camp.

Open flat trail offered warm sun and views of bright yellow aspen stands on the river below. I changed to t-shirt and cutoffs. On down a big house and horse barn apparently on inholding within national forest. It was just below the deserted trailhead and closed Bowery Guard Station. The outfitter’s truck and a truck with Oregon plates were parked at end of East Fork Road.

At West Pass Road’s end we found two bow hunter camps, one with three motorcycles and three tents, one small tent at boundary. David talked to guys at the larger camp, found out they were locals who avoided hunting up South Fork (where we came from) because of outfitter.

We continued on old, closed road climbing gently, crossed ankle-deep West Fork, and camped at a road cut switchback, only flat around. Up early, steep ascent in airy pink sunrise clouds. Windy in the basin and a nasty stretch of down trees through avalanche zone. Steep climb then series of grassy hills (in 2016, we spooked elk herd here descending from West Pass) and long meander to pass.

From 2016 trip I recalled steep ascent—but the slick trail was much worse going down. We met young woman headed for pass with a friendly dog; then descended rocky switchbacks with grand views of North Fork Big Wood River valley below. A long contour above West Fork North Fork Salmon River and nice switchbacks through Douglas-fir and pinegrass forest.

I didn’t care for Forest Service’s new trail contouring far above West Fork, up and down hillsides. (Old trail went along creek, crossed and then climbed.) Two vehicles at the trailhead. Register indicated several came in the same day we entered but a few hours later, headed to Amber Lakes, West Pass, or a peak. Despite day hikers we had only solitude further in.

2021 Visit: Revisiting Iconic Boulders

David’s 2021 trek was solo because my arthritic knee failed me in High Uintas Wilderness. Awaiting my first knee replacement surgery, I was drafted as trailhead chauffer.

Our 2016 trek across central Idaho wilderness provided inspiration for the Boulder traverse. On our way down East Fork North Fork Big Wood River, we saw an old blazed tree for what looked like shortcut trail heading up a canyon to West Pass, which we needed to cross into the White Clouds. But we were tired of goat routes, so we stayed on trail to East Fork trailhead, hiked the road back up the North Fork, and followed trail over West Pass. Yet we kept wondering about that shortcut. We came back on a 2023 afternoon day hike up East Fork and I found some pretty good switchbacks but ran out of time.

One-way Boulder trek

David used maps and Google Earth to plot a winding route to cross five passes in Boulders including West Pass “shortcut.” He was not sure the trip was doable. Only the last pass, from Gladiator Creek on the wilderness boundary, had a well-maintained trail.

For safety, communication, and coordination, David got a satellite-text phone. (This way he could bail out on any too-difficult pass and arrange pickup from one of several options hiking out to Highway 75.)

I dropped David off at West Fork Summit Creek trailhead (just beyond Trail Creek Summit on Trail Creek Road from Ketchum) with plans to pick him up six days later at Galena Lodge just outside wilderness. First day on trail we had previously hiked passed uneventfully, aside from very cold camping near the high pass.

On Day2, David dropped down goat route and further down met only hikers of the trip (until last day)— a couple with a dog who came up maintained East Fork trail and turned around just below shortcut to West Pass. He did not find blaze but followed GPS track to route from Google Earth imagery but was confused by multiple elk paths. Rather than hike until dark, he leveled a tent site on the steep slope with rotten wood above a big Douglas-fir.

Next morning, elk route maze in basin led to elk wallow and a 9,000-foot pass just across from West Pass. Footprints indicated weekend elk hunters from West Pass. He followed route to another elk wallow, and beyond that, West Pass Trail.

Elk & goat routes to “trailless” pass

David took trails to West Fork Big Wood River Trail, then followed a GPS route toward Window Lake, where he hoped to find his way over two passes. To his pleasant surprise, elk had kept open an old trail almost to Window Lake. From there, a side slope scramble on steep scree connected to a goat route to the pass, marked by a natural stone window. However, his planned “ridge run” to the pass above Boulder City (which we had hiked before) had a rugged volcanic fin along last section that looked too rough for hiking with a backpack.

He scrambled down scree into Boulder Basin and found the route we hiked before from the old mining town up to a pass. We had easily backpacked this trail over ridge and down South Fork of East Fork of Salmon River and on to White Clouds in 1993. But route over ridge now poor and very little trail on other side. He descended into the basin and camped at the first level spot with trees. Just after sunset, wolf howls echoed through the basin.

Minimal trail next morning until he found two horses tied to trees, whose unseen riders were no doubt stalking elk with bows. Below the horses, trail improved considerably. At the confluence of the South and West Forks of the East Fork of the Salmon River, he missed his turnoff for Grand Prize Gulch Trail and took the more heavily-used spur trail to outfitter’s camp, probably source of the horsemen. A packer was leaving camp with two horses carrying bagged elk halves followed by the hunter on a horse. David waded the East Fork and stopped to dry gear (from heavy condensation the previous night) on a sunny riverbank.

Motorcycle hunters and mountain bikers

Quick hiking up well-maintained Grand Prize Gulch Trail along wilderness boundary, cleared with chainsaw because it was outside wilderness (where trail maintenance is not limited by the Forest Service’s strict interpretation of Wilderness Act prohibition on mechanized equipment). David saw no one all afternoon on this trail despite signs of heavy motorcycle use.

He filtered water at the river a couple miles before camp near junction with dry Gladiator Trail, his route for the last day out of the Boulders. In the evening, hunters with high-tech bows riding motorcycles passed his camp. He saw two more hunters the next morning, walking quietly.

On last morning, David hiked steep little-used trail to pass near Gladiator Peak, then dropped down to Galena Lodge as weekend mountain bike groups were piling onto a network of cross-country ski trails that double as bike trails in snow-off seasons. He had called me via satellite phone to meet at Galena. But I was delayed by tourist traffic on Highway 75; when I got to Galena, David was on deck at the lodge, editing GPS data.

Boulder-Hemingway Wilderness could be a great backpacking area with a few more connecting trails. Elk and mountain goats have already provided a good head start.

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