Tombstone Lakes - Hiking

Tombstone Lakes      571 m elevation gain      12.8 miles      6 hrs hiking (+ 1.5 hrs sitting on arse at lakes)

It`s summer again, the snow has melted and it`s the perfect time to get into the mountains.  Since we started training for the 51k road ultra our plans changed to focus on getting the miles in on road, however we can still sneak off to the mountains now and again!

This trail starts at the Elbow Lake day use area climbing immediately and steeply to Elbow Lake.  Your reward is that you`ll now spend the rest of the day in beautiful open scenery, not slogging upward through forest.  And would you look at this lake!

The lake is always crazy busy, if I had taken this pic to the right you would have had the awe inspiring sight of a large hairy man in a floating chair before you.  You`re welcome.

Trails branch off for Piper Pass (up toward the mountain in this pic) and Rae Lake, for Tombstone keep to the main wider trail.  Soon there is a T-junction where you head left into another river valley.  The bridge is out here, there are now 3 channels to cross.

climbing required

At the campground turn left and climb, climb, climb!  First there is the Lower Lake.  There is no-one here at all, just us.

Then you can follow the path to the Upper Lake or go crazy and decide to climb straight up a boulder field.

Now it`s time for a nice sit down.

Once again, we have the entire lake to ourselves except for 2 ducks playing on the surface.  There`s a little piece of melty treasure at the back of the lake.

We climb down to take the traditional route back out, I hate leaving.

Upper Tombstone Lake