7/7/12 - With Mason Frederickson, Candice Newmeyer, and Kendra Wheeler.
This was a pretty fantastic hike. It requires double parking cars or perhaps dropping off a mtn. bike, but it is totally worth the extra effort. We dropped a car at the Baker Lake trail head, then we drove back and hiked out through Apollo gulch. Btw, you will never find this trail head without passing it and going back. The guide book makes it sound like you could possibly miss it, but seriously, you are going to miss it. Just plan to look for the creek sign and backtrack. After that though, the signs and trail markings are obvious to the point of ridiculousness. The trail along Apollo creek is beautiful. Lots of wildflowers and water features.
Marchant says that there is a waist high cairn (I discovered on this trip that that is the proper name for a rock pile marker) at the end of the Apollo creek trail. What he meant to say is that there is a waist high cairn every 100 yards from the end of Apollo creek to the top of the Brodie Gulch saddle. It is insane and also awesome. It's kind of like following smoke signals in the old west, but rockier.
The meadows between the trails are very reminiscent of the sound of music. In fact, we danced around and sang the hills are alive. Mason was really glad that he went hiking with three girls. Also, either of them would be a great place to pitch a tent.
There is a nifty pond that you pass in the last meadow before you climb to the summit, but you'll walk right by it if you don't go look for it. It's off to the right.
Baker lake has a bunch of camp sites with fire pits and log seating. I might run up there on the regular trail one night just to roast marshmallows. Possibly in August while I'm homeless. Anyone feel like a marshmallow?
Anywho, that is the story of Apollo Gulch and Baker Lake. Check it out!!
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