Shooting for the Sawtooths Ten Lake Basin!
Who knew that it would be such a grind?
One time, a very long time ago, I took a shot at getting into the Ten Lake Basin via the Grandjean trail. At the time
I was having major issues with my shoes/feet. I made it somewhat past Elk Lake in about 8 hours, camped overnight,
started back, and it took two days to accomplish what I had done the day before in 8 hours. OK, so we got much
of the foot issues resolved, so in 2015, I posited that maybe we could try it again. This, in absence, of any real research
of what I was attempting to do. So, off we go, fat, dumb and happy. What I didn't count on, is that it is 17 miles to
Ardeth Lake, the first real water on this route. Also, what I did not additionally count on, is that it is approximately 3000'
of altitude to arrive at Ardeth Lake. Suffice to say, that along with travel time to the TH, I/we did not make it to
Ardeth Lake the first day. In point of fact, we not only did not make it to Ardeth the first day, we didn't make
it anywhere the first day. At some point, we ran out of daylight, had not found a suitable camping spot, and for
the first time in my hiking life, bivouacked smack dab in the middle of the trail. Sure hope the horses don't come
along! Ardeth turned up on the second day, and the rest will be explained under the day heading.
