Independence Day | Thursday – Friday, July 4-5, 2024
This year Diane was off from work over the Forth of July and following weekend, but since she was having a friend from out of town visit over the weekend she had to be home by Friday afternoon. Still, we wanted to at least get out on a short backpacking trip and decided to go on an overnight hike up into the Mandall Lakes Basin at the eastern end of the Flat Tops Wilderness. We left from home early on Thursday morning and followed the Colorado River up and over to the headwaters of the Yampa River where we followed the Bear River to the trailhead located next to the Bear Lake Reservoir. After double-checking to make sure we had everything we needed, we shouldered our packs and started hiking up the Mandall Creek Trail just after 10:00am.
A view of Flat Top Mountain and Bear Lake Reservoir from the trailhead.
Starting our hike up the Mandall Creek Trail.
There were plenty of wildflowers along the lower portion of the trail.
Diane hikes ahead of me as the trail climbs high above Mandall Creek at the beginning.
We stopped to check out this little unnamed lake just off the trail.
Hiking across of field of wildflowers with the edge of the Flat Tops towering above.
Looking up to the edge of the Flat Tops.
After setting up camp near Black Mandall Lake and resting for a while, we went for a hike up to Mandall Pass in the afternoon. There were no afternoon storms predicted for the foreseeable future, so we had plenty of time to enjoy the high country views!
Mandall Lakes Basin
From Mandall Pass I had a good view of the gentle slopes of Northwest Orno, which is the highpoint of Rio Blanco County. I was originally planning to hike to the summits of both Orno Peak and Northwest Orno, but Diane had stopped to wait for me below the pass and I was moving too slowly and didn’t want to keep her waiting for too long, so I only ended up hiking over to the summit of Ptarmigan Flat Top today.
Mandall Pass
Hidden among the rocks…
I crossed a large snowfield on my way across the large flat summit.
Ptarmigan Flat Top, also known as PT 12008.
I walked over to the edge of the mesa and followed it back down to Mandall Pass.
Looking across to Orno Peak.
There was a great view across the Mandall Lakes Basin to Flat Top Mountain.
Pyramid Peak
Following the trail back down from Mandall Pass where I met up with Diane and then we returned to camp for the rest of the evening.
Hiking back down the basin to our campsite near Black Mandall Lake.
I liked the contrast of the trees in the light with the shadows behind.
Black Mandall Creek
Black Mandall Lake
Flat Top Mountain at Sunset
On Friday morning I was up early so I could watch the sunrise from the edge of Black Mandall Lake.
Rippled Reflection
Early morning light on Flat Top Mountain.
The remnants of a snow drift in our campsite before we took down the tent, packed up and started hiking back down the trail.
A reflection in a small tarn that the trail passed by.
We stopped to visit Slide Mandall Lake along the way.
Mandall Creek
Following the trail alongside Mandall Creek.
Leaving the Flat Tops Wilderness.
