Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
LDG
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Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by LDG » February 6th, 2018, 7:48 pm

Goal: up and down Broken Top in a day.

Planned path: The trail head off of 370 and 380. OR...from Three Creek Lake. The trail head looks like it is the shorter hike though.

When: Labor Day weekend.

Thoughts/Details: This will definitely be our most ambitious hike yet (this probably makes many of you laugh). From the start, I think our biggest hurdle is the road. I hope to be utilizing a larger pick up truck so clearance is less of an issue. If the road is open and I can get through it, how bad is the hike to Broken Top and Hidden/No Name Lake from the actual BT Trail head (so we'd be coming up the South side)? Alltrails shows starting from Todd Lake to likely be a longer hike than I'm hoping to do. However, as stated above, coming at it from the North and Three Creek Lake shows a potentially viable option (in terms of being able to drive to the trail head at least) but I do not know how far it is from there to BT. Could be out of desired range.

I have tried to scout the 370/380 road and the trail through reports and youtube and it does not appear to be beyond our abilities, but I figure this is the best place to really figure it out.

Thanks for the insight!

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adamschneider
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Re: Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by adamschneider » February 6th, 2018, 11:31 pm

If you want to summit Broken Top, the most common approach is from the west. From the Green Lakes Trailhead (100% paved roads), that hike is about 12 miles round-trip.

[EDIT: It's about 12 miles; I don't know why I originally was thinking 9.]
Last edited by adamschneider on February 7th, 2018, 8:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

LDG
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Re: Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by LDG » February 7th, 2018, 7:48 am

adamschneider wrote:If you want to summit Broken Top, the most common approach is from the west. From the Green Lakes Trailhead (100% paved roads), that hike is about 9 miles round-trip.
That is actually not a huge surprise since I think that basically starts from Todd Lake? Seems like the go to. Unfortunately in this trip's case...it is all or nothing for the Broken Top trail head. Either we can drive those roads and make it from the South or we find other places to go. I'm just trying to gauge as accurately as possible the likelihood. Let me tell you, before I found this place I was asking on the Trip Advisor forums nobody there liked my plan. Not to discredit them, but I'm having trouble bridging the gap from what I've seen in pictures and videos to what they've said.

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adamschneider
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Re: Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by adamschneider » February 7th, 2018, 8:15 pm

No, the Green Lakes Trailhead is three miles west of Todd Lake. Here's a map: https://graphhopper.com/maps/?point=44. ... F+Outdoors

Why are you so hell-bent on using the Broken Top Trailhead? It means a horrible road and a longer hike.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by Don Nelsen » February 7th, 2018, 9:01 pm

Granted, the road leaves something to be desired but still can be driven in a car with at least a little clearance. I've driven it in an old Chevy Astro van with no problems. The distance one-way is only 6/10 mile longer, more-or-less but about 1,000' EG less from the south side TH and that TH is so remote you can just about forget about getting car clouted. (I would hope, at least!) Just my 2 cents. Another advantage is that the south side TH is seldom used compared to the other so you will likely have most of it all to yourself.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

LDG
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Re: Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by LDG » February 7th, 2018, 10:15 pm

adamschneider wrote:No, the Green Lakes Trailhead is three miles west of Todd Lake. Here's a map: https://graphhopper.com/maps/?point=44. ... F+Outdoors

Why are you so hell-bent on using the Broken Top Trailhead? It means a horrible road and a longer hike.
Bad road (the quality doesn't bother me as long as I can drive it in a pickup), but the hike is much shorter? I want to use this trail because a 12 mile hike is just beyond our capabilities right now. https://graphhopper.com/maps/?point=44. ... i%20Aerial
Don Nelsen wrote:Granted, the road leaves something to be desired but still can be driven in a car with at least a little clearance. I've driven it in an old Chevy Astro van with no problems. The distance one-way is only 6/10 mile longer, more-or-less but about 1,000' EG less from the south side TH and that TH is so remote you can just about forget about getting car clouted. (I would hope, at least!) Just my 2 cents. Another advantage is that the south side TH is seldom used compared to the other so you will likely have most of it all to yourself.
You drove 370 and 380 in a Chevy Astro? Which other trail head are you referring to-I feel like there at least four...the 370/380, Three Creek Lake/Broken Top Loop, Green Lake, Todd Lake.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by Don Nelsen » February 7th, 2018, 10:25 pm

LDG wrote:
Don Nelsen wrote:Granted, the road leaves something to be desired but still can be driven in a car with at least a little clearance. I've driven it in an old Chevy Astro van with no problems. The distance one-way is only 6/10 mile longer, more-or-less but about 1,000' EG less from the south side TH and that TH is so remote you can just about forget about getting car clouted. (I would hope, at least!) Just my 2 cents. Another advantage is that the south side TH is seldom used compared to the other so you will likely have most of it all to yourself.
You drove 370 and 380 in a Chevy Astro? Which other trail head are you referring to-I feel like there at least four...the 370/380, Three Creek Lake/Broken Top Loop, Green Lake, Todd Lake.
Yes, in a 2WD Chevy Astro via the 370/380 road. There is one spot that you need a bit of skill to navigate but I had no problems. Astros have pretty good clearance - a low clearance car would have problems and that road changes with each year so who knows what it will be like this coming summer. I'd take a good shovel along in case of problems. My GPS said that the road distance from the pavement was 5.2 miles and the TH was at 7,175'.
There's a good parking area and some facilities but I don't remember if it was one of those new concrete outhouses or a porta potty. It is 6.2 miles one-way and 2,752' total EG to the summit and back (a bit of re climb on the return.)

I'll post some photos and map if there is some interest.

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

LDG
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Joined: February 6th, 2018, 4:41 pm

Re: Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by LDG » February 7th, 2018, 10:33 pm

Don Nelsen wrote:
LDG wrote:
Don Nelsen wrote:Granted, the road leaves something to be desired but still can be driven in a car with at least a little clearance. I've driven it in an old Chevy Astro van with no problems. The distance one-way is only 6/10 mile longer, more-or-less but about 1,000' EG less from the south side TH and that TH is so remote you can just about forget about getting car clouted. (I would hope, at least!) Just my 2 cents. Another advantage is that the south side TH is seldom used compared to the other so you will likely have most of it all to yourself.
You drove 370 and 380 in a Chevy Astro? Which other trail head are you referring to-I feel like there at least four...the 370/380, Three Creek Lake/Broken Top Loop, Green Lake, Todd Lake.
Yes, in a 2WD Chevy Astro via the 370/380 road. There is one spot that you need a bit of skill to navigate but I had no problems. Astros have pretty good clearance - a low clearance car would have problems and that road changes with each year so who knows what it will be like this coming summer. I'd take a good shovel along in case of problems. My GPS said that the road distance from the pavement was 5.2 miles and the TH was at 7,175'.
There's a good parking area and some facilities but I don't remember if it was one of those new concrete outhouses or a porta potty. It is 6.2 miles one-way and 2,752' total EG to the summit and back (a bit of re climb on the return.)

I'll post some photos and map if there is some interest.

dn
I have seen that parking area on Google Maps and in some youtube videos. That is part of what gives me encouragement because there are a few cars there. I'd love anything you have of that area! I'm trying to do as much research on this as the internet will allow. Right now, it is sounding like all that might prevent this trek is a bad winter hurting the road.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by Don Nelsen » February 7th, 2018, 10:41 pm

LDG wrote:
I have seen that parking area on Google Maps and in some youtube videos. That is part of what gives me encouragement because there are a few cars there. I'd love anything you have of that area! I'm trying to do as much research on this as the internet will allow. Right now, it is sounding like all that might prevent this trek is a bad winter hurting the road.
Here are the photos I took that day. I'm the guy in the red shirt. I still have the GPS track but I must do a little research to find it.

http://www.fototime.com/users/donnelsen ... 0side%20TH

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

LDG
Posts: 13
Joined: February 6th, 2018, 4:41 pm

Re: Broken Top from Broken Top trail head

Post by LDG » February 7th, 2018, 10:50 pm

Don Nelsen wrote:
LDG wrote:
I have seen that parking area on Google Maps and in some youtube videos. That is part of what gives me encouragement because there are a few cars there. I'd love anything you have of that area! I'm trying to do as much research on this as the internet will allow. Right now, it is sounding like all that might prevent this trek is a bad winter hurting the road.
Here are the photos I took that day. I'm the guy in the red shirt. I still have the GPS track but I must do a little research to find it.

http://www.fototime.com/users/donnelsen ... 0side%20TH

dn
Cool! That summit looks fine. I've read some horror stories about needing ropes, but it just didn't make sense from this way. Having anything of the road?

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