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Crescent Lake, 22 June, 2025

Despite a rainy night, menacing skies in the morning, and the threat of cold temperatures, twelve Cache Hikers gathered to visit familiar places through mostly unfamiliar routes.  The day’s group included Kamren (group leader), Sue, Teresa, Ralph, Tom, Susan, Deanna, Laurel, Dave P., Matt, Joan, Dan, and Deanna’s three canines.  Temperatures were low, roughly between 36 and 50 F, and hikers loaded and unloaded layers repeatedly, depending on the cloud cover, wind, exertion, and time of day.  It was a nice respite from the recent heat–but sometimes a shock.

After introductions and trip organization, we traveled 25 miles up Logan Canyon and 4 miles to our parking spot at the base of Crescent Lake Canyon, depositing one shuttle car along the way at the bottom of Hells Kitchen Canyon.  The actual hike began at 9:15 am.  A steady but little-traveled and sometimes fuzzy trail leads from a bit north of our parking area and just before the cattle guard up the narrow canyon and right along the stream until the upper canyon becomes somewhat more level.  From there, the path arcs around to the north where a gently sloped spur branches off to climb to the lake.  We were treated to views of many early summer flowers in the lower stretches and even early spring flowers closer to the lake.  From the beginning, the ground was mostly dry, but rain remained on the plants, leaving many legs wet.  The upper third of the ascent to the lake had many patches of plants still decorated with fresh snow from the night. 

We reached Crescent Lake at 11:05 am and took a scenic break along the north shore.  From there, we followed the gently sloped trail back to the main trail and proceeded south toward Steep Hollow.  As the old logging road on the south side of Steep Hollow came into view, we agreed to climb it to reach Hells Kitchen as an alternative to a longer time on the main Steep Hollow road and a longer trip across Shorty’s Cutoff.  Though a steady and noticeable climb, this offered wonderful views of much of upper Steep Hollow and Doubletop Mountain, in particular.  At the top of the road, most of the group stopped at 1:05 pm for lunch while two located a hidden trail and took a quick jaunt to the summit above for better views of Hells Kitchen to the east and Doubletop to the northwest.  The side trip and lunch ended at matching times. 

From there, we located a trail, or series of trails connected by a bit of bushwhacking, leading out into Hells Kitchen and skirting its south rim until a junction with the Shorty’s Cutoff trail.  We followed Shorty’s Cutoff briefly to its low point in Hells Kitchen and there branched to the east on a clear, consistent, and gentle trail through broad meadows interrupted by aspens and into narrower, rockier stretches until we reached the shuttle car.  We hit the Hells Kitchen trailhead at 3:35 pm and left to fetch the other vehicles.  We returned to the parking lot in town at 4:35 pm.

The day offered a great deal of variety–flowing stream cascading over bouldery patches, flowers of different spring and summer stages, alpine lake, broad exhilarating views of upper and lower canyon areas, gentle and pleasurable slopes, a few challenges, the joys of pathfinding in obscure areas–and almost zero repetition

Trip Summary:
  • Hikers: Kamren (group leader), Sue, Teresa, Ralph, Tom, Susan, Deanna, Laurel, Dave P., Matt, Joan, Dan, and Deanna’s three canines
  • Drove 32 miles to Crescent Lake Canyon (on the Franklin Basin Road) leaving a car at Hells Kitchen Canyon along the way
  • Started hiking 9:15 am, Crescent Lake 11:05, lunch 1:05 - 1:40 pm, Hells Kitchen Canyon trailhead 3:35 and Logan 4:35
  • Cool temperatures and partly cloudy skies
  • Hiked 7.5 miles, with 1700 ft./2200 ft. of ascent/descent (two hikers went a bit farther and higher)

Thanks to Kamren for the narrative, photos, and GPS data, Dave P and Sue for photos, and Ralph for photos and GPS data.



Starting out at the bottom of Crescent Lake Canyon
 Hiking toward Crescent Lake


Crescent Lake Creek
 Almost to the lake

Crescent Lake 

Cache Hikers along the south shore of Crescent Lake


Approaching the Steep Hollow road
 Crossing Steep Hollow Creek on an old logging road
Lunch at the top of Hells Kitchen Canyon
A gentle trail through meadows and aspen trees in Hells Kitchen Canyon 

This tree may have been struck by lightning
 Evidence of past logging in Crescent Lake Canyon

What caused this pile of boulders?
 Heart-leafed arnica


Stickseed
 Big-leaf balsamroot


Red elderberry
 Columbine


Fungus
 Serviceberry


Wallflower
 Spring beauty

Glacier lily
 Clematis

False hellebore (or "corn lily"), Veratrum californicum
 Waterleaf

Larkspur
 Gooseberry currant


Bluebells
 Potentilla

Paintbrush

Our GPS track shows about 7.5 miles and 1700 feet of ascent.
You can look at our route using Google Earth or download our GPS file.