Distance to Willow Lake Camping

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Ryan1979
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Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by Ryan1979 »

Hello Everyone!

I'm having trouble finding the distance to the camping area around Willow Lake. Does anyone know how far it is from the Willow Creek trail head to Willow Lake? Is it shorter to take the North Slope to the lake or the Willow Creek approach?

Cheers!!!
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climbingcue
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by climbingcue »

Just under 5 miles

https://www.strava.com/activities/1718678008
Consecutive months with at least one 13er or 14er, 88 months
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Ryan1979
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by Ryan1979 »

Round Trip?
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rijaca
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by rijaca »

Ryan1979 wrote:Hello Everyone!

I'm having trouble finding the distance to the camping area around Willow Lake. Is it shorter to take the North Slope to the lake or the Willow Creek approach?

Cheers!!!
Have you looked at the route description? https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=w ... nger+Point
"A couple more shots of whiskey,
the women 'round here start looking good"
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Ryan1979
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by Ryan1979 »

Got it! I'm assuming, based on the route description and the previous comment, it's just under 5 miles 1 way.

Thanks for the replies!!!
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chicagostylehotdog
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by chicagostylehotdog »

Ryan1979 wrote:Hello Everyone!
Is it shorter to take the North Slope to the lake or the Willow Creek approach?
Literally the second sentence in the North Slope route description is to follow the Willow Creek approach. It's the same thing.
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Rollie Free
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by Rollie Free »

Its a pretty pleasant five miles once you get past that sand. Beautiful hike.
"Quicker than I can tell it, my hands failed to hold, my feet slipped, and down I went with almost an arrow’s rapidity. An eternity of thought, of life, of death, wife, and home concentrated on my mind in those two seconds. Fortunately for me, I threw my right arm around a projecting boulder which stood above the icy plain some two or three feet." Rev. Elijah Lamb
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HikerDan75
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by HikerDan75 »

I forget how it's calculated but when you look at Challenger point distance of 12.5 miles round trip, does that include the 9 miles round trip to Willow lake? That would make a big difference on the total trip so I want to make sure.

Any info on this would be greatly appreciated!

Dan
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Curve
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by Curve »

It includes the approach as well. From the lake it is like 1.5 miles up challenger.
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HikerDan75
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by HikerDan75 »

I appreciate the info! That's a steep last mile and a half.
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Jim Davies
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by Jim Davies »

There's a surprisingly good campsite about 2.8 miles up (if you zoom the map on climbingcue's strava track, it shows up as a little tent). I stayed there once, it's big and flat and has good trees, and isn't far below a stream crossing. Just an option if you want to take a different approach than the crowds packing in at the lake...
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greenonion
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Re: Distance to Willow Lake Camping

Post by greenonion »

To give you an idea of what a 54 year old (me) did on that trail last September... I started at the trailhead at 6 am, summited KC, and returned to TH by about 5 pm same day. Was in good shape but not moving at blazing speeds. There was a mountain lion in the area nearish to TH, but that was last September. (BTW - traversed the north slope of Challenger just under summit to get to KC - had already done Challenger.)
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