Specimen Ridge

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Specimen Ridge

Specimen Ridge

This picture shows Specimen Ridge from its northeast end. Specimen Ridge and adjacent Amethyst Mountain are two more Yellowstone peaks without pages. There's a one-way 17-mile trail (3300 foot elevation gain) that takes you up Amethyst Mountain and along Specimen Ridge from the Tower region to the upper Lamar Valley. It entails a ford of the Lamar River, which makes the trail inaccessible to those of us who visit Yellowstone in June. If you take the trail, check conditions first. It would really suck to descend the ridge, 15 miles into the trip, and be unable to cross the Lamar River to finish the hike.
Arthur Digbee
on Jul 9, 2008 12:01 pm
Lat/Lon: 44.84225°N / 110.19019°W
Image Type(s): Hiking
Image ID: 419700

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Bob Sihler

Bob Sihler - Jan 18, 2010 10:37 pm - Voted 10/10

Lamar River Ford

Arthur, on an "off" day in July, I want to do the hike up Amethyst. When you were there in June 2008 and found the river too high to ford, do you recall how high it appeared then, and how swift and wide? And when exactly in June were you there? My likely date would be July 9. I have crossed waist-deep water before, and almost that high with a strong current, but if you think I'd be swimming, I should probably skip that and head elsewhere, as Amethyst would be my primary reason for entering Yellowstone this time.

Thanks,

Bob

Arthur Digbee

Arthur Digbee - Jan 19, 2010 7:53 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Lamar River Ford

I'm normally in Yellowstone in June, and the river is always too big then. I think we'll have another big snowmelt this year.

You could do an out-and-back from the Specimen Ridge TH and have a somewhat longer day but skip the ford (and the shuttle).

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