In Search of............Gnome Trees

This is going to be an off-trail backcountry exploration. Destination: the DeLacy Lakes, a cluster of 3 smallish lakes that total roughly 60 acres in total. Our objective is to locate the forest source of the gnarly, twisted "gnome wood" that we see decorating the front porch of the Lower Basin General Store at Old Faithful, AKA the Lower Basin Hamilton Store, or "Lower Hams"/"Lower Hamster". A number of botanists I have conversed with attribute the misshapen forms and unusual knobs that protrude from tree trunks to some sort of disease. Some believe these protrusions are the result of the tree attacking some sort of invasive agent, like an insect or a different type of parasite.

Many years ago, I did some rather informal research trying to determine the source of that wood. Many decades have passed since the day I was told by some reliable source that the wood came from the vicinity of the DeLacy Lakes. Years later, in June, 2012, a small group of us hiked up to the site of the former Divide Lookout Tower to the south of the Grand Loop Road that connects Old Faithful to the West Thumb Geyser Basin area. I had skied up there many times back in the 1980s and 1990s, when the tower was still standing. I looked longingly to the south toward the west portion of Shoshone Lake, and saw what looked to be a very passable route through open forest to the vicinity of Pocket Lake, about a mile north of the lake. In 2012, we hiked off-trail down that ridge to the south and within about 2 miles, we were standing on the rim above Pocket Lake. The promotional photo for this activity was taken roughly halfway between the Divide Lookout Tower site and Pocket Lake. There was quite a "patch" of gnarly, twisted limb type trees, some down, some still standing.

The DeLacy Lakes that we will head to this Saturday are in the opposite direction, just about due north of where the DeLacey Creek trail leaves the Grand Loop Road for its 2.5-3.0 mile course down to the north shore of Shoshone Lake. The DeLacy Creek (spelling difference reflecting what the Trails Illustrated maps show for the different segments of the creek) trail appears to drain the DeLacy Lakes and then pass beneath the Grand Loop Road about a mile east of Isa Lake. I will be carrying 2 different vintages of the Trails Illustrated Old Faithful map and my newest Garmin eTrex GPS. I welcome anyone else with backcountry navigation gear and skills to come equipped. Based on the maps and the brief description of the lakes in the book about Yellowstone's lakes, it appears that if one follows the course of DeLacy Creek to the DeLacky Lakes it is about 3.5 miles. If we opt for the more direct route, which goes almost straight due north, it is only about 2.5 miles. I would not expect a fisherman's trail, since the lakes book says the 3 lakes are barren. (All 3 lakes are plenty deep enough to support a fish population if the NPS opted to use them as a native cutthroat or Arctic grayling fishery as part of the recent efforts to improve the survivability of those species, as well as the west slope cutthroat.) There are several tributary streams in and out of the lakes, which could support spawning activity. There could be a faint social trail if there has been much human traffic up to the lakes. It appears that an effort to completely circle all 3 lakes would be a 2 mile loop, so with that loop variable and the two different potential routes to and from the lakes, the total distance walked this day could range between 4 and 9 miles.

I am not sure about the grizzly population in this area, but I feel fairly comfortable in saying that I drove Craig Pass numerous times back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the bears were still frequenting the roadside in search of handouts from humans. This road averaged 4 or 5 different bear jams between Old Faithful and West Thumb, almost all of them black bears. I would not go wandering up toward the DeLacy Lakes without bear spray where I could quickly access it.

The weather forecast for this area on Saturday has been wavering back and forth between a 20% or 30% chance of showers or thunderstorms after noon, with otherwise Sunny skies and a high near 84F. The lakes are at an elevation of about 8,500 feet above sea level.

There is one other thing I should mention, for the benefit of anyone who is passionate about researching early Yellowstone history. We will be keeping an eye out for any trace of a wagon trail dating back to the late 1800s or early 1900s that might have been created to facilitate the transport of the harvested gnome wood down to the developed areas where it was destined for use.

I would not be comfortable running this activity with less than a total of at least 4 participants, so I am hoping for some early RSVP's.

See you Saturday!

Ballpark