Saderbalm Lake
Drainage: Stillwater
Approaches: West Fork Stillwater — about 5 mi one way; 2,500 ft up. Well-beaten path to the waterfall, then unmaintained through the burn
Elevation: 9,017 feet
Fish: Arctic grayling (FWP)
Coordinates: 45.34243, -110.01762
Bugs: Minimal on our visit
Getting there
The hike leaves from the West Fork Stillwater drainage. A truck or something with high clearance is strongly recommended to reach the trailhead access.
The hike
This is one of the hardest routes we have done. Five miles one way and 2,500 feet of climbing, and the second half is where it turns.
The lower section is a well beaten path through a beautiful drainage with a waterfall in it. Near the falls you cross the creek. The crossing is tricky and the rock is slick. Going barefoot gives you better grip than boots do, and it is worth the two minutes.
Once you climb past the waterfall, stay as close to the creek as you can. That is what keeps you on route.
Then the trail enters a heavy burn, and the burn is full of downfall. From where the burn starts you still have over a mile to go and another 1,000 feet to climb, all of it over and around downed timber. It is punishing and it is slow, and it is the reason this hike takes six hours rather than four.
When you reach the Saderbalm ponds, keep following the creek drainage straight up to the lake.
Saderbalm is 9,017 feet. FWP has no data for it, and we did not catch anything.
Tips & safety
Widowmakers. The burn is full of standing dead timber. That is the main reason camping here is a bad idea, alongside the scarcity of flat ground. Do not plan a night in the burn.
Bear sign is heavy along the creek drainage and through the burn. Carry spray and stay alert. Burns hold a lot of food and the sightlines are poor.
The creek crossing: slick rock near the falls. Barefoot grips better than boots.
Stay near the creek above the waterfall. It is the handrail through the section where the tread gets hard to follow.
The deadfall is the whole difficulty. A mile of climbing over downed timber at the end of a long day is what makes this hike as hard as it is.
Fishing: Arctic grayling but we caught nothing.
