Shadow (East Rosebud)
Drainage: East Rosebud
Approaches: East Rosebud bridge via Armstrong Creek — 2.5 mi one way, no trail; 2,240 ft up
Elevation: 8,521 feet
Fish: Brook trout (FWP)
Coordinates: 45.19658, -109.67278
Bugs: Minimal on our visit
Getting there
Park by the bridge at East Rosebud. The road leading out of the neighborhood carries a no trespassing sign. Walking it is permitted. Driving a vehicle through is not.
The hike
Once you are past the neighborhood it climbs, and it does not stop. Two and a half miles and 2,240 feet with no maintained trail on any of it.
The route runs through a severe burn on the west side of the drainage, and the burn is what makes this hike what it is. The ground is overgrown with dense brush and littered with fallen logs hidden under the cover, so you are pushing through scratchy growth while catching your feet on timber you cannot see. It is arduous and it is punishing on the legs in a way the mileage does not convey.
Shadow is 8.2 acres at 8,521 feet. FWP lists brook trout. We did not catch anything.
Lost Lake is another three quarters of a mile west-southwest up the connecting drainage, 630 feet higher, ending in a boulder field.
Tips & safety
Wear long pants. The overgrowth is thick and scratchy and will open up your legs otherwise. This is the single most useful thing to know before you start.
The burn has pushed this close to expert. Constant deadfall and brush, and the tread is hard to follow through the recovery growth. It is not the distance or even the climbing that gets people here.
Hidden logs. The downed timber is under the ground cover rather than on top of it. Watch your footing the whole way.
Fishing: FWP lists brook trout. We caught none.
Camping: Shadow sits at 8,521 feet below the boulder country above, which makes it the practical camp for anyone going on to Lost. At eight acres there is a reasonable amount of shoreline, though the burn means standing dead timber is worth checking before you pitch anything.
