Upper Rumble Creek Lake: the precipitous path to a hidden treasure

By JACOB DORAN / Bigfork Eagle

Ever since hiking to Mt. Brown Lookout last month — yes, I did go back with my son and finish it — I have found new inspiration to do things I previously lacked the initiative to take on.

Last week, that inspiration took me to a whole new level in my hiking adventures in and around the Flathead, as I headed off to Rumble Creek Lakes along the eastern front of the Swan Range and there discovered an even greater inspiration than initially led to me to those legendary lakes beneath Holland Peak.

It was a Scouting father, whose son was in Cub Scouts, who first told me about the glories of Rumble Creek Lakes, while sharing with me about this favorite hike that he and his son look forward to taking each year. Fueled by images of what he described, I envisioned going there myself for the next year and a half but lacked the opportunity because of 2007's relentless fire season.

However, I thought it nearly unconscionable to go through another summer without acting upon my growing desire to see the lakes for myself. Since I've already made a number of trips to Glacier this year, I determined that it was time to make my way into the Swan.

A quick call to the Swan Lake Ranger District informed me that the trail I would be taking branched off of trail #192 with the trailhead at a parking lot just past Cooney Lookout on the Rumble Creek Road. The ranger also informed me that the trail is not maintained since it is essentially an animal trail.

I've since concluded that it must be a mountain goat path, since nothing but a mountain goat could easily climb it. More on this in a moment.

I recruited a friend to come along with me and headed south on Highway 83, past Condon. A short distance south of Condon, there is a log church and the turnoff for Rumble Creek Road is an immediate left from that point. A large green and white sign marks the turn, making it difficult to miss.

From there you'll follow a gravel road four miles to the trail head. Once you see Cooney Lookout, the trailhead is just a quarter mile further, where you'll also find a small parking area.

At the trailhead, which is clearly marked with a posted sign, you'll follow trail #192 for about a mile until you reach Rumble Creek and cross over three small wooden bridges. You'll then round the corner of a ridge, at which point the animal trail to the lakes will be on the left-hand side of the trail. Since it's an animal trail, you won't find it on any map.

The trail is easily followed but a difficult climb once you leave trail 192. Most of the difficulty arises from the fact whatever wildlife was responsible for creating the trail saw no need for switchbacks — consequently, there are none. The trail climbs almost straight up the ridge without any breaks in the grueling climb to the top, and there are stretches where you encounter so much overgrowth that you may wonder if this is the right path.

Make no mistake, calling this a hike would be deceptive at best. It's an outright climb with no relief in sight and should be undertaken by advanced hikers only. Be forewarned; coming back down this path at the end of the day is very difficult and you can easily loose your footing without a hiking stick. A pair of Nordic hiking poles is advised and saved me more than once.

The highlight of this first section of the climb is that you have a phenomenal view of the Swan Valley, which I must admit is much bigger than I thought it to be. You don't realize the sheer size of the valley while driving through it, perhaps due in part to the dense forest. But from above, you feel as if you could see forever. We were awed at how many lakes and picturesque farm/estates speckle the valley floor, as well as the majestic beauty of the sight.

The trail does moderate somewhat after a brutal 2,000' elevation gain, after which the way becomes less strenuous until you reach Lower Rumble Creek Lake. You want to ignore any side trails until you begin to cross over the ridge, at which point you should watch for a stack of piled stones that mark a trail through the brush to your right. You will turn here and descend for short distance before crossing a rocky embankment and then proceed up through a burned section of forest to reach the lower lake.

The lower lake is one of the bluest lakes I have ever seen. The view immediately opens up to reveal the full length of the lake and waterfall at the other end, which drops down from the upper lake. The sight was so captivating that I became mesmerized by it and could easily have spent the rest of the day reclined against a log, admiring a scene that I waited a year and a half to see.

My friend and I hiked around the lake to the left, and while there was evidence that others had set up camp around the lake at one time or another, the pristine lakeshore was all that we found. We then turned and went the other direction in search of the point at which the trail claims the remaining distance to the upper lake.

You have to cross the creek over a fallen log at the bottom of the lake and then follow the lakeshore around to the right, where another steep climb awaits over some very rocky terrain. From here, you can't see the upper lake, but it awaits at the very top of the waterfall.

The loose rock makes the sometimes indistinguishable trail to Upper Rumble Creek Lake a difficult one. I stopped a few time to rest for a minute before climbing further. When you reach the upper section of the waterfall, the remainder of the climb is completely unmarked. You'll need to stay to the right as much as possible, where the loose rocks meet the face of the cliff-side, but you'll need to be fairly sure-footed here and keep moving so as not to slide back down.

Upon reaching the upper lake, you step into a world that seems to have been forgotten by time. I made the ascent on July 31 and was greeted by what may well be the clearest water I have ever laid eyes on, beneath which large fingers of snow and ice still floated like small icebergs. The wind here seems to bounce off of Holland Peak, which towers above the lake, falling back over the snow and water to bring with it the scent of glacial freshness.

For much of the climb from the lower to the upper lake, my friend and I were completely exposed to the sun, which combined with the physical exertion required to reach the upper lake, leaving us both very hot. However, it took only a minute or two for us to cool down once the welcome upper winds began to buffet us.

The wind moved quickly but was not forceful enough to be unpleasant. The elevation at this point is 7,890', which is 938' higher than the lower lake and offers some great views of both the lower lake and the Rumble Creek valley, if you still have the energy to climb another 30-40' to the top of the ridge on the western shore of Upper Rumble Creek Lake.

This is truly a place worth spending a couple of hours, relaxing and enjoying the many available rewards of your climb. I will likely return—though probably not until next summer—and plan this as a two or three day hike, camping out at Upper Rumble Creek Lake before proceeding on to Holland Peak, which is another 1,466' elevation gain and some serious climbing from the upper lake.

For the record, it took us a little over two hours to reach the lower lake and another 45 minutes to reach the upper lake with a total of 3,400' gain in elevation from the trailhead. We spent about a half hour at the lower lake and an hour at the upper lake, before heading back, which took another couple of hours due to the steepness of the descent.

If I had known how difficult the "hike" would be, I probably would not have attempted it at this point. However, having done so, I am extremely glad that I did and will probably do it again, although I will admit I am in no hurry to do so. I certainly do not regret the decision to leave my son at home, since it would be difficult if not criminal to take on such a trail—and, at times, lack thereof—with young children.

To my Scouting friends who do this every year, I can only say, "You rock!" I hope to one day emulate such greatness with my own son.