Stairway Icefall/ Erie Lake Trail

Follow Root Glacier Trail to its termination at Root Glacier, then continue on past the rockslide to a camping area with a bear-proof food storage box. From here, descend over the top of the moraine, carefully making your way down the rocky slope. At the bottom, you'll head north off-trail until steep cliffs are towering on your right. Curve around the point and continue on to Erie Lake and the Stairway Icefall, which is a 7,000 ft vertical wall of ice. The location is perfect for camping one or two nights because there is so much to explore in the area. There are several stream and glacier crossings on the hike in, so waterproof boots and crampons are highly recommended for this trip.