We were only going for an overnight trip so why not go luxuriously. A little whisky and wine for the night before, a special breakfast the next day, we were in no real hurry to hit the trail, lounging and relaxing were a high priority for this trip. The trees shaded our tent from the first morning light and the valley provided a false horizon keeping the air cool. However, once the sun did come out so did the flies. We hung anything still damp from the night before in the first sunny spots and watched the steam rise off them. Once all was dry, we packed up to begin our ascent out of the valley. We would start with a mild ascent for the first couple miles, then climb over 2,500 ft. elevation in just a few more miles. With the afternoon storms being the only real concern, because we again would pass up and over the treeline completely exposing ourselves to any errant lightening, we didn't want to lolly gag in camp too long. The flies helped with that motivation!
The Breakfast of Champions!
Better than Wheaties that's for sure.
Tang, Poor man's Mocha (coffee with my special blend of powdered milk, sugar and cocoa powder), Skillet scramble with sausage, potatoes, broccoli, onions, eggs and Parmesan, and corn tortillas. The body needs good fuel if you expect it to perform at this level.
Jim was channeling his inner compass and aligning his pure manly magnetism!
With a heart rock in hand, Jim hugs the trees that sheltered us through the storm the day before. We always like to pay respect to Mother Nature and all she provides for us. He left the rock between the two trees as a reminder of our love for them.
We camped near Bear Creek and hiked along it's east bank up through the valley. When it came time to cross, we found this beautifully constructed log bridge. Who knows how old it is but we were grateful for it's help in avoiding soggy socks.
Remember those crazy screeching sounds that haunted the night I described in the previous post?
Well, here are the culprits... Newborn Elk!
On our hike up and out of the valley, Jim and I stumbled into the middle of a HUGE herd of elk. It was attended by 2 bulls (that we saw) and numbered probably around 50. It was hard to count because of the trees and it spanned both sides of the trail. There were many ages represented, but once they sensed our presence it was the newborns that screeched with alarm as their mothers moved. The startled herd moved up the valley and we followed, not because we wanted to but because that was the direction of the trail. Proceeding with caution, I tried to get a few pictures of these magnificent creatures as we all co-mingled in the woods.
This small group of cows, adolescents and babies soon crossed the trail in front of us to join the larger group as they moved away from us. We stopped hiking for a while to let them get far enough way that everyone felt a bit more comfortable.
We hiked to the top of the valley and connected with the trail we had hiked a month earlier. (The hike that inspired this trip.) Oh My, What a difference a month makes! Look at these wildflowers and foliage! I was trying to get a picture of the grand scheme of the growth, with Jim in the distance. When I was going through pictures later for this post I realized that I had captured a picture of our little dragon friend from the previous trip! (center right) Crazy I didn't see him then but the leaves are above his head now.
What a stunning array of color and diversity.
Descending the saddle and heading towards Taylor Lake for the final stretch, the thunder rolled to remind us to hustle up.
Ah! Icy Beers!
I packed a treat in a cooler and stashed it in the truck before we departed to surprise Jim. Nothing celebrates a great escape like a couple of cold beers and getting to the truck before the rains came.
On our drive back home we were stopped by a couple of begging marmots. Curious little fellows, I am sure they were only looking for a hand out of trail mix or uneaten goodies from our packs.
Thanks for joining our journey.
Remember, if you ever make it out this way we can take you to these places too!
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