We started from our house on a beautiful Saturday morning. However, if the weather stayed this nice, it wouldn't make for a very good story, now would it ?
Arc getting what he really likes most - shade and water:
Climbing out of the South Fork of Eagle River towards Ship Creek
Eagle and Symphony Lakes and Hurdy Gurdy (and Arc)
Last year's forest fire in Ship Creek
Me and Concerto - before dropping into the North Fork of Ship Creek
We timed it well - easy walking in the North Fork of Ship Creek
O.K. - so it wasn't always so easy - Adrienne in (common) waist deep willow:
Adrienne, Arc, and little white dots (Dall Sheep)
Moraine and Paradise Pass in the background; this was moments before the deluge.
The weather open up on us in no time; we were out in it for only ten minutes before we were soaked through. We hastily set up the tent and waited it out. Two hours later, it let up. We got out of the tent and we were back in the sunshine, the tent covered in hail. We made dinner and ended up spending the night right in that spot:
It rained hard !
Camp (trying to dry some things our a bit):
We headed up the valley south of Organ Peak (nameless). It was stunning. We were hoping that it would have a friendly pass that would take us to Squatter's Creek. It took two passes and neither were really all that friendly (but they were climbable).
Arc sniffing at some bear prints:
Looking at Paradise Pass and the pass to Archangel Lakes:
Ewe Peak
Looking up at Organ Peak:
An odd illusion. From afar, it appeared as if the snow was a bridge:
Looking back down the nameless valley.
Looking towards our first pass (right of center)
A coyote that followed us up the drainage then skirted around us and exited using the same pass we would use:
Climbing up the first pass
Adrienne at the top of the first pass with Organ Peak in the background
Looking at the second pass (left of center)
Climbing up the second pass
Yes, this is Adrienne:
Looking back at the first pass from the second pass:
Butt-sliding down into Squatter's Creek
Adrienne and the Rook Glacier
Polar Bear from the top of Squatter's Creek
Looking towards Thunder Gorge:
Eagle Glacier and Glacier Lake:
Falls of Squatter's Creek. This is about where the down climb got steep and interesting
No problems. Filling up at the bottom of Squatter's Creek:
After hiking all day we only had 10 miles (9 of which I had done three times in the past two weeks) to go with one river crossing (that took Adrienne off her feet). After 11 hours, we were at the car.
An amazing trip especially considering we saw all this terrain by simply leaving right from our house !