My Journey

[Foy]

I think you could pm any of us along your route if you needed help. Be aware that we have lots of wildfires all over the west.


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I'm grateful for the additional support. I've spent a considerable sum in dollars and hours on maintenance and prep so i think if I can keep a light foot on the skinny pedal I'll be OK. Hotter than the hinges of Hell now (late afternoon) loading up and hitching up. I've got to survive this before anything else matters, eh?

Foy

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace.....sorry to hear that.....

Foy.....best of luck.....



After spending the night at the same campsite.....yes, along the side of the same road.....we drove the same final three miles to the same trailhead.....



Now this is where things were almost at the point where I can finally stop using the words"the same". We did take the same trail but after only one mile of hiking the trail to Campfire Lake turned to the north.....our route.....to Cottonwood Lake.....continued onwards to the east.....



Our new trail followed along the meanders of Cottonwood Creek.....the entire way.....to Cottonwood Lake.....




The first three miles were a gradual increase of grade.....but then the trail steepened and the real work began.....




I found myself stopping every minute or two to breathe in some fresh air.....it was that steep. Sequences of waterfalls came rushing down the mountain.....



Everything about this place was most incredible.....




And here too.....wildflowers were in full bloom.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

At some point the steep grade lessened.....maybe four miles in.....and the hike became just a little bit easier.....



There was still a pretty good snow melt going on therefore the water level was still high.....high enough that we used several of the pine log bridges that we came across.....



As we continued to gain altitude the landscape continued to change as well.....



This waterfall I thought to be absolutely stunning.....I'd take a guess at maybe thirty feet high.....



We found ourselves hiking across these massive rock slabs.....




The snowmelt created informal seasonal streams.....they were literally everywhere along the mountainside.....



Standing on the slabs and looking out to the west reminded so much of the movie "The Last of the Mohicans".....



After the rock slabs the grade really flattened out and now we hiked along small pools of crystal clear water.....



And of course more rocks.....