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| For this trip, we got up at 5:15 in the morning and got ready to go, often leaving our campsite before the sun was fully up. |
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| Leaving the Beaver Creek campsite. |
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| A healthy flow in Beaver Creek. |
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| The forecast called for scattered thunderstorms, and the clouds looked rather ominous. |
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| Some trail maintenance had been done since last year. |
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| Ambrose and I took shelter under a tree during a brief cloudburst. |
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| Heading back on the trail through the newly damp vegetation. |
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| A little pack off break near the trail junction. |
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| This year we’re taking the right up to Ramey Ridge rather than staying in Beaver Creek to Hand Creek. |
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| This trail goes radically up. |
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| The switchbacks gain elevation quickly, but stay mostly in the same place while doing so. |
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| But at least the sun came out. |
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| Plenty of downed trees provided problem solving opportunities on the trail. |
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| I feel like I’ve been looking back at basically the same scenery all day. |
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| Ambrose coming up the switchbacks. |
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| Lots of flowers on the trail in July. |
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| This is the site of what used to be Estep Cabin, labeled on the older maps, but not the newer ones. |
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| Also, according to the maps, this was between me and the last chance for water. |
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| After making my way through the tree maze, I got to get water at this trickle. Ambrose and I got it together so it would go more quickly. |
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| Then we ate lunch near this old stove. |
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| And about five minutes later, we passed this stream directly on the trail. |
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| Oh look, more water on the trail. |
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| And yet more. The maps lied to me. |
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| Yellow and white columbine. |
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| Ambrose threading his way through a downed tree. |
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| Spiky flower. |
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| The top of Ramey Ridge, at last. |
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| No sign pointing forward, but I was informed that I had come from Beaver Creek. |
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| Ridge walking. |
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| Ambrose catching up. |
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| Getting nervous about whether we were going the right way. |
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| We stopped for a Spam since it was about dinner time – unlike last year when we kept pushing ourselves well past dinner and ending up quite uncomfortable. |
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| Junction to Rock Rabbit Point. |
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| Ambrose on the switchbacks. |
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| More water that’s not supposed to be crossing the trail! |
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| We got rained on before the tent was even set up. And this area had a plague of mosquitoes. But it was overall a great spot because we were closer to Chamberlain Airstrip and the tent was pitched well enough to keep out the rain. |