Leaving the pass and naviting the loose shale

Looking back up to the pass

The rocks are bigger than they appear, and far tricker to navigate than what it seemed at the top!

Another view up to the pass

Zirkel

Down the river of rocks and boulders. Is this the easiest way?!

Lake 10,510' was a nice blue jewell in a very peaceful setting

Amongst the rocks

Finally away from the very long (for me) descent from the pass though the rocks,
and now on my way up and over the ridge to camp.

The view of Zirkel keeps getting better and better, and can finally get a better sense of scale not being right under it

Zirkel from atop the ridge above lake 10,700'

Finally, my destination is in sight! Lake 10,700' and Big Agnes Mountain (right).
A pretty sweet setting in a rocky amphitheater.

Making my way down to the lake

Looks like this spot will make a wonderful home for three nights. I arrive here at 3:08, exactly six hours after I started. I took a lot of photo stops. Yeah, that's what it was!

Home sweet home

A room with a view (of unnamed 11,811')

A closer view

The lake's outlet is 100 feet behind the back porch

The lake's outlet. I'm really digging the location on this wonderful afternoon.

After setting up camp, it's time to keep climbing the adjacent gulch and get some real pictures

Ascending the gulch above the lake. Man, haven't I done enough hiking for today?!
That Mountain House meal is sounding really good right about now.

The view to the east keeps getting better

Finally making it to a spot on the hillside that I had envisioned for a number of months

No clouds to speak of, but man, this is why I made the jouney! My tent is visible even at this resolution. Hard to explain exactly, but it's there. It's above and to the right about a half-inch of the last big body of water on the left.

Of course, there are nice pink clouds looking back the other direction

Day 2

Unnamed 11,811' from lake 10,700'. Lots of cool stuff seemed to be unnamed around here! Hope you're keeping up.

Exactly one hour later still hanging out at the same spot.

At the lake's outlet

Working my way down the shore and trying to make up my mind which spot would be my first pick for sunrises that might have clouds

Headwaters of the North Fork of the Elk River

Can never have too many pictures of camp. Gotta record it in all lighting conditions . . .

. . . and from all angles!

Sorry, one more!

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