In the trees we saw a group of mountain chickadees. Very distinctive, energetic little birds. Just before the junction with the Wheeler Trail we passed an excellent campsite with available water. Dense growths of Columbine near the creek. Varied colors, some of the deepest purple that I have ever seen.
Every little canyon is full of rushing water.
This has got to be very unusual for this time of year. About 5 PM we cross the large river and the highway into Copper Mountain. The hike took about 8 hours and we experienced about every type of weather imaginable. We found the bus stop, had a drink, and caught the free Summit County shuttle back to Gold Hill. Hopefully, we will do more next year.