Bushcamp to Sheep Lake
37.8 miles
SoBo mile 326.9
Total mileage 2979.5
With summer slowly coming to a end, the sun is rising later and later, so rather than hiking in the dark we decided to start waking up later. At 5 my alarm went off, and by 5:30 we were on our way.
We caught a nice sunrise as we padded along a tree lined ridge for much of the morning.
The trail was a bit of a roller coaster, but by noon we’d already knocked out most of the elevation gain for the day.
At Government Meadow we took a short break at Ulrich Shelter. After slamming some trail mix we pushed on, heading up into the heights of Norse Peak Wilderness.
The burn section we hiked through had received some attention since I’d been there last on my way north. Most of the blow downs had been cleared, so navigating the trail was a lot easier.
Last time I hiked through this section I’d been in a cloud, so I was seeing these vistas for the first time.
I saw a herd of mountain goats, so that was neat!
During my final climb of the day I saw a pika chirping on a rock. These guys usually run off before I can get a photo, but this one didn’t seem to mind me.
I crested the mountain to find Sheep Lake waiting below me. I hustle down stoked for some dinner.
When I arrived all the prime campgrounds had been taken, but I was able to find some decent real estate near a solo weekender. I ended up chatting the guy up, which proved quite beneficial. He hooked me up with a Pepsi, bag of Doritos, a Snickers bar and a bunch of Reese’s!
The unexpected trail magic was a game changer. I shared it with Airborne when he arrived. He was glad to have some candy to eat along with his mustard and mayo topped block of cheese.
P.s. Hey Kris! Thanks for reaching out and offering up your generous support! I’m glad to know you’re following along!
Cheers!