Sunday, September 27, 2015

Firebrand Pass

Who can resist a trail that travels around the north shoulder of Calf Robe Mountain or, this time of year, one that also travels part-way along Autumn Creek Trail? Not us; not today - it's where we hiked on a clear, blue-sky, but cold, day.

The trail is located in the southeast corner of the park, kind of on the outskirts because we entered the trail off one of the perimeter roads. We began by traveling through pockets of aspen and...

after 1 /2 mile we joined the Autumn Creek Trail with views of some of the ruggedness of the east side of the Continental Divide.

After traveling around the north shoulder of Calf Robe Mountain we reached a beautiful basin below Firebrand Pass, the dip at the center of the picture.

From on top of Firebrand Pass, the dip in the previous picture, looking east, back down the basin.

Looking west across the top of the pass.

It was incredibly windy on the pass, in fact, I had to get the camera ready by crouching down behind that stone cairn. Frederick thought the winds were sustained at 60 - 70 mph (I thought it was more like 120!).

There was no way we could eat our lunch on the pass so we descended about 100 yards to a spot that was sheltered by stunted trees - it was still pretty windy and cold, but I have mastered the art of eating a sliced apple from a plastic bag with my gloves on.

Heading back down the trail through the basin with the pass at the top of the picture and some old silver logs by the side of the trail.

The trail around the shoulder of Calf Robe Mountain heading through a lodgepole forest.

One of the pockets of aspen and...

another pocket near the end of the trail.

As we were driving the one hour drive home along a very curvy road above Two Medicine Lake, we encountered the TravelingPiano. Danny, the Piano Man, and Mo, the Piano Dog, travel the country playing the "Piano on the Truck" wherever they want to. 

At the turn out above Two Medicine Lake. Danny told us that he played at First Night in Providence in the late 80s, early 90s. He sure was having a good time and we sure enjoyed meeting Danny and Mo.

Hike statistics:
Length - 10.52 miles
Elevation gain - 2,210 feet (261 floors on the Fitbit)
Duration - 4 hours and 52 minutes

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