The Hart's Pass area is where we started. Keep in mind as we go along that this whole area is completely un-protected (not in Wilderness, Rec Area, or Nat'l Park!)
Peaks in all directions as we traverse south from Hart's Pass. Fun to start a trip at 7000 ft.!
Headwaters of the Methow River
Roughly half way
Methow River near its origin. This is the lowest elevation of our trip. This is a trip that starts high, drops down, then goes WAY back up before coming down again!
Approaching Methow Pass, the peaks begin to rise up again.
Aptly named Tower Mountain. Unprotected...
Reaching the basin of Snowy Lakes
Outlet stream flows over granite steps.
Lower Snowy, looking south. Still a lot of snow for July.
Mt. Hardy in middle distance.
Tower Creek valley - imagine a series of clearcuts! OMG! Don't let it happen!
Golden Horn
East face of Golden Horn
This is the type locality of the Golden Horn Batholith. The pinkish granite can be found throughout the area.
Snowy Lakes looking back from near summit of Golden Horn. HOW COULD ALL THIS spectacular wilderness be unprotected??
Swamp Creek - un-trailed and un-protected!
Looking back down at Snowy Lakes from slopes of Golden Horn.
Evening over Snowy Lakes. The skeeters were thick! Summit of Mt. Hardy over the rim of the lake.
Outlet of Snowy Lakes
Forest fire to the east made sunset more spectacular.
A flare-up of the fire! Far enough away to be no threat to us.
Clouds over Cutthroat Pass
Cutthroat Pass resident.
We let this guy have his larch lunch and dropped back down to meet our ride at Cutthroat Lake.
