Chamberlain Basin 2017 Day 5

Heading out from Sheepeater Lake.

Much easier to get back to the trail this year compared to last year's safari.

I do love the sunrise in the water. 

These look like snapdragons to me. 

As the sun rose, I climbed. 

Still snow up at Sheepeater Ridge. 

The trail only gets a little steep. 

We're going to Chicken Peak! 

Ambrose made it to the junction. 

One last look down at Sheepeater Lake. 

Way off in the distance, there's a section of a regular rectangle. That rectangular area is a part of the Chamberlain Airstrip. 

The trail moved from burned out areas to green ones with plenty of tall trees for shade. 

I remember finding this outcropping on the map last year, too.

Looking back at the speck on top of Sheepeater Mountain that is the lookout. 

Look closely - can you spot the deer?

Ambrose was happy that I was right about where the next water was. 

I missed this sign last time - not really surprising considering its state. 

Along with these rocks, I believe it marks what the map calls Fourway Junction. But the trail doesn't look at all maintained. 

No storm clouds on the horizon this year.

The way the guidebook writes about this stream, I expect it to be so much more than the muddy trickle it is. 

The views on this trail uplift me. 

This stream's a little better, but not great. 

More climbing!

First sight of Chicken Peak. 

That snow is awfully close to the trail over this saddle. 

No trails down in that valley. 

Snow keeps getting closer. I put some in my hat to keep cool. 

Getting closer to Chicken Peak. 

And finally, the question is answered - will there be snow on the Chicken Peak saddle?

Yup. 

Big snow. 

Still haven't made the time to actually go to the lookout and see it up close. 

Ambrose surmounting the snow. 

I hiked ahead and got water at Chicken Spring so by the time Ambrose arrived, I just handed him a bag full of water and we were off to the night's campsite. (Not at the side of the trail this year.)

The hour was getting late, but we were almost to our stopping point. 

Just another 500 or so feet to climb. 

This saddle was a decent place to camp, but not as good as I thought it would be. There really wasn't a great flat spot to pitch the tent, but I managed.