Start to Pitamakan Pass

The Fall colors were out in full force: solid green pine trees, lighter greens of bushes, yellows and oranges of trees and bushes, and fire reds of bushes. Gorgeous colors. The mountains were lightly covered in snow so we had white added to the color scheme.

The view up the Dry Fork Creek and valley was wonderful. The valley was fairly straight so we had long views of the valley and mountains as we hiked.

We stopped at a small waterfall section of Dry Fork creek, sat and had a bite to eat. While we did so three 40-something women hikers passed by on the trail. Then the rest of the way to Pitamakan Pass we leap frogged past one another while the others stopped to have a bite to eat or view the scenery.

Well before Oldman Lake we had snow on the trail. We met a hiker heading out and he told us 6 inches of snow was near the lake. He was right. Wet slushy snow covered the trail.

Along Oldman Lake the trail took to switchbacks and climbed up to Pitamakin Pass. The three woman broke trail through the snow with Sue Ann following them. Joyce climbs slowly on steep uphill sections so she and I quickly fell behind.

In the following photo the right bit of sky is above Pitamakan Pass. The mountain is Mt Morgan. The left bit of sky is on the way to Dawson Pass. The next post will have photos taken from there looking back this way. We hiked around the backside of Mt Morgan to get to that point.

The three women hikers turned around at Pitamakan Pass and returned to their car. Joyce, Sue Ann, and I had lunch and enjoyed the view. Oldman Lake was far below us now.

Lastly, here are two views of Rising Wolf Mountain. The first photo is of the mountain from the valley, less than halfway to the Pass. The second photo was taken near Pitamakan Pass and shows the mountain from its start to where it joins with Flinsch Peak on the right side. On the other side of Rising Wolf Mountain is Two Medicine Lake and our way back to the car.

Next post... Pitamakan Pass to Dawson Pass.