After a week long cycling camp, I needed to get back to hiking and convert my legs back to walk mode. Next week I will be doing a week long peak bagging trip in the Frank Church. Rain Peak was our goal today. As I ate my breakfast, I kept my phone nearby…. with the heavy smoke, I expected a couple of texts from my climbing partners wanting to bag for the day…. those texts never came.
Tom, Anne and I made our way up Lick Creek Road then the popular Duck Lake Trail to start our climb. The smoke was bad but we kept telling ourselves it was better over toward Rain Peak…. it wasn’t!
Duck Lake, quite beautiful!
As started our climb from Duck Lake, this lone snag caught my eye.
This is a small unnamed pond, one of many in this area.
It wasn’t until I got home and started working on this blog that I realized it has been 6 years almost to the day that Tom and I last climbed Rain Peak. See that trip report here.
As we entered the meadow just below the peak, Anne starts belting out the Sound of Music.
Making rock moves near the summit. Notice that Anne is sporting the latest in Hunter Orange Fashion including a matching cap lashed to her pack.
At the summit, Marge Lake is a quick squirrel suit ride away. That first step is a duzie!
More summit shots.
Interesting snag.
Backing off the summit.
Notice the change of air masses, the smoke is pushed off by a low pressure front from the west. We can breath again and also see!
Upper Duck Lake is our next stop.
Fall colors are everywhere in the high country.
We take a good long break at Upper Duck Lake. It was an amazing moment in the Idaho Backcountry.
I wanted to scout future camp spots so we worked around the lake. In the distance, Rain Peak.
As we finished the climb, the weird mix of smoke and clouds in the sky made for an unusual scene.
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