Bills Peak

This scramble took place on Sunday, July 19, 2014.

My annual birthday scramble up Bills Peak! Great day, cool in the morning turning quite hot by the afternoon. No rain and only a few high clouds. Cows with calves and a bull in the road on the drive to the trailhead. No snow (anywhere) and super dry! Very distressed to see evidence of recent campfires at the base of the trail up to Fourth Creek Pass as well as at the pass itself. I bet these people wouldn't have a campfire in the middle of their dining room. The area is literally a tinder box. Huckleberries are in. I picked as I hiked and certainly put down several cups of the things. How can they be so juicy and flavorful when there is no rain??

We scrambled to the northern peak on the ridge and scrambled on good rock south to the summit, bagging each peak and saddle (and their related views) along the way. This is a fun way to do this scramble. We hit the summit just around noon. 7.5 hours car-to-car.

It was 96 degrees at the trailhead when we got back!

This was a graduating scramble for one of the scramblers. Too cool!

Great day!