Babcock Mountain - June 25, 2022

Babcock Mountain Trail #10 in Rock Creek.

I was joined on this hike by Dave and Julie Kahl, who had no takers for their overnight trip to Gibbons Pass, and are thinking about rescheduling it this fall.

Trail #10 starts out steep, for maybe a few hundred yards, then you reach a reroute and it switchbacks up and up, alternating between forests and mostly sunny, grassy slopes. As usual there were a lot of wildflowers. It was my first sighting of a lot of Crimson Paintbrush this year. Also a lot of Arrowleaf Balsamroot, and Arnica higher up. There were many more, with Pentstemon and Lupine especially numerous. After a few hours we reached road #4300, which circles part way around the summit and ends. This was my goal, and, since all three of us had been on top before, we headed back down, reaching the car and back in town in mid afternoon. The weather was about perfect, but a bit too warm on the way down. But it was a great hike! Steve Schombel