Rick's July Hike

Pole Creek Ridge - Rock Creek Butte Hike
July 3, 2012

The mountain goat

Nearing Rock Creek Butte

     While Ginger was at the General Assembly of the PC(USA), Rick went exploring in the Honda on some new back roads between Sumpter and Bourne.  He found the Pole Creek Ridge trailhead, which is a one mile short-cut UP (read that carefully UP) to the Elkhorn Creek Trail.  The views were magnificent, especially after he decided to head south abit on the trail.  Then....the summit of Rock Creek Butte beckoned.  Afterall, he was so close. He struggled somewhat to reach the top, his good wisdom in doubt!  But to look down on Rock Creek Lake, still half shrouded in ice and snow, on a full Pine Creek Reservoir, was pretty awesome.  Rick also was blessed with a regal view of a majestic mountain goat, shed of its shaggy coat, and looking splendid on the hillside.  Altogether a 10 mile trek, with a fair amount of elevation, but a superior hike!!

Glacier Lily

Rock Creek Lake from atop the butte

Click HERE to view the pictures Rick took using Jed's old Olympus digital camera (Ginger had the good one in Pittsburgh! I think he did pretty well!)