Day 20: Harney Peak

Oh boy, Harney Peak………it’s the highest peak between the Swiss Alps and the Rocky Mountains at 7,200 feet.  The hike to the top starts at about 6,000 feet and is about 5 hours long.  It’s rough going at times, but totally worth it.  Here, I’ll let the pictures do the talking……

It was a STEEP climb.

 We're getting pretty good with the self-timer.

See that red area, below the big rock?  That looks like leaves changing color?  Well, it's actually dead leaves due to the pine beetle.  Which has killed millions of trees.

 They have to cut down all the infected trees to try to stop the infestation.  It's not working very well.

Yeah, you see that rectangle thing in the middle of the picture?  THAT'S where we're going!!!

 Cathedral Spires.  We passed by but didn't detour.

Needles!!!

OMG, are we almost there?? 

No, we're not.   COME ON!!!

 Hey!  Since I'm already so far behind, let me take a picture!!

Pretty.

 Cute boys.

Look girls!!  I'm wearing my hiking boots! 

We made it!!

Kipper's cooling off in a spring that was dammed up to provide a water supply for the men who were stationed at Harney Peak to watch for fires in the Black Hills back in the old days.

Wow

On the way back down....I'm STILL lagging behind.

Sylvan Lake at the end of our hike.  Beautiful and cold.

Just what we needed.

That's one tired pooch.

Dinner that night was the best ever.  Burgers with Jim Wilson's homemade bar-b-q sauce, lovingly packed up in an OJ bottle.  More Jimmy Sauce?  Yes, please.