Indian paintbrush

We set up camp beside two streams merging beside an old RV road through the wilderness. Casey has been here before and without her we would surely be lost out here. The trails seldom even make it onto our maps and so we trace our way by memory and compass.

A high pressure system rolled in last night and today the weather is blustery and cold. We hunkered down for a rest and reading day, recharging from our near constant moving. We all needed it, but wish the weather was a bit nicer. Though it is high summer you would never know it. Throughout our journey we've only had a few days warm enough to swim and wander in short sleeves. And up here in the Castle Crown it is downright cold. I've been wearing a wool hat and my down jacket everywhere!

We've become adept at being resourceful with cooking, camping, and finding places to make a bear hang. I helped the guys hoist an ingenious bear hang between two ungainly aspens above the river like some elaborate booby trap and then wandered alone upstream to explore. Indian paintbrush, wolf lichen, trembling aspen, bull trout, reindeer moss, huckleberries, and an American dipper darting through the rapids are just a few of the things I discovered :)