[pct-l] My Summer " Vacation"

[CMountainDave at aol.com (CMountainDave@xxxxxxx)]

A little (okay a lot) off of subject, but I added a couple of high points 
over the summer: Gannet Peak in Wyoming (what snow bridge?? Must be on a 
different route) Quite a lot of effort to bag one peak: 56 miles round trip. The 
glaciers were just as big as those on Rainier, much to my surprise. Thunderstorms 
kept threatening on summit day but I wasn't about to turn back after all that 
effort. Finally got good and soaked after I was well off the summit with 
lightning bolts scaring the hell out of me as usual -- just can't seem to get used 
to them. A campfire that evening dried most things out, but it rained all 
night. Morning was clear and bright and a few of hours of sun dried things out 
completely
  Then I went to S.Dak. and bagged Harney Peak. The Black Hills were a 
perfect storm of bikers and tourists. Very, very crowded and lots of noise. There 
was a cool watchtower on the summit built by the CCC and one could find a little 
solitude by hiking off trail
   As for Yellowstone, I did a mini 3 day backpack and went up Mt Holmes. I 
waltzed into the Backcountry Ranger Station around 9 A.M. and was the only 
person there (other than 2 Rangers) Getting a permit was no problem at all - I 
pretty much had my pick of campsites, much to my surprise. They warned me about 
grizzly activity around Mt Holmes and asked me if I was sure if I wanted to go. 
I said but of course. Never saw one though, but lots of elk. Had my camp area 
to myself the first night, but had to share the second. Yellowstone still 
looks fried to a crisp 15 years after the big fires. The lodgepoles are coming 
back but I imagine it will be another 30 years before they mature. The 
ubiquitous meadows of Yellowstone couldn't care less about the big fires
 Was going to climb Granite Peak (Montana) and Wheeler Peak (N.M.) but never 
found the time. Dismantling 50 years of someone's life takes up a lot of time