• AT HAND: Deuce Lee, The Big Dipper
• LOCATION: Near Bailey, CO
• DATES: June 8-11, 2017
• STATS: 4 days/3 nights, 35 miles – 7,200 feet EG

“You can hike hours through trees, then burst upon a private universe far above roads and cities. These summits let you taste freedom and touch the sky. They will draw you back.”

–Gerry Roach

Could a greater endorsement for a backpacking trip possibly be made? Private universes exist in extant fables, religious doctrines of dubious validity, egomaniacal technocratic delusions, and the mind of a person willing to sit still and practice box breathing for 20 minutes. The Lost Creek runs underground like a current beneath the mantle, a mycelium mimetic of sorts for the plants and animals who sprout and pace and root and recompose endlessly. It’s only lost if you are trying to find it, and there’s no reason to look too hard. The rock formations along this route are worthy of a double take and the meadows roll off the feet of the high passes in quiet abundance, undisturbed and pristine.

Of consequence: A deep stream crossing; weighty clouds and cover; views of Mt. McCurdy that are hard to look away from; meadow chilling; burn zone rejuvenation.