Trip Report

Saturday we arrived at snow line about 11 a.m. under gray but improving sky. We hike/sloshed up the road past Pinto Creek and then took a short cut for Notch Lake. The lake and trail were so well hidden in the snow we took a compass bearing and followed our shadows toward Mt. Yoran. We finally got sight of Yoran thru the trees and while Lee went looking for Divide Lake, our intended camp, the rest of us exhausted hikers made camp up on the ridge and enjoyed the sunshine.

We left camp about 6:15 Sunday morning on top of a nice crust as the temperature dipped to 20°F. Around tree line Mark turned back as he felt sick and a half mile later Lee decided to join him. Knowing that with their experience, Mark and Lee could take care of themselves, Joe, Rick and I decided to go on. We summited at 11:50 a.m. and enjoyed lunch with a woman clad in a purple bikini and a mellow Golden Retriever in sunglasses and bandana. I know it is hard to believe, but we know what we saw and the dog was even kind enough to be photographed; I can't say the same for the woman. In all there-were about 25 ski patrollers on top.

We said farewell at 1 p.m. and after flirting with the idea of climbing Yoran on the way down, we found Divide Lake and arrived back in camp at 4:15 p.m. We awoke the next morning to soggy snow as the low was only 44°F, and slogged back to solid ground. After stopping at the A & W we arrived back in town around 2 p.m. The climbers on this beautiful Memorial Day climb were Rick Hargreaves, Lee Hatch, Mark Perrin, Joe Turner and leader Keith Blunck.