After a fantastic glacier-view hike, we had to continue southwards towards our destination of Sheep Mountain. We stopped to view the Gulkana Glacier valley, but didn't stay long because of threatening rain.
Rainbow ridge with some extra rainbow
Paxson Lake continues for a long long ways
A glacier along the Glenn Highway
The black spruce forest seemed endless
We arrived at Sheep Mountain in the early afternoon, with just enough time for a hike to the summit.
A frog flower
We had to do some route finding and negotiate a dry stream bed
The steepness of the slope ahead was intimidating, but you don't have to contend with altitude
The ascent was steep, and the best part was that we got a good look at all the delicious blueberries!
A wall of rock that grew from the bottom of the valley
Dwarf birch and blueberry light up the slope
Climbing to the first tor along the summit ridge
View from the "summit" of Sheep Mountain. You can continue hiking upwards for a ways, though I did not scout a route for the farther peak.
It's not a cloud - Matanuska Glacier is the white ribbon in the distance.
We found a bench at the top!!
You can see our cabins waaaay below (green roofs)
Tundra walking on top of the mountain.
The descent was relatively easy because the shrubs were soft and spongy underfoot.
Alpenglow on a distant peak at 9 pm
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