Joe, Liz, and I awoke early and broke camp to meet Jake at the Abineau Trailhead at 6:30 am. We made a wrong turn and arrived late. Sorry, Jake! The four of us charged up the chilly Abineau Trail, as yet untouched by the morning sun. Humphreys Peak soon came into view, its top glowing orange from the soft morning light. Ok, that scene made the whole trip for me. I marveled at the power of snow as we made our way up the avalanche alley that is Abineau Canyon. Arriving at the Waterline Trail junction, we stopped for a break with an incredible view. It was a little bit cold in our shady canyon, and I actually put on something with long sleeves. Jake, who had to work that morning, turned around and headed back down Abineau, while the rest of us continued east along the Waterline Trail. We were treated to a few nice pockets of fall aspens along the way, elk bugling, and the occasional patch of wonderfully warm sunlight. Turning off onto Bear Jaw Trail, the air warmed to a pleasant temp, and we made an uneventful return to the Abineau Trailhead. Liz and Joe headed for home, and I sat in the bed of my truck, pouring over maps, trying to decide on my next adventure for the day...

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