Our original intention was to do Hellsgate but we were greeted with closure signs. We thought everything was back open but I guess because they still haven't killed enough bears, everything around Ponderosa below 260 is closed. A lot of the re-opened stuff above 260 is only open 6am-6pm so if you're expecting to go up there camping or backpacking, you better call the ranger station first.

We quickly came up with a second option and headed to the fish hatchery. Neither one of us had done this section of the Highline so we decided to take it out to the Myrtle Trail and up the rim. Then we would walk 300 over to Babe Haught and back down to the hatchery.

The Highline is up and down-- over and over again but with nice views. This section had lots of cows. We came across a lightning strike from the night before that was still smoking and cracking so we called it in. The Myrtle is extremely steep, hard to follow in parts, and completely disappears in parts. We finally made it up to the rim and found a good lunch spot.

On the way to the Babe Haught trail, it finally started raining on us. We knew it was going to happen so it was no big deal. Just as we reached Babe Haught, we ran into Chumley and AZpride. Nice to see those gentlemen again. Chumley must think I spend all my weekends walking up and down FR300

We got back to the hatchery and it was done. A salvaged day and the trails were empty!