Devils Crags on the Black Divide

The plan was ambitious, I admit. A loop from Road’s End up over Granite Pass, cross-country to Cartridge Pass, over the shoulder of Arrow Peak (past Bench Lake), then down Arrow Creek to Woods Creek and back to the trailhead at Road’s End.

I never made it.

I got a late start the first day, and never caught up to where I needed to be. By day three, I realized I was off schedule. I had promised my wife that if I couldn’t stay on schedule, I’d turn back before the really tough portion of the trip.

And so it was, as I stood on Windy Ridge looking down into the Cartridge Creek drainage, I knew I had to turn back. Stood there a long time, but knew it in my gut. Discouraged, I looked over to the north at the nameless lake (at 10,236) nestled below in a basin. It looked like it was hanging at the precipice of a canyon, so I headed down to camp there and check it out. Maybe there would be a cool view.

There was. This photo is the view from that lake, along with one of the best “didn’t see that coming” moments in my life.