At the trail head. Mike was too short to fit in the picture or I should say I wasn't talented enough of a photographer to capture Mike in this setting. 

Pre Trip Plan 22 mile loop.

Actual Trip Route 14 mile out and back.

First look at how extensive the Grizzly Complex FIre was in 2015. It really hit this area hard.

Lots of Butterflies but few pictures.

First stop at Crooked Creek.

Mike waiting, not so patiently, for Bill to come across log spanning Crooked Creek. The Grizzly Complex Fire had taken out the bridge so it was either balance the log or wade. Going we balanced the log but on the return we waded. Both times Bill was a great help for this old man with balance problems.

Beautiful wild plant of unknown species. Seed pods are mostly air. Looked like it was covered by little lights.

Coming up Smooth Ridge. Smiling as we didn't know what was ahead. Trail here was well defined and relatively clear. A few blow downs in a short section that was affected by what seemed to be a microburst of wind, maybe 2 dozen burned snags topped at the same height which then fell on the trail.

Mike, a little thirsty as we near the top of Smith Ridge. What a fun time.

Taken at lunch after being thwarted, behind us, by heavy, thick ungrowth on Smith Ridge the made for very slow going and obscured the trail completely. We followed 5' tall thistles left by horse travel as our trail markers. These were mixed in with dense 5' tall fireweed, so thick we could not see each other when we got more than 20' apart. You could see where you were putting you feet so you stumbled a lot. A rough time for all of us, especially Mike being so short. After an hour or so, with no relief in site, we conferred and changed our plans.

Large lightening stuck Juniper. 

Looking North on the switchbacks just below the trailhead on our exit. This area was outside the Grizzly Complex Fire and would be a potential area to explore.