South Mist Hills East Peak loop via Picklejar Cr Off-Trail hike on 28

Clear skies and a cool morning made for a great start for the hike. We picked our way through the flood devastation to find the Picklejar Creek trail and made steady progress up into the open meadows higher up. Fortunately any rain that may have fallen overnight had dried up along the overgrown trail:

After taking a break at the col we headed up the steep slope and thick-in-spots trees to come out on the ridge where it was easy going to the summit of the East summit of the hills:

It turned out to be a good spot for lunch with the bright sunshine mostly offsetting the coolness of the breeze (a mini-thermometer registered 15C). We had a fine view of our next objective, the West hill (it is steeper than it looks!) and beyond up the Highwood Valley:

We also noticed that the end of a ridge across the valley to the northeast, because of the shadows, with a little imagination resembled the face of a bloodhound:

After the leisurely lunch we descended the steep face of the East Hill:

and then ascended the West Hill where we hung out for a while basking in the sun. Then it was off down the ridge heading back to the cars:

It was here we met the only other two people we saw all day. The ridge walk was good but lower down off the ridge it was a thrash bushwhacking through thick brush before regaining the Picklejar trail back to the parking spot.

Thanks to an amiable group of participants: Rosanne, Philip, Bill (photos), Barbara and Aldis for joining me. Ron C/S/P

Flora report: Most flowers were done for the season but a few were still in bloom in a few locations, e.g. stonecrop, yarrow, arnica and the following:

Bill also spotted a different type of wolf lichen:

The black "eyes" are the fruiting bodies that produce the spores. Its cousin, the common wolf lichen (Letharia vulpina) doesn't have the eyes.

Fauna report: bighorn sheep at Eyrie Gap; a bald eagle and a northern harrier seen flying by at lunch.