Day 6 (Layover) - Cross Darwin Bench and climb Mt. Goethe
Another peak to climb! Margi and I once again charge off for another summit, and cross spectacular waterways and wildflower displays along the way in Darwin Bench, for one of the most memorable excursions in all my years of hiking!
25 Photographs
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Margi and I head out towards Darwin Bench, we encounter lush hillsides full of Lupine right away!
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Our first glimpse of our target, Mt. Goethe (13,264’).
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But there’s so much nice scenery along the way in Darwin Bench -
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- not to mention still more Lupine - that the approach to the mountain becomes a spectacular attraction in its own right!
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This outflow from a lake at the top of Darwin Bench was completely lined with wildflowers!
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We climbed directly up the creek channel to stay near the beautiful banks of wildflowers.
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Margi’s colors fit right in with the colors in the flowers. We’ve got Lupine, Paintbrush, Fireweed,
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...as far as we can see up the creek...
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...and enhancing the views back down the creek.
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Did I forget to mention Shooting Stars too?!
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The flowers just don’t let up!
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This mix of flowers is one of the most intensely colorful we’ve seen so far.
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The creek (flowing from behind us) works it way through a steeper jumble of boulders...
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...and eventually reaches a lovely, narrow little canyon where it flows out from the lake (behind us).
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The vegetation has changed just in the small amount of altitude we’ve gained above Darwin Bench. Here, some Common Monkeyflowers nestle into the cracks among the rocks.
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As we head up from the lake towards the top of Mt. Goethe, an occasional spring creates a dramatic patch of color on the otherwise barren slopes.
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A couple of quick hours of climbing, and we’re on top. Mt. Darwin and Mt. Mendel offer dramatic relief to the left, and Mt. Goddard looms in the distance on the right.
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Margi shows her delight : “We’re on top of the world again! Wheee!!!” The register book peeks out from under the rock at the left.
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Another mountain, another beautiful 360° panorama. This is almost getting to be a routine!
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Hi mom! We did it again!
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On our way back around the lake, we climb away from the shore after the banks get too steep to traverse, and here it looks like Margi is climbing right out of the water!
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I just can’t resist photographing all these flowers!
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A last look at our mountain...
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...but not the last of the beautiful views across the fields of Lupine!
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Where there’s water, there’s color! The traverse home across these steep, flower-filled hillsides made for a spectacular finish to an amazing day.