Golden Trout Wilderness -- Redrock Meadows 6-18

I started out in the afternoon at Blackrock Trailhead (8,969') and headed down for ...

... my first look at Casa Vieja Meadows (8,310') where ...

... I camped for the night.

The sun rose over Casa Vieja Meadows the next morning and I headed ...

... up the trail to the junction at Long Canyon Creek (8,480'), ...

... then passed by the nearby meadow and ...

... soon ran into this large blowdown across the trail, one of 17 (ranging from 6 to 30 inches in diameter) between Casa Vieja Meadows and Redrock Meadows. The Forest Service already had this section of trail scheduled for work and they will be gone in a few days. If you are interested in the sawyer work required (or just have a fetish for trees across the trail), see http://tinyurl.com/ybnr897u

Then I went by Beer Keg Meadow and ...

... through an old burn area, before ...

... stopping for a water break at a tributary of Long Stringer.

Views into the distance like this are rare on this trail, ...

... which continually rolls up and down as it goes through thick pine forest.

I went past Long Stringer before ...

... getting this view over some of the burn area from last year's Indian Fire and ...

... passing River Spring (its real name) which gushes out a lot of water right next to the edge of the trail.

Another long view before ...

... passing some seemingly out-of-place red rock, which meant I was nearing ...

... Redrock Meadows (8,626').

One of at least two cabins that were once there, and ...

... where I camped for two nights; lots of good camping areas up in the trees.

The upper meadow looked good that evening while the sun set, as did ...

... the main meadow the next morning as the sun rose, highlighting its namesake just a little distance down canyon. I later took some videos, just in case anyone thinks Redrock Meadows is a place for ...