Hidden valley

Captain ahab

Flat pass sunrise

Kane creek canyon with Laura, baby, and helix

Slick rock and above abyss

Attempted the Wild Basin Traverse as described here: https://fastestknowntime.com/route/wild-basin-traverse-co
The terrain was incredibly gnarly, and I averaged about 1.2 miles per hour on the route. The scenery is breathtaking and there are lots of sections that offer classic class 2 and 3 travel. After Isolation Peak, it was getting late in the day and my legs were destroyed, so I bailed out to the Ouzel Lake Trail. Those looking for an easier version of the Wild Basin Traverse may want to consider this "mild" version. I left the trailhead at 3 am and got back to the car around 8:30 pm, for a total time of about 17.5 hours. The main difficulty about this route wasn't the technical cruxes or the elevation gain, but the sustained travel across talus fields. I used approach shoes, which I was certainly thankful for on the descent off Pagoda. There were some exposed Class 4 slabs, and I did a few (less exposed) moves that were likely low Class 5. I brought poles, which is used for the first few miles but then mostly lived in my pack until the final hike out. I would probably leave the poles next time due to the amount of talus on the route. The only place where I found reliable water was low in the gully going up Isolation Peak. But, this is mid-September and it's been fairly dry this summer, so I'm guessing that this is a reliable water source. Definitely bring lots of food on this route, since it may take longer than you think!

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Dan Hickstein

Mild Basin Traverse

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Hidden valley

Captain ahab

Flat pass sunrise

Kane creek canyon with Laura, baby, and helix

Slick rock and above abyss

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