Padre Pass

After some study on where the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition crossed Strawberry Ridge in 1776, Steve thinks he's found the spot.  Although the pass is unnamed, he has dubbed it Padre Pass, labeled in green in the photo above. Padres Dominguez and Escalante were making their way from the valley that is now covered by Strawberry Reservoir (they called it Valle de Purisima) through the Wasatch Mountains to Utah Lake.  They were the first non-native Americans known to venture through the area. 

We were drenched in orange, since it was the last day of elk season. 

These hunters watching from a ridge weren't likely to find any game, since any intelligent elk was surely in hiding, and any not-so-intelligent elk were probably goners already.

We found bright yellow Scouler's Willow growing on a ridge:

Boss found some grass.

Our trail wound through aspen groves:

past this Douglas fir twisted by the west wind:

To enjoy an expanse of fall color spread out below:

All of this goes to show that following in the footsteps of history can be fun.