More than half way up, I hit one class 3 dry fall that could not be bypassed. There was a ramp on the right side that let me get most of way up before having to scramble. There was enough catclaw to pay attention to route details. Alex Obbard had marked a waypoint where a bighorn skull could be found. It was impossible to miss, mounted on top of a large boulder. Below the skull were other remains: a couple of legs, hips, and the spine. Looked like the bighorn skeleton had been there a long time. When I reached the ridge, there were only a couple of rocky obstacles between me and the summit. There was solid class 3 scrambling on the ridge, with a modicum of exposure. An ammo box held the old, but sturdy, register (circa 2000). It was less than half full. Palen only gets a handful of parties each year. The benchmark was stamped "Red Top". The summit was small. The views in all directions were rewarding. The descent in the upper gully was at least as slow as coming up. It got easier past the dry fall, but I didn't relax until I was back on the road.
Class 3 dry fall
Summit ahoy
Final look back
