The stars aligned perfectly for a last outing at Sunrise this season: culvert work completed on SR 410 so road was open at milepost 55, Sunrise road was open in the park, recent snow on trails was all melted and dust dampened down, skies were clear above the lowland fog. Sourdough Ridge, Fremont Lookout, Burroughs, Sunrise Rim and Shadow Lake trails are in great condition. The Freemont lookout tower and the facilities at Sunrise are all buttoned up for winter except for the vault toilets between the day lodge and gravel parking lot. Sunrise road closes October 10.
Wildlife I heard about but didn't see: the silver-tipped black Cascade fox, a couple of solo mountain goats, and elk bugling out towards Grand Park. Wildlife I did see: chipmunks, ground squirrels, Clark's nuthatches. Not-so-wildlife: a carrier pigeon with two bands, hanging around the parking lot. I reported the pigeon to a ranger who knew a lot about these birds and said they would try to capture it, read the tags, and notify the owner.
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