Never imagined I would do this loop hike in the James Peak Wilderness at this time of year, but what a mild and dry autumn we have had. Up via the Arapahoe Lakes basin, south on the CDT, and down via the Iceberg Lakes basin. I’m grateful that my wife consented to join me on this mostly off-trail route, since I’ve wanted her to experience this hike for a long time, and it’s getting harder and harder for me to complete each year.

For a little extra excitement, Max got a face-full of porcupine up on the divide, and it took all of our combined weight and strength to hold him still while I removed a couple of dozen quills. We should have taken some photos to capture the memories, but I guess we were too stressed and preoccupied. This is the 4th porcupine encounter for our dogs, over roughly 15 years, so we generally know how to handle the situation, but it’s never easy. And I certainly didn’t expect he would find a porcupine on the tundra at 12,000 ft.