We met a couple of new friends coming up the trail.  Here's a close up of the most friendly.

Llamas!!  The National Park Service was using llamas to carry topsoil and vegetation for a forest restoration project on the shore of Hidden Lake.  Even the llamas were having difficulty negotiating this steep, narrow, rocky trail.  

They'll find out that the trail down is a heck of lot easier than the trail UP!  We asked about reservations riding the lamas for the trip back up to the summit, but unfortunately they were booked.  By the handlers no doubt!  

As beautiful as the trail was going down to Hidden Lake, it was torture for the flatlanders.  Here, Judy has negotiated about a quarter of the climb up to the summit.

About two-thirds of the way to the top, Judy is one pooped puppy.  I'm feeling pretty good at this point .... NOT.  

The only reason Judy doesn't have any pictures of my struggle up to the summit is .... I HAVE THE CAMERA!!  I'm sitting on a rock trying to catch my breath and hold the camera steady enough to take this picture.

Over the summit and downhill home!  Judy celebrates by cooling off on the frozen snow.

It was a great hike.  Fantastic scenery both out and back.  We felt a real sense of accomplishment at having succeeded in completing this trail which seemed well beyond our capacity at this point in our "hiking career".