
Starting along the Rainbow Lake Trail.

Forested Rainbow Lake Trail.

The Rainbow Lake Trail emerges into a meadow and reaches a junction with the Beaver Creek Trail, just ahead. Take a right.

Along the Beaver Creek Trail. South Baldy Mountain is peeking up on the left. A social trail on the left right around here leads to the sumit.

Along the social trail leading to South Baldy Mountain, visible ahead.

View back through a short section of bushwhacking.

View back again on my way up South Baldy Mountain. I came from the forested ridge on the left.

Close-up back along the ridge.

South Baldy Mountain, view northeast. I headed down the slope on the right in order to reach the saddle below. Middle Baldy visible center.

Nearing the saddle with Middle Baldy. You can see a trail marker on the right center, the Beaver Creek Trail junction.

After some light bushwhacking, I encountered some Class 2 talus-hopping on the way up Middle Baldy.

View back down Middle Baldy toward South Baldy. The Beaver Creek Trail wraps around the left side of South Baldy Mountain, out of frame on the left.

Ascending to the false summit of Middle Baldy.

View back toward South Baldy.

False summit of Middle Baldy, view toward Middle Baldy (center) and North Baldy (right).

Narrow section of pretty ridgeline along the way to Middle Baldy.

View back toward the false summit, cool hoodoos along the way. South Baldy also visible center.

View back toward the false summit as I make my way to Middle Baldy.

Middle Baldy summit, West Elk Peak center.

Onward to North Baldy Mountain.

View back toward Middle Baldy.

Ascending to North Baldy Mountain.

View back toward the ridge so far.

Nutter Butter Peak center, seen from North Baldy Mountain. West Elk Peak also visible on the far left.

Close-up along the ridge toward Nutter Butter Peak and it's scary-looking cliff. Left of center in this photo is a rock outcrop that is avoidable on its left.

View back toward North Baldy Mountain, cool rock formations along the way.

A rock outcrop along the ridge. Keep left around it.

View back just below the base of Nutter Butter Peak's scary south face.

Nutter Butter Peak's scary-looking south face. Keep left in the shadows.

Class 2 along the base of the cliffs. The gully to get up is only 100 feet or so away.

View back along the cliff base.

Class 3 gully, center.

Class 3 couple of moves.

Class 2+ up a short rocky gully, just past the Class 3.

Above the crux (right), view back along the ridgeline. North Baldy Mountain visible left.

Nutter Butter Peak summit. West Elk Peak visible left, The Castles right.

Close-up of The Castles from Nutter Butter Peak.

On my way up to West Elk Peak, view back toward Nutter Butter Peak.

Last push to West Elk Peak.

At the saddle, view back toward Nutter Butter Peak.

West Elk Peak summit, view back along the entire ridgeline. South Baldy Mountain on the right.

West Elk Peak summit, view west toward a cool cirque.

West Elk Peak view north-ish.

West Elk Peak, view east toward The Castles.

After backtracking along the ridge and getting down to the southern base of Middle Baldy, I picked up the Beaver Creek Trail. This is a shot north toward Middle Baldy.

Along the Beaver Creek Trail, which I took back to the Rainbow Lake Trail and then to the trailhead.
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