Drake Saddle and Fire

This view looking north from the summit of Vermilion Peak shows a colume of smoke put up by a young Drake Fire (the large smoke at right center, not the small one to the left). Eventually the fire would grow to 17,000 acres and burn most of the basin around it and to the west off the left side of the photo. Drake Saddle is immediately to the left of the fire. Trails from the west connect to Drake Saddle and down the main drainage of Buck Lake Creek or over the second ridge in the distance (west arm of Indian Peak) to get into the Vermilion Peak vicinity. July 2007