Overnight in upper Headlight Basin with day trip over to Lake Ingalls and the rocks above. Clambered over rocks to find our way to the outflow at the north end.
Trailhead parking was full by 6:40 am Saturday, we only had to park a tenth of a mile or so down the road, when we left at 9:30 this morning the roadside parking was filled in for at least 0.8 miles before it began to thin out.
We were on trail by 7 am and reached the pass by 8:45, and the upper camping area fifteen minutes later, and were offered a spot by a very nice couple who had been there for multiple nights and was headed out. They said a goat had come and hung out near their for tent for several hours Wednesday night, but we did not see any goats this time.
The sun went behind the ridge before 5 pm and we finished eating and got into our sleeping bags. Some of the sites will have sunlight for much longer than others, which matters a lot for evening warmth especially in the shoulder season. In the middle of the night, even with a half moon, there was a noticeable light spot to the north and my camera could see Aurora Borealis colors that my naked eye could not. This morning's sunrise was spectacular, coming up right in the notch between the Stuart Range and the Three Brothers. We broke camp and hiked down along the most crowded trail heading up hill that I've ever seen, but everyone was polite. It took a bit of extra time to drive out due to all the cars coming up hill but it wasn't as bad as I had thought it was going to be.
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