I was up early this morning and headed west to the Black Hills with a few friends to hike Harney Peak. (Harney was appropriately renamed Black Elk Peak on August 11, 2016).  At 7,242 feet, Harney is the tallest peak between the Rockies and the Pyrenees.  We had a few errands to run along the way, did our hike, got some groceries, and had dinner at a Japanese steakhouse.   We returned to the park with just enough time for me to switch out gear and get ready for another night of ferret spotlighting.  On my way to meet everyone, there was commotion a few apartments down where a friend had discovered a rattlesnake outside her door.  A few of them were deciding how to handle the situation, which ended well enough.  We captured the snake and relocated him far away from the housing area.

Cathedral Spires, along the hike up to Harney Peak

Another view of the spires, using a new trick on my phone camera

The trail

Cathedral Spires

View east towards badlands, way off on the horizon

Along the trail

Getting closer

Boulders and path

View from above, looking east

The old fire lookout at the summit.

View east

View south

Panorama looking south from inside the tower

Panorama looking north from inside the tower

View of the tower and out building (pump house?)

Fire lookout, out building, and what

looks like a pond that was

dammed for collection

Along the hike back down

View on the hike down

Trail view

Trail view looking east toward badlands

Some nice fall color

View of the fire lookout from along the trail

Cathedral Spires

Trail view

More fall color

Rattlesnake in the apartment area