Looking out over Lake Cachuma from the Santa Cruz Peak summit. The Channel Islands should have been visible on the horizen, but it was hard to tell with the haze.

There were swarms of gnats on the peak, so I didn't spend too much time lounging on the summit. This (slighty out of focus) is of the boatload of gnats on my shoulder. They returned seconds after brushing them off, so I gave up swatting them.

McKinley Mountain (left) and San Rafael Mountean (right) from Santa Cruz Peak.

Panorama shot looking north from Santa Cruz showing all of the traverse from the McKinley saddle.

Back at the hightpoint of the ridge afer a long unbearably hot 3 hour trudge back from Santa Cruz. Probably mid 90's out and not a spot of shade on the whole route. Shot is of the increasingly hazy view of the lake.

I found a shady spot near the washed out section of the trail leading back to the bowl and stopped for a rest. I was lying down when this hummingbird flew overhead and (for once) I was able to catch it on camera.

Gathering the willpower to get back up and traverse the bowl back to the McKinley saddle. The heat was really sapping my strength at this point.

More yuccas in the bowl. The bowl was pretty green compared to the surrounding terrain.

This little wisp in the center of the frame was the only cloud cover to be seen above the ridge.