The brush has really been growing in the hills, yes there is a trail directly ahead of me. We had to brush-whack for a good quarter mile on this one:
![Image](http://www.grizzlyguy.com/ATVs/Carpenter-Ridge-Ride-with-Eric/i-73CRbBN/0/L/SagehenHillsOvergrownTrailSJOV-L.jpg)
We took a break along the way to check out this view of Carpenter Valley in the foreground, with the backside of Castle Peak visible on the skyline to the left side of the photo. Devil's Oven Lake is perched up on the volcano-like granite peak that is just right of center and not quite on the skyline (can't see the lake):
![Image](http://www.grizzlyguy.com/ATVs/Carpenter-Ridge-Ride-with-Eric/i-w7PK8PP/0/L/CarpenterValleyAndCastlePeak01-L.jpg)
![Image](http://www.grizzlyguy.com/ATVs/Carpenter-Ridge-Ride-with-Eric/i-LMvZqnT/0/L/CarpenterValleyAndCastlePeak02-L.jpg)
Lots o' purple flowers and bees where we stopped:
![Image](http://www.grizzlyguy.com/ATVs/Carpenter-Ridge-Ride-with-Eric/i-wLTjwfX/0/L/PurpleFlowers01-L.jpg)
![Image](http://www.grizzlyguy.com/ATVs/Carpenter-Ridge-Ride-with-Eric/i-RFVTZmW/0/L/PurpleFlowersAndBee01-L.jpg)
After a quick run over to Sagehen Campground, we started the climb up to the top of Carpenter Ridge. We started hitting snow drifts at 8000'. They were easy for me on the Grizzly, but the biker-boys had to do quite a bit of pushing and muscling to get their skinny-tired machines up and over the bigger ones that were higher up (rat's, didn't think to take pictures of those):
![Image](http://www.grizzlyguy.com/ATVs/Carpenter-Ridge-Ride-with-Eric/i-HV392Hx/0/L/CarpenterRidgeRoadSnowDrifts01-L.jpg)
Up on top at 8400', Pete strikes a pose while Eric looks on. That is Mt. Lola across the valley behind Eric's head (Independence Lake is behind and w-a-y down the steep side of the ridge below Pete):
![Image](http://www.grizzlyguy.com/ATVs/Carpenter-Ridge-Ride-with-Eric/i-kXW7WdW/0/L/TopfCarpenterRidgeEricAndPete0-L.jpg)
Closer looks at Mt. Lola (9148'), White Rock Lake is down behind the ridge to the left of Lola (can't see the lake):
![Image](http://www.grizzlyguy.com/ATVs/Carpenter-Ridge-Ride-with-Eric/i-2NvjtNf/0/L/TopfCarpenterRidgeMtLola02-L.jpg)
![Image](http://www.grizzlyguy.com/ATVs/Carpenter-Ridge-Ride-with-Eric/i-GZnV5NG/0/L/TopfCarpenterRidgeMtLola01-L.jpg)
Eric and Pete had never been up this route so even though we couldn't head for Meadow Lake, it was still a successful mission.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)