Day 1 starts at the Phelps Cr trailhead with a fairly scenic hike up the valley along with the throngs heading to Spider Meadow for the weekend. Following the directions in the old "Routes and Rocks" guidebook, we veer off the trail and descend to a crossing of Phelps Cr and find vague tread of an old sheepherder's trail heading up the mountain. It's a brutal climb and eventually following a stream to a meadowed bench for our camp with great views across the valley to Mt Maude and Seven Fingered Jack.