At 6:30 five hikers left the Power Road Home Depot to escape the valley heat. Ninety-one miles later at 8:30 we arrived at an unmarked forest road near milepost 277 on SR 288.

We booted up and after a final drug check for aches and allergies from our amateur pharmacist Wendy we were on our way.

The road (FR489) followed Pocket Creek. It was free of vehicles and switchbacks. It was a continuous climb, no flat sections. Early on we encountered Sycamores and Locus trees. As we gained altitude taller trees of Fir, Pine, Oak, and Maple, embraced us with more frequent patches of shade.

At "WH" we encountered a well-like structure. Although the creek was dry, we could see and hear water running.

We continued on the road to "A". At this point we began our off-trail adventure. We picked our way through the trees as we headed up. The forest was not cluttered with undergrowth. Good. We crossed many animal trails as we headed up.

We experienced both rocky sections and those loaded with soft pine needles.We had no vision of either our destination or our entry point. ... So ... we left rock Cairns and pink ribbon markers as we went.

Prior to Hill 6728 we encountered a fence. We followed the fence line to the top. Bill led the way down to the saddle and the final rock scramble up to the "POINT"

We had lunch.

After absorbing great views of the valley floor below, the eastern beginnings of Roosevelt Lake, Asbestos Peak to the west, the Grantham range to the northwest, we headed down. Carefully.

After the rocky section we mostly followed a single animal trail back to "A". Mike and Wendy chose to head back. AJ, Quy and Bill took the road that branched toward the mines. We stopped for a photo session of us operating some rusty equipment. We peeked into several mine openings that lined the road.

Beyond a door-framed entrance to one shaft AJ found a bed frame with a box spring. Bill followed the road until it became overgrown looking for a possible bushwhack return on a future hike.

We headed back to Superior for dinner, after washing our hands ... asbestos you know.

As to the historic naming of Zimmerman Point, the mystery remains.