I started and ended this route from the Sunlight Trailhead, due too the much more prevalent camping spots in the area, rather than Porcupine Trailhead, which on the original route was dubbed the start and stop point. It doesn't change the experience of the route much, and it definitely doesn't change the logistics. If anything, and for a couple of reasons, I personally think it adds more of an appropriate approach, and finish to this beautiful loop route. Park at the Sunlight trailhead and walk up the trail .75 miles just before the creek to where the loop connects the "Sunlight Trail" to the "Shields Lowline Trail". That is where the route starts if approaching from here.
Along side my mountain pup "Piper" we made our start on the Shields Lowline Trail at 4:12 am to insure she could handle the hot temps that were to come later in the day. We had perfect conditions all day and plenty of water for the pup this time of year. There is some time to gain for sure as I was dealing with some slight nausea during the climbing that forced me to keep a slightly more conservative effort than I was hoping on the uphills. I also lost the trail for a spell, due too a huge avi field with tons of debris in the upper basin of the North Fork Elk Creek. Other than that everything went to plan and this goes down as some of the best mountain miles I've put together especially on the downhill efforts. This time definitely won't stand if more people get out there and get after it. The previous time stood quite a while, and kudos to the two beasts before me, as they set some fast times just on what sounds like an easy day out there, which this definitely is not. I saw about a dozen goats on this route, (Campfire Pass and Sunlight Lake). When I die, may my spirit rest in the Crazy Mountains.