By the time I started hiking, the temperature was already very warm, and thus, I elected to wear shorts instead of long pants.  This proved to be a mistake.  As I headed cross-country toward the East Drainage, I had to contend with a lot of knee-high vegetation mostly in the form of sagebrush and various grasses.  Although walking through this stuff was not particularly difficult, I picked up a lot of prickly burrs and grass seeds in my socks and boots which was very annoying and occasionally painful.  Wearing gaiters or long pants would have helped immensely.  After climbing over a barbed-wire fence, I stumbled upon the aforementioned dirt road but kept going cross-country until I joined a rough jeep track which branches off from the dirt road and disappears up the drainage.  I followed this jeep track briefly before leaving it to ascend a ridge to climber's right of the drainage.  There were no surprises as I followed this ridge almost all the way to the summit.  The only challenge was the oppressive heat from the sun, and I welcomed the shade of the few trees that are found higher up the ridge.

I stayed at the summit for about half an hour before retracing my steps back down.  Once I got off the ridge, I stopped for an extended break to clean out my socks and boots before resuming my hike out.  I subsequently stuck to the jeep track and dirt road for an easier albeit longer walk back to my car.  On the drive out, I slowly rolled through the "main drag" of Atomic City and wondered about the inhabitants of this somewhat creepy little village.  I did not see a single soul out and about.  With nothing compelling me to stick around, I headed for the town of Arco to gas up and grab dinner.  I would eventually spend the night sleeping in my car at a nearby rest area.

	South of Atomic City, this gravel road leads to the Big Southern Butte which is visible in the hazy distance at left.
	Closer in, Big Southern Butte begins to look a lot clearer.

Sonny's chosen route goes up the right skyline ridge.

 

	Asters such as this one seem to thrive on the Snake River Plain despite the hot and dry climate.
	This outcrop of lava rock appears to have a hole in it.
	Sonny started his hike from the cinder cone in the distance at centre.
	The jeep track eventually peters out in the drainage.  The slope on the right leads to the ridge of ascent.
	The ridge is generally easy to follow.
	The grassy ridge broadens near the top.
	The road to the summit appears to be in excellent shape.
	The road can be seen winding down the western side of Big Southern Butte.
	Sonny stands near the summit of Big Southern Butte (2306 metres).
	This bump to the north appears to be nearly as high as the main summit.
	The visible road heads southeast toward the village of Springfield.
	Middle Butte and East Butte can be seen to the east over 25 kilometres away.
	Here is a look at the summit area.  It is worth comparing to a photo taken in 2002 by Dan Robbins (idahosummits.com).
	This is the road leading to the cinder cone at right where Sonny's car is parked.
	This abandoned service station says a lot about Atomic City.
	A family of deer wander through the sagebrush near Atomic City.
	Total Distance:  12.5 kilometres Round-Trip Time:  6 hours 46 minutes Net Elevation Gain:  730 metres GPX Data