Mea culpa,  I meant to say Old Baldy Trail. That gives me a few miles of trail anyway, not an unbald Baldy.

Yes, Don1, it is. To both questions.   Don2

You boys seem to need a clue. I am standing in a man made clearing.   Don2

That looks kind of like the clearing on the White Iris trail, but I don't think the view is correct.  (but I've been wrong before).

Donovan said You boys seem to need a clue. I am standing in a man made clearing.   Don2

Yes, I'm often told I need to get a clue. The photo looks like there's a valley below, in the foreground. I haven't been out to Shining Lake, but I can imagine the view from the trail out to it looking like this. Kirk  

Indeed there is a valley below. Shining Lake is a pretty good guess tho.   Don2

Is this a current trail or an abandoned trail?

Very current. And popular with hiking clubs. Don1

Are you on the 517 looking over the South Fork of the Roaring River?

Indeed I am. At the helipad. The highest point on the trail I suspect, just before dropping down into Cache Meadows.   Don2

Oh great, now I'm obligated to come up with a photo.

Okay, here's a picture of some tread.   Where am I? (Hopefully I haven't posted this before.)

Fish Creek Mountain, at the beginning leaving the cat track onto old tread? Don2

No, it's not that trail. But, it is a "dividing" trail like that one.

Hmm. Ok then, Fanton Trail?   Don2

You're getting closer...  Here's a bonus hint: I believe this small clearing was man made like the one in your last photo.

Old Baldy Trail near Twin Springs Campground. Don

Yes Don, it is the Old Baldy Trail.  You're a few miles off on the exact location. I was just a little northwest of the junction with the Eagle Creek Trail. There were some old timbers arranged in a triangular pattern in this small clearing. Maybe they were a visual reference for an aerial survey?

I believe that was also a helipad. Somewhere I have a district map from the 60s that shows helipads. I know of three others. Two on or near Rimrock Trail and one on the Baty/Joyce Lake divide trail.   Don2

Donovan said I believe that was also a helipad. Somewhere I have a district map from the 60s that shows helipads. I know of three others. Two on or near Rimrock Trail and one on the Baty/Joyce Lake divide trail.   Don2

If I remember correctly, we were fairly close to the road. So that would make sense for access purposes to the helipad. Here's a picture of the timbers:   Rob has a better picture that shows the triangular layout.