Click on the image for a medium sized picture, or you can see the huge image.
|
|
The week between these hikes, it rained almost every day, so the water level
had risen quite a bit since the last time we did the hike. This is a picture
of the trail. The rocks were nicely placed if somewhat loose, but our feet
didn't get very wet. This was after the first 3/4 mile.
|
|
|
One of the other new things that showed up between hikes was the fall color.
Some of the trees had begun to turn orange and red. This is looking at the
stream from Trout Lake through some of the fall foilage.
|
|
|
|
This time, I made sure to get a panorama of Trout Lake. It was extremely
still and clear again, and the distant shoreline almost looks like a
kaleidoscope. The fall foilage is definitely in effect here. Click on the image for a medium sized picture, or you can see the huge image. |
||
|
|
||
|
|
Patches of fall color poke through on the distant mountains. Last time we
did this hike, the mountains were hidden by a high wispy mist. Our visibility
was vastly improved this time through.
|
|
|
We kept catching glimpses of this waterfall. We never were sure whether we
found the top of it or not. It sure felt like we climbed high enough to get
there... The amount of rain this area had gotten in the last week was
pretty obvious with the waterfall. The first time through, it was a
bit drier.
|
|
|
|
|
One of the problems with the extra rain is that the parts of the trail that had
been damp before were now practically waterfalls in themselves. This is
actually part of the trail heading up towards malachite and copper lake.
|
|
|
Another cool bridge, but this one could have used a rail. The waterfall and
stream below was quite rapid and deep. After joking about falling in, Scott
almost did. Whoops.
|
|
|
|
|
One of the areas is quite swampy, but part of it has this cool "bridge" over
the muddier areas. Here I am "vogue"ing, it's the only thing I had energy
enough to do.
|
|
|
Finally, we made it (we think)! Malachite was high enough that there was snow
on the far side, and not much vegetation. The trail led on, but we didn't
have time to follow it. Malachite Lake is supposed to be substantially
bigger than Trout Lake, but the lake we found wasn't. We're still not sure
whether we actually made our destination.
|
|
|
|
|
Scott takes a quick break to eat lunch on the shore of what we think may be
Malachite Lake. We were both exhausted and were not looking forward to the
trip back down. Daylight was ending quickly, and we knew our trip back was
going to need to be hurried.
|
|
|
When I sat down to eat my sandwich, a bird divebombed and landed on the log
near me. He looked at me expectantly. Apparently they're used to being fed.
I held out a bit of bread and he hopped towards me and quickly grabbed it and
ate it. I didn't see any signs about not feeding the wildlife, but I'd be
surprised if there weren't any. But you haven't seen anything until you've
seen a li'l bird beg.
|
|
|
|
There was a bunch of logs that had gathered into one area near the lake and had
been bleached in the sun and snow.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Well. I sort of got a panorama of Malachite. I was so exhausted by the time
we got there, that I didn't do a very good job at all. I forgot to tighten
down the tripod, so after the first picture, when I went to sweep the camera
across, it dropped down. Oh well. Guess that gives me another reason to go.
Click on the image below to see a medium sized version, or
you can see the huge image.
|
||
|
|
||