Ice Lakes: Day Two

Having camped near the lake in the Lower Ice Lake Basin, we woke up the next morning to blue skies. Once the sun climbed over the valley walls, the flowers in the lower Ice Lake basin put on quite a show! We day hiked up to the upper basin (which contains Ice Lake, Fuller Lake and a number of smaller ponds, lakes and tarns) and it was even more stunning. I could have spent days in the upper basin taking photos. But the threat of the afternoon showers sent us downhill before too long, and we still got caught by huge (marble sized!) hail. Ouch!

The sun has just peeked over the valley walls.



Wildflowers near a small (apparently unnamed) lake in the upper Ice Lake Basin. The grey knob to the left hides Golden Horn, the high spot near the middle of the frame is Pilot Knob. I was at about 12,300, the peaks are between 13,200 and 13,900. Absolutely stunning.



Following the stream to Fuller Lake, with Fuller Peak in the distance.



Fuller Lake on the left, Vermilon Peak left of center and Golden Horn right of center.



Flowers, Fuller Lake and Fuller Peak.



Flowers, Fuller Lake, Vermilon Peak (left) and Golden Horn (right).



Small falls below Fuller Lake, Fuller Peak in the background.




Looking north, Pilot Knob is just out of the frame to the left, US Grant Peak is just out of the frame to the right.



Looking down onto Ice Lake (the big blue one) with US Grant Peak in the background (the rightmost of the two peaks).



Lower Ice Lake Basin, the clouds are already gathering...



Brilliant Indian Paintbrush






Fuller Peak (left), Vermilon Peak (dead center) and Golden Horn (the pointiest bit on the right - it's in shadow and so not so golden).



(Upper) Ice Lake



Lower Ice Lake Basin with Indian Paintbrush, King's Crown and Buttercups in the foreground



On the trail down into the lower basin



Some of the hail that got us before we got to the trailhead. Ouch!

Ice Lakes: Day One

Our first day into lower Ice Lake Basin (not far from Silverton, CO) got cloudy early and we got caught in rain and sleet showers. But the storms blew over and we had a pretty nice afternoon (tho' it remained overcast for the rest of the day). The wildflowers were everywhere!


A penstamen (Chris and Justine have taking to calling this color a pinot noir penstamen) and Indian Paintbrush



Rain on corn lily leaves



I think this is Lovage (Levisticum officinale)



A delphinium (for the longest time I thought it was dolphinium...)



More hybridized Indian Paintbrush



Monk's Hood (or monkshood, Aconitum sp)



Orange Indian Paintbrush was everywhere, in shades ranging from pastel to nearly flourescent!



More hybridized Indian Paintbrush...it isn't _quite_ symmetrical.

Blue Lakes: Day Three

Sunny skies for our last day in the Blue Lake Basin, at least until the afternoon storm rolls in.



Watching marmots around the Upper Blue Lake



Middle Blue Lake



Wildflowers and reflection in Middle Blue Lake




Overlooking Lower Blue Lake



Wildflowers and Lower Blue Lake




Justine and Chris surrounded by wildflowers






Asters, Indian Paintbrush and Lupine



Lower Blue Lake



The stream from Middle and Upper Blue Lakes

Reflections in Lower Blue Lake



Chris and Justine at Lower Blue Lake

Justine in shoulder high wildflowers

Blue Lakes: Day Two

Waking up to overcast skies, we hiked around the upper basin and some neighboring passes and eventually saw some sunshine. When the thunderstorms rolled in that afternoon we got hail and some wicked lightning!

Glacial moraine reflected in the Upper Blue Lake.



The yellow and red indian paintbrush are hybridizing!



"Waves" of moraine leading into Upper Blue Lake; Mt. Sneffels in the background.



We found pockets of crystals in a number of the boulders, some of the crystals were huge!



Looking down onto Lower Blue Lake from a nearby knob.



Colorado Columbine in the upper basin.



Storytime by the tents.



The upper basin, our tents look very small!



Wildflowers in the upper basin.



The afternoon hail!