This is the second year in a row that we've taken a hike up to Dream Lake/Lake Haiyaha on Thanksgiving weekend. Does that make it a tradition? I'm not big on traditions but I suppose if I have to have one this one isn't so bad.
It looks bleak and cold in the pictures but in reality the sun was out and there were blue skies in places, just not over Hallett Peak. I didn't even wear mittens and I had to take off my hat for the uphill part. I took my nicer SLR camera so the pictures came out better than last year.
The trail starts at 9,475' and climbs to 10,240' in 2.1 miles. We turned around at Lake Haiyaha but you can do a nice long loop if you're up for it. Unfortunately the trail for the loop is a bit rough even when there's no snow and it looked a bit iffy for not having snowshoes. The trail we were on was hard snowpack so we only brought the Yax Trax and they were perfect for the conditions. The hike took about 2 hours including stops for photo shoots and moments of whimsy.
Dream Lake (about a mile from the trailhead, most people stop here)
Hallett Peak
Do I look like I belong in a hiking magazine? A woman from Backpacker magazine stopped us to take photos for the magazine. The article is about how to use photo editing software to make your photos look nicer, not about hot middle aged women working off their Thanksgiving meals so I guess I won't let it go to my head. At least for once I wasn't sporting the Crazy Dog Lady look.
Proof that there were blue skies
Beautiful photos - what a great hike. And a very nice holiday tradition to have :) Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteMy jaw drops every time you post photos like these. What an amazing place.
ReplyDeleteCover girl material, for sure. Hey ... that's your new career! Outdoorsy model.
ReplyDeleteAh, if only it were that simple.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, looks like you've got a good start! You look great in that landscape. Of course, the landscape just looks pretty darn good anyway; you just made the picture better!
ReplyDelete