My Hiking Journal: Entry 11

Glacier Lilies

Sunday, July 2, 2017 - Jewel Basin - 10 mile loop with 1800 feet net elevation gain

"We did it!  Back on June 5, 2017 (entry 10), we were thwarted in our attempt to start a hike from the Camp Misery trailhead … but today, success!"

So begins my journal entry for this hike, almost a full year ago.  But you should read on for the 'rest of the story'.

"It was not without its trials … there was still a lot of snow on the trails.  This meant it was physically more demanding than normal hiking.  Also, at the intersection of trail 55 and trail 7, there was so much snow and a lack of trail signs that it was impossible to figure out the location of the trail.  The topographical map was a huge help, and we also crossed our fingers that some of the footprints in the snow were directionally correct."

As I noted in the margin of my journal, I was very pleased that we were calm and worked through it!

Ok, now that I have that out of my system, let's approach this a little more calmly.  Spring flowers were abundant (yes, at this elevation, July 2 is still 'spring').

Upper left: Red Paintbrush; Middle left: Elliptic-leaved Penstemon

Lower left: Mountain Buttercup

Upper right: Glacier Lilies and Western Pasqueflowers

Lower right: Man with Hat on rock

Along the way, we met a family planning to camp at Black Lake. At a few obscure points on the trail, we helped each other find the way.

Black Lake

At Black Lake, 3 guys and their 2 dogs were breaking camp.  They reported hooking cutthroat trout in the lake for their supper the previous night.

Creek leaving the foot of Black Lake

We cruised on and made our picnic break at Jewel Lakes.  We heard the three guys pass us by and thought nothing more of it.

From left to right: Yellow Columbine, Green False Hellebore, Yellow Columbine, Shooting Star

However, as we ascended past Blackfoot Lake, we heard gunshots, and it was impossible to determine the source.  We started shouting and continued the racket for quite a while.  Some distance on, we came across the same 3 fellows, and learned that they had been doing some 'target shooting' at dead trees.  Swell.

Beargrass surrounds Man with Hat

Climbing, climbing.

Blackfoot Lake; saw two bald eagles flying around lake

Yes, this is the trail!

Met a group of 5 heading the other way, planning to camp at Blackfoot.  About this time it was getting quite warm and I could not imagine that this much snow was still around.  I used snowballs to help cool down … at one point, we MIGHT have had a good old-fashioned snowball fight!

Enter the hour of trail confusion.  I won't belabor the point I made at the beginning of this post, other than to say snow can be a blessing (you can see every footprint) and a curse (you can see every footprint).  Once we worked through it, we were rewarded with the view of Twin Lakes.  Worthy of a break.

Top: Western Pasqueflower

Center left: Paintbrush and Western Virgin's Bower

Center right: Larkspur

Upon returning to the trailhead, as I was taking off my boots and sweaty socks (too much information?), I felt victorious, confident, reassured, relieved and pleasantly tired.  Accompanied by a healthy respect for snowpack in July at 6,000 feet. 















Linking to

All Seasons

Floral Friday Fotos


Mosaic Monday


Nature Notes