Lake Blanche - August 14, 2010

Today, we hiked the Lake Blanche Trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon.  The last time I hiked this trail, Kim hiked with me and carried McKayla - who was backpackable.  The last time James hiked this trail, there was still snow covering the last half mile of the trail.

The beginning starts out easy enough...

But it just keeps going, and going, and going, and going... (see the "v" where the two ridge lines meet - in front of the distant mountain?  That's where we left the car.)

It was worth the hike though - I got to use my new birthday hiking shoes.

And there are lakes to explore at the top.  Lake Blanche with Sundial Peak in the background.

Lake Lillian and Lake Florence (I think Lake Lillian is the more distant lake).

Plenty of rocks to skip.

These incredible old dams - that have since broken and are now just perfect for sitting and taking in the view.

On the way down, about 1 mile back down the trail, I discovered that I'd lost an earring somewhere in our exploration of the lakes.  So sad!  But we voted, unanimously, against hiking back up to the lakes!  I think I'll try to turn the remaining earring into a bookmark.

We ended our hike with dinner at Silver Fork Lodge - we had a $50 gift certificate from when we house-sat up at Brighton earlier this year.  We still ended up paying $8 and a tip.  Without a gift certificate this place is way, way out of our budget!  Beautiful view, ritzy patrons, food was just okay.

I expect to be sore, sore, sore after this one.