Nov 17 - Lake Solitude (BCC)

Sunny day with highs near 60. (They say it might be a record high.) 

Heading up BCC one last time for the year (probably) because I found out that Silver Lake to Lake Solitude is still open. I thought they'd close it when Solitude opened last Friday. So I'm happy for one more hike in the mountains before the snow comes.

And it did come yesterday. But Alta is only reporting 3 inches so I should be good.

I leave my house around 7:30 and arrive at Silver Lake around 8am. Just one other car in the lot and it's 28 degrees. I put on my microspikes and make my way to the boardwalk. 

Man is it pretty out here!!All that nice fresh snow on the peaks. I so want to head up to Twin Lakes but my hip's been saying no for a while now so Lake Solitude it is.

The boardwalk is clear except for a frosty layer. The lake is all iced up but a few tiny openings under the footbridge. There are tracks on the ice. I think they would be beaver but they look like duck tracks. Very strange.'

Oh! There's hoar frost on the bridge - love it!

Other the other side of the lake, it's icy; yea for the micro-spikes!!

I reach the trail and start up. Icy and snowy but doable.

I am the first person making tracks in the new snow (only an inch, maybe 2).

Seeing only squirrel tracks, fresh in the snow.

I make a stop under the ski lift - definitely no one skiing here!

Very quiet walk.

No signs of deer, moose or pika.

I do see a squirrel run across the trail near Lake Solitude.

Crossing the rockslide is wonderful this morrning!

Soon I reach Lake Solitude - beautiful view!

It's so quiet; I just stand there in silence for a few minutes. Love it!!

After a bit, it's time to head back.

The squirrels are waking up now and are very chatty as I pass by.

When I make it to the "steps", I decide to head up to the switchback over Silver Lake. 

There are tracks to follow but they are not human (probably deer). 

Soon I arrive and I head up until I have a good look at the lake below.

There are Pika out. One below me is in the snow - love it!!


I hear 2 more as I head back. One above me and one below me.

And a great view down on Silver Lake.

Then it's down back to Silver Lake where I head over to the dock for the views.

Time to head back to the car.

Wonderful day! (Still have Saturday to get up to Twin Lakes -- there's a trail.)

On the way down, Solitude is very busy - good for them.

Awesome day!

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