I had started the day in the late morning intending to take photos on the six mile round trip hike to Lava Lake. I Googled images of Lava Lake the night before and looked forward to the photographic potential. The Googled photos all showed Lava Lake in the summertime and I assumed it would be as equally impressive in the winter as in the summer. When I arrived at Lava Lake I found it completely frozen. While the area was quite beautiful, it was not nearly as inspiring as it was in the summer when the water of the lake could be seen.
Lava Lake in winter.
Photograph by Chas. B.
Photograph by Chas. B.
Because I was unhappy with my photographs at the lake, I decided to venture higher to the ridge top to the east. I hoped the ridge top would reward me with a vista of some distant snow capped mountain tops. I immediately lost whatever trail might have been blazed to the ridge top as soon as I set off from the lake. I followed narrow natural flats in a switchback manner before stumbling out of the treeline into a wide open and steep slope. The slope was not so steep that I was uncomfortable, but I did occasionally slide in the sugary snow just beneath the crusty surface. I soon sought the traction of a rock field above me. I continued up through two basins until I was a few hundred yards from what I believed to be the top of the ridge.
Very close to the snow pack.
Photograph by Chas. B.
Photograph by Chas. B.
This brings me to my screaming calves and hungry stomach. At this point it felt like I was putting more weight on my trekking poles than on my legs. I would stop every few steps dizzy and wobbly to drink in the scenery and rest. Near the top the snow thinned and I hiked the last few feet through rock field to find that I had not reached the top of the ridge.
Frustrated? Yes, but I could see what had to be the ridge top and it was only another quarter of a mile away. A quarter mile through gentle windswept snow followed by a steep pitch up a dirty hill completely void of snow. The Gallatin area is in bad need of snow. Lots of snow.
I probably could have stopped to take my snowshoes off since there was no snow, but why break my rhythm? I think the added traction of the snowshoes helped anyway. Soon I was at the top and in slight dismay as I could tell immediately that I had no reward for my camera lens. Although the sights were pleasing, there was nothing to be adequately framed for a decent photo. Or is it that I am not that great of a photographer? Or was I just too tired to care? I was tired and it was time to eat. I plopped down in the dirt without a care and devoured my PB and H's.
Mountains in need of snow.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
Photograph by Chuck Bolte.
The sandwiches surprisingly settled my stomach and I knew I would make it back to my truck without bonking again. From my high point I was able to pick out what I thought would be a mellow route down to the lake. My descent started mellow, but I soon found myself in a jam between a narrow and steep avalanche chute to my left and a snow less field of death scree to my right. I actually attempted the death scree only to eat it hard landing on my right hip. I retreated to the avalanche chute and hiked down past sheets of ice left from the last slide. At the bottom I looked back up the chute and surveyed the churned earth and broken trees, glad that I was not around the last time there was an avalanche.
I pushed on through a final tree stand before reaching the lake. It was 3:00 PM and my goal was to be back at the truck at 4. I had to haul, but the going was easier as it was slightly downhill. My energy bonk on the side of the ridge had bothered and surprised me and I was glad to see my truck again when I got to it at 4:02. I drove straight to the nearest familiar restaurant and devoured a chicken sandwich.
Next hike = Beehive Basin
No comments:
Post a Comment