Getting back in the high country was the main reason to leave the Great Divide trail at Steamboat and this week’s solo backpacking trip to the Ice Lake Basin was reinforcement.  There were definitely beautiful views in the northern Rockies but we’ve got such great country right in our backyard.  Ice Lake(s) is known as one of the premier hikes in the Southwest and if you catch it when the wildflowers are blooming it’s unbeatable.  

My trip was a couple weeks past prime, since I was still on the GD ride I missed the height of the season, but I also missed 10 days of heavy monsoon rains in the San Juans.  The wildflowers were a bit storm worn, all the same they provided quite a photogenic sight for those of us “late” to the blossoming.  There weren’t as many Columbines (Colorado’s state flower) in the basin as we’re used to seeing, probably because of the very late winter in the San Juan mountains, however when you found a bunch they certainly gave you pause and a smile.

Long shadow photo op’s still catch my eye, and early morn at 12,250′ makes for a nice contrast.  First light at Ice Lake is a wonderful time just to watch the sunlight slide slowly down the mountains and across the high green meadows.  And check out that true blue sky.

Exploring the highest points of the upper basin seemed to be in order and I wasn’t disappointed when I discovered a long-abandoned mining operation just below the passes at the foot of Vermillion and Fuller peaks.  The detritus from the past mining operation was fascinating and told of living above 13,000′ digging for gold with hand-cranked ore buckets and hob-nailed shoes.  The midden pile of rusting cans could fill a dump truck and the purple and light-green broken glass bottles reminded me that they lived there for quite some time.  A crushed brass tub and dynamite fuse cord strung across the scree slope added to the discovery only those who venture this high get to enjoy.

One wishes everyone could see this beauty, on the other hand if everyone came this high there would be nothing of the relics left to enjoy.  As it was I’d seen a hand-carved sign broken up for firewood much lower down.  Wish I could have read what it originally said.

When I came down from my high morning traverse of the basin, throngs of hikers popped over the ridge below to view the lake I’d had all to myself.  The weather brought an unusual number of hikers, Stanna and her Wednesday women’s group as well.  She had planned her venture weeks before and the weather worked out perfectly for them.  My Spot Locator told her where I was camped and they almost got to the tent before I had time to pack it up.

At this point, I felt like an intruder to their high altitude picnic, so I ventured off with my backpack to a higher lake to the northeast of this basin.  As a WIS volunteer I’m supposed to be familiar with the territory and I’d never gone over this adjacent ridge, so I supplemented my local knowledge by visiting nearby Island Lake. Luckily, there was someone else there to take my selfie.  Come visit us and see for yourselves; after all, “how many summers do you have left?”