Moose! I jumped out of the Jeep into a strong, cold wind, and pointed my camera across the road to the edge of the woods.
Three large bull moose browsed the foliage, the early morning light revealing the red in their deep chocolate coats. They were still in velvet, still hanging out together.
Three Bull Moose Near Brainard Lake
With the elk already in early rut, I had not realized that moose would be so far behind in the season.
I snapped a few photos, lamenting the insufficient zoom on my scratched and beaten up Canon Powershot ELPH camera. A decent digital SLR moved up several notches on my mental wishlist.
Early Morning Sun on Brainard Lake
At 7 am, at 10,525’ feet elevation, in late August, it was only 45 degrees. The crisp wind won, and I climbed back into the Jeep.
We drove past Brainard Lake to the Mitchell Lake Trailhead parking lot. Having arrived so early, there were plenty of parking spaces still available.
After visiting the vault toilets and getting our gear sorted, we finally hit the trail at 7:30. Early enough.
Mitchell Lake/Blue Lake Trailhead
Sophie was darting left and right on a taught leash, excited to be on the trail.
I was hiking with one of my trekking poles this time, hoping it would help reduce the stress on my right knee. I put on my gloves, and pulled the edges of my headband down over my ears against the cold.
Unfortunately, Brogan was not so well equipped. I had asked him to bring his hoodie. Instead of his good thick one, he had grabbed his new thin cotton zip-up hoodie, suitable for the classroom only. He stopped to put his rain jacket on over it for an extra layer, but then he couldn’t access his warm fleece pockets. His face was cold. His legs were cold.
I promised him he would warm up. It’s always hard to adjust to the first cold days, especially on the heels of a hot summer.
The first mile of the trail to Mitchell Lake was easy-peasy. We stopped to take a few pictures of the brisk wind whipping up waves on the water.
Mitchell Lake On a Very Windy Morning
A bit further down the trail we crossed the Mitchell Lake inlet. The long footbridge is made of two sets of large fallen logs in a V shape across the creek. I recalled the first time I had crossed this bridge. It had been high summer, the creek decorated with a riot of wildflowers. Now only a few spent yellow blooms remained.
Mitchell Lake Inlet Crossing
But the rock strewn meadows were beginning their transition to gold and amber, and Mount Audubon towered just beyond. Still beautiful.
13,223′ Mount Audubon Borders the Trail to Blue Lake
The trail steepened. A series of rocky staircases led us past Blue Lake’s large outlet pools. I counted at least three, all pretty. The middle pool offers large flat rocks for a rest with a good view.
One of 3 Outlet Pools
Eventually we got into patchy krummholz. The conical summit of Mount Toll grew larger as we got higher.
Patchy Krummholz Near Blue Lake
The trail cleared treeline, then crested the east shore of Blue Lake.
Blue Lake sits at 11,355’, in a rocky glacial cirque framed by four peaks – Pawnee Peak to my left (SW) followed by conical Mount Toll to the West, and then two 13ers – Paiute Peak to the NW and finally Mount Audubon to the NE.
Blue Lake – 11,355′
During the hot months, hikers recline on the many boulders surrounding the lake, and catch the rays while viewing the large lake. Or they push on another ¾ of a mile or so to Upper Blue Lake, in a rocky bench below Mount Toll, via a social trail.
Today the icy wind off the lake limited the amount of time I could spend enjoying it.
I found Doyle, Brogan and Sophie sitting high on a rock, the boulder to their backs acting as a wind break.
This large boulder made a good wind break.
I joined them and doled out hummus, pita bread, woven wheat crackers, fruit and nut bars and granola. I had forgotten our PB&J sandwiches, and was glad I had packed extra snacks.
After refueling, I sat up over the edge of the boulder and shot some video. Most of my words were ripped away by the wind.
We started back down the trail. Lots of people were now coming up, some in shorts and tank tops. I wondered how they would enjoy their destination without freezing.
Brogan Makes a Snowball
At the last willow-lined outlet pool below the lake, we were rewarded with more moose. Two large bulls rested in the shade of willow and twisted pine. I noticed the reddish brown coat of a third in the distance.
I took turns with the other hikers, stepping through the scrub just off the trail, trying to get a decent picture and video of these giants.
They were so close! And totally unconcerned with what we were doing. One of them yawned, closed his eyes.
A little further into the Season, and this encounter might have been dangerous. But today it was safe and enjoyable.
After a while, I regretfully retreated and resumed the hike back down. I could have pulled up a chair and watched them all afternoon.
We made it back to the Jeep about noon. After a long work week and not getting enough sleep, we felt this 5.1 mile out and back trail had been enough.
On the way out, we ate another snack of yogurt and grapes at Brainard Lake.
I thought about how special the many moose had made this hike. But our experience could have been very different.
I recalled the news story about the beautiful bull moose shot by a bowhunter at this very lake two years ago. People had been watching the giant bull, probably oohing and ahhing as we had done. Then a hunter shot it dead.
Adults were shocked. Children were traumatized. How could a moose be shot right there at the lake, were families come to hike and admire nature?
Unfortunately, this is a dual-use area. The properly licensed hunter had his opportunity, and he took it. Nature-loving spectators be damned.
I licked the yogurt off my spoon. Fortunately, nothing like that had happened today.
