A dark day on Blanchard Mountain

Walking to Lizard Lake

First of all, let me say that I guess I will continue to put up posts after our Senior Trailblazer hikes, because I really enjoy both the workouts and the ability to chronicle our adventures. It amazed me to see that fourteen of us showed up on a wet dreary day to hike up to Lily and Lizard Lakes.

We met at the Upper Trailhead on Blanchard Mountain and hiked up to Lizard Lake first. We do have a few trail options on the mountain, and we knew it would be a wet one, considering the forecast. But I didn't realize how dark it would be among the trees. I could have used my headlamp most of the day, it was that dark.

Lizard Lake

By the time we got to Lizard Lake, the light rain had almost stopped for the moment. It was still early, so after a short stop, we made our way to Lily Lake. We thought about stopping here, or maybe even having another two-lunch day, but we decided against it.

Melanie capturing some good shots

It was not a great day for photos, but I did get a few good ones. This shows Mel in her element, dressed for the weather and using her phone (which she kept a close eye on, after almost losing it last week).

Lily Lake (Mel's picture)

Since we were all struggling to stay warm as we stopped for lunch, most of us pulled out all our extra clothing and bundled up before starting to eat.

Today's lunch spot

From this spot, we are looking out at the lake as you see in the above picture, but the darkness and lack of sun made us much more interested in what everybody was having to eat. Some people pack a fancy lunch, while others bring energy bars and more utilitarian fare. I often bring something from the salad bar at the Food Co-op, sort of in between the two.

Time to head back

By the time we packed everything back up, everybody was getting cold, so we decided just to take ourselves back the way we had come, rather than adding any more to make the trip longer. It was not raining at the moment, and we considered that an eight-mile day, with around 1,700 feet up and down, would keep most of us happy until next week.

Although it wasn't what I would have actually desired for our hiking day, it turned out to be exceptionally enjoyable anyway, with all of us dressed properly for the conditions, and lots of good company as well. It was just the best way to while away the hours on a dark and rainy late fall day.

I am still trying to decide what to do about the other days that I usually post on this blog, Tuesdays and Saturdays. I am not quite ready to make a decision about the next steps, but it sure does feel good to take this break, if that is what it really is. Maybe I'll find some direction that would capture my interest for those days. Any ideas?
:-)