Alpine lakes wilderness

The North Cascades.

Up past drooping wet mossy fir trees leering down from on high and marching up the mountain misted in ghostly fog. Past massive five, six hundred year old trees like giant sentinels between boulder strewn landslides and rushing white water streams trailing up to so many waterfalls cascading off from the distant ridge tops. Past meadows of paintbrush and pink lupine, padding through the deep silence of the mountain forest punctuated only by the echoing croaks of ravens and squeeky whistles of pikas calling down in warning from craggy boulder fields. Looking out on the placid peaceful expanse of over five high alpine lakes in the wilderness clear as a mirror pond reflection.

A holy place and a most wonderful day. We ended up doing about 11 or 12 miles with elevation but think it seemed too strenuous. Making friends in conversation along the journey, harvesting wild chicken of the woods mushrooms, and gazing out on the sun setting from atop a massive boulder over a mossy stream. Sharing a moment.