Took a hike this afternoon to Lake Blanche, one of the most beautiful trails in the area. It's been several years since I've been up there, and I was once again reminded of why I love it so much. The first mile runs along a burbling creek. Then the climb gets steeper and rockier, with beautiful stands of large quaking aspens amidst rocky outgrowths and occasional large piles of oven-sized rocks where the mountain has given way. The mountain ash were full of orange berries, while raspberry bushes with leaves as big as my hand offered only a few berries left to eat.
Reaching the top offers a delightful reward, where several crystal clear mountain lakes are nestled under the watchful gaze of Sundial Peak. I made good time heading up--reaching the lakes in about an hour with a combination of running and fast-walking the three miles (and 3000 foot elevation gain). I rewarded myself with the most cold and refreshing swim I've had in years.
I'm continually reminded how stunning the Wasatch canyons are and what a blessing it is to have them in my own backyard.
Wow. I'm feeling pretty bad right now as I've just woken up and you've already been at church for an hour AFTER doing a hike which, the last time I did it took me roughly 5x as long as what you've described.
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