Serene Lake Revisited 7-31-11

It was misting heavily as I drove out Hwy 2 to the mantra of “I’m sure it will clear up.”  It didn’t, but it was still a great day for hiking.  I had hoped for a sunny day or at least not so much precipitation this time, because last time I did this hike in May it was also very wet.  That time it was snowy at the top though and a lot colder.  Today the cool air felt nice. 

I skipped the Bridal Veil Falls overlook and just enjoyed the falls from below this time, still getting in a 7 mi round trip hike with plenty of elevation gain.  The falls were not nearly as full as last time, so noticeably smaller that I was surprised.  At one spot where I had to carry Cedar last time so the current wouldn’t sweep him away, it was a perfectly dry crossing.  They were still worth seeing though!  These are one of my favorite falls. 

I have taken a lot of pictures of wildflowers, but today the big color was more in the many berries.  Pictured next are mountain ash, huckleberry (soooo good in pancakes!), salmon berry, devil’s club, and Oregon grapes that aren’t ripe yet.  I was going to pick the huckleberries on the way out but it just got muddier as I hiked, so I was wet and filthy by the time I got to that area again and my goal was reaching my car.  : )

The lake was beautiful now that I could see it!!  Only a bit of it peaked out from under its blanket of snow last time I was here.  It looked like a fairly deep and clear lake.  If it had been a warmer day I would have liked to swim in it.  It was just pouring by the time we got there, so we didn’t continue on to Lunch Rock (again… I’ll have to come back), and just ate on a log overlooking the water. 

Here are snow and no-snow pictures of this sign near the lake so you can see how much of a difference there was between my visits!

 

And here is Adventure Dog!  Cedar is a magnet for mud and today he was as bedraggled as I have ever seen him.  He had a great time though, and had enough energy to play chase a few times later today.   He tried to rub off the rain and mud by rolling around in the sticks and bark, but it just got more sticks in his hair.  LOL He definitely looked and smelled better after a shower!