Ice Lake Trail

Ice Lake, 12,585 feet

Ice Lake Basin is high above the timberline in a corner of the San Juan Mountains known for long winters -  the lake is frozen for at least eight months of the year. The basin is a textbook example of an alpine depression that was gouged out of the mountains by a long succession of glaciers that have periodically resided here over the past 900,000 years.

Our trail, described as "moderate effort" and gains 2,870 feet from the Lake Basin trailhead (9,840 feet) to Ice Lake and covers 9.3 miles, round trip. The first half hard-going (WTF is a "difficult" rated climb here ?) and the kids sit on a rock in protest and we find them three hours later near the car, a bit worried (Madeleine) and grumpy (Eitan). Their choice.

Sonnet and I rewarded by a spectacular emerald pool (not dissimilar to Blue Lake) surrounded by mountain wildflowers including the rare Colorado state flower, the "columbine", which gives Sonnet a thrill every time one spotted.