Lake Blanche Rising

[mseawell]

Fuji X-T2
18-55mm

Nestled in the Big Cottonwood Canyon area in northern Utah, Lake Blanche is one of the most scenic of the lakes dotting this area. Yesterday, on my second attempt and after nearly three hours of strenuous hiking, I finally reached the summit, my first attempt two weeks ago ending in failure when I simply ran out of gas. From the trail head to the summit you gain 2,740 ft with the summit peaking at 8,890 ft. From the moment you start this trail (rated difficult for damn good reason) you are at war with one of the most rocky trails I've ever encountered. On the other hand the views going up are superb with the aspens quaking in the wind and the sound of the powerful stream as company during most of your hike. This time I ate properly and replenished myself as I hiked, careful to stop when I got winded (often). Nothing like watching young bodies blow past you as you struggle and meet you on their way back down as you continue up. Ah youth!

But I did make it. And when I came around the bend and saw what I saw, I knew it was worth the blood, sweat and tears. For rising in the distance was something timeless, something beautiful, something majestic. A lone peak surrounded by trees and a water jewel at its feet. Lake Blanche rising.

"We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us." John Muir

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Well worth your suffering and effort, Mark.

I haven't been to Lake Blanche, but I have enjoyed similar scenic lakes in the High Sierras and in the Canadian Rockies, in younger days. On a two-week Sierra Club High Light trip in 1971, my wife and I several times hiked down 3000 feet and then up another 3000 feet in a single day. The little mountain Lake Oesa near Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park (Canada) is one of my favorites. But on a beautiful day for hiking last week we attempted a simple but rocky trail for the first time in Western Massachusetts, thinking that the elevation gain was about 300 feet. It turned out to be about 1000 feet, and my wife hadn't brought enough water, so we turned back about 3/4 of the way up. The mountain trails get steeper and longer when you get to 78 years old!

But we will go back and do it again, properly equipped.

-Eric

[francois]

It was well worth the effort. Good thing that you didn't give up on your first try because the result is outstanding.

[Chairman Bill]

That's a beautiful image

[John Cothron]

Beautiful image and story to go with it.  I've never been there but I've been on some little walks that had me pondering the "worth it?" question in my head.  I've found it nearly always is.  Great work, on both fronts.

[biker]

Beautiful picture. I assume a polariser was used to make the sky look so great like this?

[thierrylegros396]

That's a beautiful image

+1

Thierry

[maddogmurph]

Doesn't do it for me Mark. I think most of your work is spectacular. This feels a bit more average to me.

Often times I get home from a really hard excursion and I look at my photographs and I think they are awesome. But that's mainly because I connect them to my experience getting them, and the challenges involved. The harder the photograph to get the better it should be right? Unfortunately it just takes me a little time to realize that sometimes all the work I put into getting something doesn't necessarily equate to quality images.

Not saying it's bad, I just hold you to a higher level of expectations Mark !

[mseawell]

LOL! No problem brother. I have a pretty think skin. You are just being honest, and you are polite about it.

Mark