Heather Lake Trail

Today was a pretty big snafoo of a hike trip, mostly because we didn't caravan our two cars and the area we were in had no signal, so our friend Jordan couldn't reach/find us and had to go back home. The age of technology is pretty crippling in these cases, especially when we can't work our GPS and have to rely on the ancient scrolls of the old country.

We got lost around Duvall for a good hour or so (as per usual on hike trips), and eventually pulled up by a McDonalds to look at a map. With faith and Rita's humorous but random questions, we made it to the trail entrance!

The day was pretty cold, but towards the middle it warmed up to where I had to take off my huge coat. I'm working with a broken 50mm lens, so the focus is very wonky in these photos. :'(

Mushi spotted!

There were a few felled trees along the path, so we either climbed over or under them and continued our ascension.

The bridges laid out were so cute and uneven. 

About 3/4 of the way up, we encounter snow!! Very excited, because it's the beginning of February and the snow had long melted westward by now.

It pointed to the lake. Rangers got jokes.

The lake was just up ahead! We made itttt!

I wish I had a telephoto lens, because I couldn't capture the lake in even half its entirety. The atmosphere up here was completely silent. The only sounds were melted snow falling on the leaves, and our feet crunching the snow.

We tested out the ice on the lake, and joked about walking across it, but too many movie tropes prepared us for the inevitable outcome. Rita's cute boots!

We walked along the edge of the lake, through the mountainsides, until we reached an area that was too deep with snow, and most likely very dangerous to blindly walk around. Lots of beef jerky was eaten, and the walk down was fairly quiet. Afterwards we drove over to Thanh Bro's for the best-tasting pho in our lives. Mostly because we were exhausted, cold, and hungry, but I think today was a good hike, if setting aside the fact that our friends and parents thought we went missing.