Red Pine Lake in 2012

I took my favorite hike yesterday to Red Pine Lake up one of the side-canyons to the south in Little Cottonwood Canyon.  I had forgotten how steep it was.  Or maybe I'm a little out of shape or just getting older.  I thought it use to take me about 1-1/2 hours to make the hike.  Yesterday it took me 2 hrs and 20 minutes to get there.  It's about a 4 mile hike (each way) and the last mile you climb about 1000 feet so it is pretty steep.  Total elevation change is about 2400 feet.

After I got there I remembered why I love that hike.  It is a pretty hike, but the lake and it's surroundings were especially beautiful this year.  When I went to Lake Mary/Martha/Catherine in late June (just previous blog) there was still a little snow at the higher elevations but the forests were very dry.  Apparently the thunderstorms of the past few weeks have had a big impact because the wild mountain flowers were in full bloom and they were spectacular. 

On the south side of Red Pine Lake is a meadow and a few huge rocks along the edge of the lake - one as big as a house that has a flat top and Delos' kids climbed around on it a few years ago when they all went there with me. They will recognize the picture. The meadow was in full bloom and the stream flowing down from upper Red Pine Lake was cascading down the mountain in a series of waterfalls, turning into a pretty stream that crosses the meadow then it flows into the lake. The lake sets at about 9600 feet.

White Pine Creek you cross on the way to Red Pine Lake

Flowers along White Pine Creed

Pretty trail - before it turns really steep

Flowers along the trail - they were everywhere of all colors

More flowers

Flower-covered slope on the east side about 1 mile before reaching the lake.

First view of Red Pine Lake as you come up over the last ridge - looking south.  See the big rock on the opposite side -center left in the picture.

The BIG Rock (probably 8 feet high and 20 feet across)

Red PIne Lake, looking north from the south side of the lake

Flowers along the shoreline

Looking south across the meadow from south side of the lake..
Their were many hummingbirds flitting around the flowers.

Flowers along the stream from upper Red Pine Lake flowing to Red Pine Lake

Looking northwest from south edge of the lake.

More flowers along the shoreline (I did take ALOT of pictures)

Another view of the lake (by the way, the temperature at the lake was about the mid-sixties - perfect)

View from east edge of the lake looking west.

I guess you can tell I loved this hike.  I ate my lunch and stayed at the lake for about 1-1/2 hours and could have stayed forever.  It was so peaceful and lovely.  Not another soul showed up at the lake the entire time I was there.  It was a great day.

When I got bacl to the parking lot, there was a forest ranger and he asked me if I would take a brief survey before I left.  I said sure.  He asked where I was from, what time I arrived, where I went, did I enjoy the hike, was my purpose,fishing, hiking, family outing, photography, etc.  Was I hiking alone? How much money had I spent in the "area" before my hike (zero).  I think they must be trying to justify budgets or something.  Anyway, he then asked my age category.  He said "50's. 60's, then he hesitated.  I said "keep going".  I don't think he surveyed anyone else in the "70's category!