The pristine wonder of Snow Lake, in its own quiet way, is far worth the effort it takes to reach it. A couple of miles further, to Gem Lake, leads you into an entire land of wonder. Less than a year earlier, I had been here in the depths of summer and even went swimming in the lake.
This year, there was still ice on its surface, although rapidly melting. The day was beautiful as Stéphane and I led Caroline and Riley up and over the Snow Lake ridge. Once past the initial shocking beauty of Snow Lake, we courted its edge until the trail continued up and past it to Gem Lake. This part felt wondrous, with mossy slopes, clear ponds and the thin air.
Then up and over an even STEEPER ridge to reach Gem Lake, which was at a much higher elevation than its counterpart. The ice was more dominant up here, but still quickly melting. I awed at the way the bright ice fades into the deep blue of the water.
The trek felt well worth it by the end – as the pictures show.
