Day 3 - Larch Valley Hike

We continued another mile and a half, up 300 feet more to a barren snow covered plateau and ice pond.  A cold blistery wind blew from the west as we feasted on hastily made sandwiches and the bags of peanuts combined with the M&Ms.  Dried mango, raisins and figs augmented the gorp.

Mike, Krista, Amy, and J hiked to the summit while the rest of us slinked back to a warmer elevation.   Warmer clothes and gloves might have sent a few more to the summit, but alas, we found the weather was hard to predict.

After dropping off the first hikers at the hotel, Zack and I returned to the lake with Barbara who had rested her back at the Post, our home for two nights.  The return was a great opportunity for her to enjoy the serenity of the lake and the accompanying guardian peaks that surrounded it.  We waited 15 minutes until the summit hikers retuned and carpooled everyone back to the Post and a wildlife talk by a local noted expert before dinner.