I woke up to a bit of a shock: the camera's battery was almost exhausted. This was revealed after I wasted a flash on a pesky camp robber bird who had serious designs on our oatmeal (picture on yesterday's page). This proved to be a near disaster, as we did not yet know the visual spectacle we were in for.

The hike from Snow Lakes to the Enchantments is steep, but you forget all that once you arrive. This was another world: all granite, water, sky, and yellow-gold larch trees. Photographs cannot do this place justice; you have to visit to truly understand. We took our time picking our way up the trail and did not go all the way up to the pass on this day.

Sizable fish slowly orbited Leprechaun lake; I could see them 10 feet under as if they were at the surface. The lakes glinted every shade of blue and green. Some larches were still green but most glowed yellow, just gorgeous when backlit by the sun. The granite was bright white; sunglasses were essential.