“Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked in which you can walk in love and reverence.” Henry David Thoreau
Some of the best hikes are those that take you to unexpected places. I had been up to the Wright’s Lake area for a hike in early July, and there was still quite a bit of snow (see my blog “Just Getting Started”). It was a few weeks later, so I knew there would be less snow, and probably a lot of water run off. So I decided to take the trek to Lake Gertrude. The trail begins at the Rockbound Pass Trail head just past Wright’s Lake. To get there, take Hwy. 50 east and turn left at Wright’s Lake Road. Follow the windy road until you get to the stop sign at Wright’s Lake. Go straight through the stop sign and look for the Rockbound Pass Trail head parking lot on the left. The trail begins across the street from the parking lot. It is an 8 mile out and back hike that is considered moderate.
As I began my trek, it was very cloudy and cool…a nice change from all of the triple digit heat we had been having. However, I wondered if I was going to encounter any rain. Luckily, I didn’t. The first lake I came upon, about one mile out, was the aptly named Beauty Lake. It was perfectly still and quite lovely. I took a few pictures and continued on my journey. I started to climb and got some tremendous views along the way. The climb was a little steeper than I anticipated, but nothing I couldn’t handle. About 2 miles out, I saw a waterfall in the distance. I really wanted to go see it, but I would have to leave the main trail and cross over granite boulders to get to it. I decided instead, to go and find it on my way back.
As I got closer to the lake, I had to side step streams that were overflowing from the creek. While watching my footing, I saw some beautiful wildflowers popping up all around me. Some of which I had never seen before, such as camas lilies, star tulips, alpine shooting stars, and a variety of lupine. It was quite breathtaking.
After about 4 miles of hiking, I arrived at Gertrude Lake. It is a small lake with some inlets that make it interesting. I took off my pack and wandered around checking out the waterway and the shooting stars blooming along one shore line. There was even a patch of snow still lingering! It was still nice and cool, so I took some time to find a good spot to relax, eat lunch and take it all in. There was no one else there, and it was quite serene. It was my little piece of heaven for a short while.
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Once I felt rested, it was time to head back. I was excited to find the waterfall I had seen earlier. So I headed down the mountain and when I spotted the falls, I left the trail and wandered over the granite boulders. As I got close, I had to navigate around a ravine, which didn’t prove to be a big challenge. I stepped over to the falls, and what a view! It was a beautiful little watering hole with several falls cascading off of the granite. By afternoon, which is when I got there, there were several people who were swimming and sunning themselves. It was a great little spot! I wandered around the pond and took pics of the various falls. I found a place to relax and take it in, as well as ponder which way I was going to head back to the car.
I decided to put my navigation skills to the test and find my way back to the trail head using my gps device. Now, I could’ve just asked someone how they got to the falls, but of course, that would be too easy. So I set my own course. I used the trail I had been on initially as my “handlebar”. This is my guide as to know my direction. This trail was on my right about 3/4 mile to one mile away. So I started climbing through brush and over granite, to try eventually catch my trail. The gps was indicating that I was on the right path, but there was a catch. GPS does not show all that could be in my way as I head back. Thus, the big granite boulders became an interesting obstacle, and there were many of them. The good news is that at some of the dead ends I came upon, I found more really cool swimming holes!
What resulted from my off trail adventure was an added 2.5 miles, bringing the total hike from 8 miles to 10.5! But it was also one of my favorite hikes of the summer. So, once I found my way around boulders and downed trees, I ended up down at the Wright’s Lake area but too far from the original trail head. However, as I meandered along, I came upon a beautiful meadow and pond which made for a much needed rest stop and a beautiful way to end my day. I am amazed at how much beauty there is in this area, and am grateful for all that I was able to see and experience by going off trail. It taught me the importance of the navigation skills and tools that I have acquired over the last year. It also taught me that there are hidden treasures off of the beaten path. It may take longer, and may not be easy, but it is well worth it…
