Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Camera equipment and technique for taking photos.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
Kane
Posts: 236
Joined: 6/3/2006
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by Kane »

I've heard the the wildflowers are possibly peaking in the San Juans this week into next, about two weeks earlier than a normal year. I'm curious if anyone has been up to Ice Lakes and can report the wildflower display.

Thanks
User avatar
sunny1
Posts: 1101
Joined: 9/13/2008
14ers: 58  4 
13ers: 225 8
Trip Reports (3)
 

Re: Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by sunny1 »

Not an Ice Lakes observation, but reasonably close by...

Was in the Kilpacker Basin Thurs 7/5.
Around 11K, would estimate the wildflowers were close to peak. At 12,000, there's alot of continuous sharp talus and not such a favorable environment for flowers - so can't compare with the elevation at Ice Lakes (12,200-12,800 ft).

I'd love to see your Ice Lakes wildflower report! [-o< :D
The older you get, the better you get, unless you're a banana.
mount_quandary
Posts: 161
Joined: 7/31/2007
14ers: 4 
13ers: 1
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by mount_quandary »

Kane...I love your photography and being that I have been at Ice Lake Basin it would be awesome to see your shots!! we were there 4 years ago and it froze the night before we did that trip, though much had the "freeze dried look" it was AMAZING and the only way I'm going to see it right now is through your photography so please post!!! :D have fun!!!
Hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed where the trail meets the sky, live like you're not afraid of dying, don't be scared just enjoy the ride!
User avatar
kamiller43
Posts: 28
Joined: 3/31/2011
14ers: 42 
13ers: 30
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by kamiller43 »

I was there two days ago and the flowers were out of control.
User avatar
Mark Curtis
Posts: 648
Joined: 7/27/2004
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Re: Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by Mark Curtis »

kamiller43 wrote:I was there two days ago and the flowers were out of control.
Pics?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46092977@N07/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
mannosteel
Posts: 30
Joined: 5/8/2010
14ers: 10 
13ers: 2
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by mannosteel »

Was there on June 21. They were starting to bloom. Wasn't sure if I was early or just because it was a dry winter that there weren't more. Gorgeous area though.
User avatar
ColoradoEd
Posts: 115
Joined: 2/5/2008
14ers: 55 
13ers: 9
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by ColoradoEd »

I was in the next basin over on 7/3. We hiked up to Columbine Lake (highly recommended). Wildflowers were nuts. Here are a couple of shots:

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
User avatar
Mark Curtis
Posts: 648
Joined: 7/27/2004
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Re: Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by Mark Curtis »

ColoradoEd......great! Thanks for posting these photos and your tip about Columbine Lake. The paintbrush are crazy in that second shot!

How far is it to the lake from the trailhead? The water looks like the same tint as the Ice Lakes. Very nice.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46092977@N07/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
ColoradoEd
Posts: 115
Joined: 2/5/2008
14ers: 55 
13ers: 9
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by ColoradoEd »

The lake is about 3.5 miles in, 2,800 vertical. It took us a little over 2 hours to hump it up there. Didn't see another person the entire day.
The trailhead is not marked and hidden pretty well. I recommend accessing the shelf road from the Ophir Pass road. You'll be able to see the trailhead better as it angles south to north. We came in from the north and it took us 1/2 hour just to locate the trail. I've done ice lakes and this one is just as nice.
User avatar
Mark Curtis
Posts: 648
Joined: 7/27/2004
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Re: Anyone been up into Ice Lakes Basin recently?

Post by Mark Curtis »

Go now! I went yesterday.....these are all from the lake. With the exception of a nice stand of fireweed, the trail is sparse with flowers until the upper basin. But then, wow.....paintbrush everywhere! Plenty of other flowers too as you can see from the photos. Things are drying out though.....they have been getting some hit or miss showers in the area, but nothing that substantial for awhile. Most of the trail leading to the upper basin is very dry.....so only the heartiest and shadiest flowers are hanging in there. The upper basin has so much water even without much snow from last winter, but the snow on Fuller, Vermillion, and Golden Horn is almost gone. I've been up there in previous years and there was still ice and snow on the lakes at almost this same time. Hoping for more rain!

Image

Image

Image
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46092977@N07/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Post Reply