Our day started off with an interesting sighting. While at the Vista Lake trailhead Bill spotted a wolf across the highway and a little uphill, it was on the overgrown old road right-of-way and giving our crowded parking lot an eye. It was only briefly seen before heading off, perhaps the lack of limping or wounded hikers meant it had no interest. Sadly, no pictures were taken. Although there is snow on the peaks, the lower trail was bare. We only started to find it on the trail at the top of the burn where the trail re-enters the mature forest:


The trail below Arnica Lake

At Arnica Lake the larches are in the midst of turning, so it was a fine place for a group photo:


our group at Arnica Lake

After a snack we continued up to the pass where you can head down to Twin Lakes:


Looking west from the pass above Arnica Lake

We took the side trail that goes south up to the ridge where there were many magnificent views of the larch forest:


Arnica Lake from the ridge

John enjoys the view of the Twin Lakes and Gibbon Pass

Larches and Storm Mountain outlier

Looking to Castle Mountain from Arnica ridge

There was little wind and the thin cloud allowed some warming sunshine to make it an ideal spot for lunch:


Lazy lunch stop on Arnica ridge

It ended up being an extended lunch / naptime and there was not a broad consensus to descend to the Twin Lakes for the sake of turning around and climbing back up. So the trip was truncated and we headed back down with one brief stop again at Arnica Lake where we had the view to where we had been:


At Arnica Lake looking up to ridge

We made good time back to the trailhead where there were six cars that had parked on the edge of the highway because the parking lot had been full. On the way home, six were unable to resist the lure of Beamer's for coffee. Participants: Ron C/S/P, Jennifer, Barb (photo), Caroline, Ginger, John, Barbara, Bill (photo) and Aldis. Thanks everybody for a great day amongst the larches.

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