I arrived at 7 a.m. and parked in the backup lot to avoid the mess later in the day in the main lot. It's a mess wherever just the way it always is on the weekends and the autumn colors are blazing. The mission today was luxuriating in fall colors. I started on Deadhorse Creek from the backup lot to Waterfalls trail to Alta Vista. The plan was to go up Alta Vista and down Skyline, but Skyline was frosty and slippery in the shade. Alta Vista has full sun exposure so it wasn't a bit icy. I took Alta Vista back down and braved the main parking lot to the Lakes Loop trailhead that is located on the right side of the road just as the road becomes a one way.
I took the the high lakes loop, skipping Reflection Lake and Faraway Rock, though once you are on Mazama Ridge, Faraway Rock is only .2 miles in the opposite direction as Skyline. I took lower Skyline back to the car. My route was 7.2 miles and 1,716 feet elevation gain.
A few things:
The frost indicator came on in my car this morning (37 degrees) on the way up to Paradise. It's a great time to winterize your pack and your car. I've missed out on October hikes because I didn't have the right gear.
Longmire Inn is open for business and so is the bathroom. There are porta potties up at Paradise that were not scary and were fully stocked. Paradise Inn is closed for the season. Does that mean we can park in those designated parking spaces?
The best showing for fiery red was between the main lot and all along lower Skyline. Mazama had beautiful colors early on the trail as you look at the huge views. Lakes Loop and High Lakes Loops were quiet until you got closer to Mazama.
For the first time, I saw a poop bag in the parking lot. Super jerky thing to do. Mega jerky thing to do.
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