This is mostly to highlight an alternate option to make a lollipop loop out of the Bandera route.
We took the usual marked trail straight up; enjoyed the perfect views near the top and then came down a different way.
Near where the trail re-enters the trees, there are a few faint bootpaths that head off into the trees. We took one of those and did some light bushwacking and generally headed down the ridgeline until we located a more defined faint trail. This early section is a bit hard, with deep lumps of snow obscuring things. But once you find the faint trail it's easy and obvious to follow it all the way to the main Mason Lake trail. The faint trail joins the Mason Lake trail about 50 yards from the saddle / plaque location. It would be a lot easier to start from this end since the bootpath is easy to find here.
The grade is shallower along this route and I'm surprised that they have not re-routed the Bandera trail this way since it would be more sustainable with less erosion, etc.
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