Minnestimma Lake at Larch Valley June 3, 2018

Once I heard Moraine Lake Road was open, I looked at my calendar to decipher what day would I be able to drive up it and head off hiking in the Larch Valley area.  I penciled in today and then just hoped the weather would be favourable when the time came.  I have been up to Minnestimma Lake at the base of Sentinel Pass a couple of times over the years in the spring.  The experience has been different each time.  For this time, I sketched out a mental image of my wish.

Well, the time came, the weather was favourable, I hit the highway early and arrived at the Moraine Lake parking lot early.  From my trip here today, my belief is the parking situation is going to be no different than it was all of last year for Canada's 150 Celebration.  

The trail was snow-free until I reached the bench at the intersection.  

After that there was intermittent snow of various depths.  

I was excited for the first teaser opening.  

 Lots of the snow sections in the early wide open spaces were easy to maneuver around.  

 eyeing the conditions higher up

There was still an abundance of snow covering the area.  At times I sunk to over my knees, other times the snow was solid enough I stayed on top of it.  I could see movement up on Sentinel Pass.  There is a person up there in the center.

The time arrived, I reached Minnestimma Lake to see exactly what I wished it might look like.  

First things first, I captured my destination shot.  

This was not intentional that my shirt closely matches the color of the ice.  

The big boulders were easy to get to so I settled down on one then took time to just be, to just be here, to just be here taking in all the beauty.  It was just me and the soloist up on the Pass, oh and a marmot.

There was just too much snow to descend down to the lower lake.  

 Exploring the upper environment, I found open water at the edge of Minnestima Lake.

 I was doing 360s.  

The beauty surrounded me.

some of the Ten Peaks from Valley of the Ten Peaks. 

 waterfalls

Exploring even more, I found another little lake, or I guess it would be a tarn.  It's not here later into the spring.  It was a dreamy discovery and captured my attention so I invested quite a bit of time admiring it from all angles.

 perfect reflection

 There was so much to reflect on today and this was the perfect place and ideal time to do it.  

My wish for today was granted!