Sat, Aug 22nd CLEAR LAKE

We took a couple of Arizona folks up to Clear Lake today.  They ruined a tire yesterday & didn't want to risk driving their Jeep w/o a spare.  And Clear Lake is a must see.  The trail is about  8 miles long and reaches an elevation of around 12,000 feet.  It starts out in a pine forest and climbs above tree line to the lake.  On the way up, you can get up close to a huge waterfall fed by Clear Lake.  You also pass The Burbank Mine but it has been closed up.  I didn't take any picture going up as we are still dealing with hazy skies from the western & Pagosa fires.

The highlight of the day was first stop of the day at the Moose Pond at Lower Mineral.

Mamma & Babe were out.  

 Looking down at the bottom of the waterfall:

 No way to capture the whole falls.  

 Still some wildflowers by the lake:

 Someone has piled a bunch of rocks into the creek & slowed the water.

Why? 

 Someone tent camping by the lake;

Fly fisherman and lots of dogs swimming in the icy water today:

Doe was lying down right beside the trail; panting heavily; didn't look like she felt good.

Sure hope she didn't drink any of the bad water out of the Animas.