Hike around Cataract Lake

This was our first hike of this trip. A few things got in the way of getting out earlier: too much snow and a lingering pulmonary cough.

We both had this damn cough when we left May 9th and our PCP told us that it would last 3-4 weeks. We think that being at altitude (acclimatizing) set us back, as the thin air seemed to drag out this cough.

The Cataract Lake hike was short without much elevation gain, so it was a good first hike. Because it was low (8500'), the snow was gone.  Early flowers were in bloom, the lake was in a nice setting, and the day was really nice.

Green Gentian - a pale variety, or early bloom. This plant grows for 20-80 years, and flowers just once. After it flowers -- like this -- it dies. This is called a monocarpic plant  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frasera_speciosa




This is normally a small, nice, easy flowing stream --- but not at runoff!



Lots of pretty things to look at: here a field of Iris and Alicia



Aawh!  better without the irises?


 Flower of the day: Iris. Tons of these in the open fields.



The flower of MY Day!



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