Golden Week at Lake Clara and Marion! Today Karen and I hiked 3.5 miles total with 1,300' of elevation gain to alpine lakes near Mission Ridge Ski Area, Wenatchee, WA.
Northern Larch are one of only two conifers in North America that lose their needles in the fall. In Eastern Washington (not Western WA), Northern Larch grow between 6,000-8,000' elevation. Lake Clara and Marion are at 7,000' elevation.
Northern Larch needles turn golden for one glorious week in October. I had a wonderful time! Photos:
Delicate curving ice on Lake Marion.
This old Larch tree survived a wildfire. Amazing!
Northern Larch between the alpine lakes. The trail was gold with needles.
Larch needles look like flowers up close.
Golden Larch lit by the sun. This tree made it through a wildfire (no lower branches).
I walked my dog for 2 hours yesterday. We saw waterfalls, asteroid craters, mountains, and forests thick with trees. I didn't take any pictures so you'll just have to take my word.
 Sgt_Spanky
                                                
                                                Level 8
                                                Oct 18, 2018
                                            
                                                
                                                    Sgt_Spanky
                                                
                                                Level 8
                                                Oct 18, 2018                                            
                                        Thank you for your posts and photos, I always enjoy reading them and the photos are gorgeous.
 19dacar52
                                                
                                                Level 7
                                                Oct 18, 2018
                                            
                                                
                                                    19dacar52
                                                
                                                Level 7
                                                Oct 18, 2018                                            
                                        Thank you so much! I appreciate your kind comment about my posts and photos.
Do you take these photos with your phone or a camera? They are gorgeous!! ??
 Barnie2years
                                                
                                                Level 8
                                                Oct 18, 2018
                                            
                                                
                                                    Barnie2years
                                                
                                                Level 8
                                                Oct 18, 2018                                            
                                        I took these photos with my Sony Cyber-shot camera.
Thank you for your compliment on my photos.
The first picture reminds me a lot of The Loch in RMNP. This lake is the most pristine lake in North America. I hiked it last year with my son. Upwards and onwards, the hike got a lot harder with Timberline Falls and Sky Pond, which damn near killed me. 10 miles and a 1800 ft. elevation gain in the rare air
 GuyKeith
                                                
                                                Level 8
                                                Oct 18, 2018
                                            
                                                
                                                    GuyKeith
                                                
                                                Level 8
                                                Oct 18, 2018                                            
                                        Larch should be left in the forest. We used larch in a house and it was hard to work with, to many splinters to get infected before they come out easily.
 dalefvictor
                                                
                                                Level 8
                                                Oct 18, 2018
                                            
                                                
                                                    dalefvictor
                                                
                                                Level 8
                                                Oct 18, 2018