Forum Index > Trip Reports > Palisades Lakes MRNP 8/18/10
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Warrior Princess



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PostThu Aug 19, 2010 6:51 pm 
This was my 2nd trip here (the first being in Sept three years ago) and I had always wanted to visit during flower season. This time I got it just right but my camera skills couldn't catch the flowers in the bright sunlight the way I wanted. Things you need to know:
  • The road to Sunrise is being resurfaced. Expect to be stopped for good amounts of time (several times). 3 times on the way up and 3 long times on the way down (after 6:00pm) when I went on a Wednesday.
  • Flowers are out GO NOW!
  • Solitude can be had at MRNP, just go beyond the first 2 lakes.
  • I used 4 different types of bug spray. They all worked but I had to reapply often.
  • This trail goes down and up and down and up etc and then in reverse
Flowers seen: lupine (duh), tiger lilies, all the "worts", daisies, asters, pink and white heather, bear grass, paintbrush in gorgeous magenta and dusty rose, monkey flower, buttercups, violets, phlox, strawberry flowers, hellebore, red columbine, bluebells, bistort and white rhodies. Along with others. Clover lake is the best wading and swimming lake (no camping). Dicks Lake has a dark campsite and Upper Palisades has several nice campsites. There are intriguing unofficial trails when you hit Upper Palisades. One goes up to Brown Point another leads to views above Lower Palisades. In the fall I had many wildlife encounters but this time I only met up with a fearless Pika who was making quite the pile of greens for it's winter pantry.
Clover Lake
Clover Lake
Stunning Clover Lake (flowers galore)
Stunning Clover Lake (flowers galore)
Gorgeous meadows
Gorgeous meadows
I can't believe Bloated Chipmunk hasn't been here
I can't believe Bloated Chipmunk hasn't been here
The only decent flower shot I took
The only decent flower shot I took
Tadpole tarn before Upper Palisades
Tadpole tarn before Upper Palisades
Tadpole City
Tadpole City
Beautiful Rock Garden
Beautiful Rock Garden
Upper Palisades and flower meadows
Upper Palisades and flower meadows
Soba noodles with spicy peanut sesame sauce with chicken, cilantro and lime
Soba noodles with spicy peanut sesame sauce with chicken, cilantro and lime
View from my lunch rock
View from my lunch rock
Pika Poser
Pika Poser
My best Pika shot ever
My best Pika shot ever

“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
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Tigerotor77W
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PostThu Aug 19, 2010 7:13 pm 
Very nice! And that's a great shot of the pika -- I agree!

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Backpacker Joe
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PostThu Aug 19, 2010 7:17 pm 
I mentioned this to HikingQueen, if you find yourself in this area make sure you hit up Hidden lake. Its the nicest lake in the area.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Hikingqueen
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PostFri Aug 20, 2010 6:37 pm 
I bet I saw you I was camping there. biggrin.gif

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Warrior Princess



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PostFri Aug 20, 2010 6:43 pm 
I only saw 2 older gents at Upper Palisades that afternoon and they were behind me the whole way out too. I was there around 3:00 having my lunch. You must have been off exploring. Did you go up to Brown Point?

“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
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Hikingqueen
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PostFri Aug 20, 2010 6:58 pm 
I was napping in my tent from 3-4. embarassedlaugh.gif

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tigermn
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PostFri Aug 20, 2010 7:02 pm 
Yea I second Hidden Lake. Last fall I went to Brown Point and almost didn't take the spur trail on the way back but was glad I did. You will climb a few hundred feet to get there but a nice lake. You can also go up an unofficial path from the far end of Hidden Lake to a high point (and maybe beyond). It looked kind of interesting but I didn't do it as I had enough for that particular day.

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PostFri Aug 20, 2010 7:20 pm 
tigermn wrote:
You can also go up an unofficial path from the far end of Hidden Lake to a high point (and maybe beyond). It looked kind of interesting but I didn't do it as I had enough for that particular day.
It's one of the 75 scrambles in Peggy Goldmans's book

“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
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Backpacker Joe
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PostFri Aug 20, 2010 7:36 pm 
Which book is that?

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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Warrior Princess



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PostFri Aug 20, 2010 7:59 pm 
LINKY for BPJ

“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
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