Same as what everyone says, pretty destination, worth it to keep going along the north shore of the lake for a while because the views only get better. wildflowers past peak but the blueberries/huckleberries are at perfection, and hardly anyone was partaking. It seemed to be a banner year for them, which leads to... well, more on that below.
Two things I'd note: this hike is ridiculously popular despite its difficulty, and the tread for much of the way over the ridge to the lake is rocky and rooty and just a gnarly walking surface. It's not an insanely hard hike, but people were taking small dogs, young children, and elderly people on this hike. Some of them might certainly be up for the challenge, but just be aware that it is a challenge, and it's okay to pick a less brutal hike.
I continue on toward Gem Lake, but it started seriously ascending again and I was too berry-sated to do that, so I turned around. There's a log crossing at the outlet to Snow Lake, and then the trail is on the opposite (Middle Fork) side of a hill for a while, so I paused to rest, and got involved in a lively discussion with two strangers about Baby Yoda. We were still talking--quite animatedly!--as we continued, and suddenly the lead guy stopped abruptly and said "Bear!" We kept talking in low tones, and a fourth person joined us to watch. The bear--so cute, so nerve-wracking--sniffed the air a few times as he ambled away back toward the lake. I'm glad I'd met these guys so I was not alone, and we were talking and didn't surprise the bear. After he left, we continued on the trail; the fourth person and I talked about the rarity and scary/coolness of bear encounters; we rounded another bend, and lo and behold, another bear! He kept going up the ridge toward the left, and we saw that my Baby Yoda friends had been watching him too. A fifth person joined us. (I had to stop her as she was wearing earbuds... see? this is what we discussed). Anyway, even though it was probably the same bear who had just taken a shortcut along the lake, I'm going to officially count this as my first two-bear-encounter hike!
Oh, and I saw a pika too. :)
(Baby Yoda friends--if you want better pics get a hold of me at illexsquid at g ✉)
