As we drove up the potholed road to the trailhead, the emerging day was a lighter shade of gray. Other hikers congregated at the trailhead, talking about P3. So, I guessed that was their objective. The trailhead was chilly, so we hurried up the old roadway to warm up. The big waterfall at the wood bridge thundered down the rocky cut, a symphony of roaring liquid. The sheer volume and energy of the falling water commanded our attention. Big drama. We stopped.
After photos, we ambled further up the trail to the split, where the trail branches up from the old road bed. Now rockier and steeper, the trail relentlessly ascends to and up a granite staircase that cuts through boulder fields. We soon arrived at another trail split with a rustic sign. Go right and straight up for Bandera Mountain, or left for Mason Lake. At this point, we were out of the woods and saw a few patches of blue and the promise of warmth ahead. However, it was not to be.
We traversed left and hiked up to the high point before the rocky descent to the lake. The temperature dropped as we approached the lake. We soon encountered scattered snowfields beside and on the trail, punctuated with muddy sections. The snow was soft and undercut, so we cautiously avoided punching through. Once at the lake, we stopped for lunch at the lake outlet. We chose an exposed spot, ready to take advantage of any warming sunlight that might appear. We layered up and broke out snacks. A hungry Gray Jay made an appearance, but the sun did not. We sat in that bowl of cold, near the mostly snow-covered lake, and made the best of it. We were alone.
My hands were soon freezing; despite wearing gloves so I shouldered my pack to depart. My companions soon followed. Once we ascended from the lake bowl, the sun began to make a gradual appearance. By the time we reached the wooded section of the trail, it was quite toasty. As we hiked lower, we shed layers. Our spirits soared. Another fine day in the mountains.
The Road: The water-filled potholes were so numerous that we had to go slow and zigzag back and forth, squiggling through a circuitous puzzle. Nonetheless, the road was in far better shape than in times past. Any vehicle can make it with enough patience and attention. The parking area had little more than half a dozen cars at 8:30 am.
Debris: We found and collected discarded orange peels, egg shells, pistachio shells, and broken glass during our hike. These objects do not easily biodegrade. So, ‘Pack it in. Pack it out!’ It’s not that difficult.
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