Tink and I headed up from an empty trailhead before dawn. I wasn't sure the road would be drivable and it almost wasn't. Not because of snow as I had feared, but because the brush was weighted down giving the sides of my car an enthusiastic caress. No worries. My vehicles are always meant to be tools and it did its job.

We cruised up the familiar trail, crossing almost dry creeks and climbing frost-sparkling rocks. The snow was solid by the time we got to Lake Lillian and the wind kept us moving. Up the Gully of Doom with only a quick stop to look at the mountains lit up by the rising sun.

Atop the gully the views were spectacular, but experience told me they'd only get better the farther I went. The meadows were silent under a foot of powder topped with hoar frost. Blueberry bushes and small trees just peeked out from below the ice.

There were some tracks above the tarns, but they didn't follow the usual route so it's unclear who made them. We definitely saw some goat tracks and something small; maybe a pika? The marmots that usually whistled at us in this area were all absent so the only sound was us and the occasional wind.

Except the shallow, smaller tarns the lakes were clear of ice still, but otherwise it felt like winter. We skipped the usual high point with its snow-covered, slick rock and opted for an alternate summit that might have given us even better views.

Returning to the trailhead I expected to see tons of people coming up to enjoy the sunshine and fresh snow, but there were none. Zero. Absolutely nobody else was up there. Maybe I was too early. Maybe they all went somewhere even better. Whatever, I know I got an amazing October gift that will keep me smiling even as the storms block out the sun for the next few months.

And to keep you smiling, here's a video of Tink loving the crunchy water at one of the tarns we passed.

📍On the lands of the Wenatchi people.