7/30/17 – No Reflection in Mirror Lake

Day 98
Miles: 1,932.77 to 1,956.32

Total miles hiked: 1,360.17
My imagination pictured fabulous reflections when I saw Sisters Mirror Lake on Halfmile app. It sounded exactly like a place I could spend an evening or two capturing images of volcanic peaks reflecting in the placid waters of the lake and it fell within the mileage we hoped for today. 

I tried to push the entire day to arrive early and secure a good site where I could set my camera up for some night shots as well.

The miles flew. By lunch we have walked 15 miles, and if it wasn’t for a new blister on my right foot, we would have likely done more.

The hard work started after lunch. We only had 8 more miles to go, but within them was quite a climb. I didn’t like to start gaining elevation in the afternoon heat but sometime it is what it is and in the end we kept a good pace, walking about 5 miles an hour. 

Stop the climb was a lovely site with a view of Mt. Bachelor. It was a dry site atop a climb but whoever decided to carry the water up here will get rewarded with pretty good view. This is where our friends mosquitoes started to bug us again. I did not miss them at all during the day when we walked in less skeeter infested area.

Mosquitoes got worse yet when we descended to the lake. A southbound hiker told us this would likely be our last night with the bugs, things are looking better from here north and we both were excited about that. It will be nice to be able to sit outside and enjoy the evening for once.

To my dismay Sisters Mirror Lake did not show much reflection of the volcanos. It was a picturesque lake surrounded by a meadow and forest but it did not live up to its name. Later we walked around and found a spot where the very top of South Sister’s peeks from the trees. The water was choppy though so I did not end up with the picture I was so excited for all day. Maybe I’ll have better luck at the next lake.