#ProjectAlaska: Mirror Lake Scenic Byway

As I woke up and got out of the truck to get my day started, I was slightly surprised as to how cool it was outside. The temperatures outside the night before had been fairly warm and it had been very warm the day before - in the 90's; which I hadn't seen since my third day away from home in Montana at Downstream Campground. Then again, the altitude I was at was on the high side - 5,700 feet ASL. I was looking forward to a wonderful day spent on the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, and I was not to be disappointed, either. One thing I tend to look for on my route when mapping them out for a trip are scenic byways. Usually, most of these roads are marked "(Closed Winters)" or some variant on Google Maps and others. Most interstates and other multi-lane highways tend to bypass some of the most scenic parts that these roads take one to. These roads twist and turn, go up and down, feature tight switchbacks, and are NOT for someone who has little patience. But if scenery is your thing, then these roads are absolutely PERFECT!

One of the first things I noticed was the leaves changing color already; despite it being the end of August. But here, due to the altitude, leaves change quite early in comparison to trees in my neck of the woods. In fact, believe it or not, there were trees in Fort Wayne last December which still had leaves of green on them despite having had a frost. The year before, apple trees at Apple Glen (a local shopping mall also known as Jefferson Pointe) were blossoming after our first freeze when we had an extended warm spell. Seasons are no longer so clear cut anymore. These shots were taken at Samak, Utah:

Earlier, I took this picture of Rockport Lake:

I came upon an interesting piece of infrastructure as I was climbing towards Bald Mountain Pass. The Duchesne Tunnel diverts water from the Duchesne River (tributary of the Green River, which flows into the Colorado River) to the Provo River which eventually flows into Great Salt Lake. Then, I came upon Slate Gorge Overlook.

But it didn't end there....oh no...I had even more treats coming up! Upper Provo Falls, Washington Lake, and Trial Lake along with a shot just before reaching Bald Mountain Pass were along the way.

This is a truly beautiful area that must be seen to be truly appreciated. There are lots of campgrounds to stay at and PLENTY of places to explore while you are here. Reaching Bald Mountain Pass was quite the experience. Just look at that view!

After Bald Mountain Pass, I came to the namesake of this particular trek; Mirror Lake. Climate change is particularly noticeable here with a broad majority of trees dead. Just a decade ago or so, most of these trees were all green. It is rather depressing to witness, I must admit.

Tomorrow I will have pictures from Casper Mountain!