Alpine Wonderland

Baptie Lake in the Pioneer Mountains of central Idaho (2012 Backpacking Trip).

This was the first of 4 annual "man hikes" that I did with my cousin and uncle, and a few other friends or relatives that were able to join. This was also my very first experience backpacking.

Baptie Lake sits at in a hanging valley at the head of Broad Canyon, ~10,000 feet above sea level.

Smoke from some recent/ongoing wildfires (>100 miles away) had filled most Idaho's mountain valleys with haze

Baptie Lake is fed by this series of cascades coming down from an even higher lake, Goat Lake, at over 11,000 feet above sea level.

Here is Goat Lake at its outlet, with massive Standhope Peak immediately behind.

Some alpine wonders are enjoyed on a much smaller scale. In this high altitude, most wildflowers grow no higher than a few inches from the ground. Some examples from around Goat Lake:

Baptie Lake was completely still and smooth in the morning

This is the outlet of Baptie Lake, with an impressive unnamed peak providing backdrop.

Exploring below the outlet of Baptie Lake, a gorge with a long series of cascades was found (along with some marmots and more wildflowers). Standhope Peak can be seen in the upper left corner.

Truly, whole days could have been spent just exploring the area immediately around these two high-elevation lakes, including observing the landscape's changing colors from the early morning to mid-day to the evening