That one perfect morning on the Rae Lakes Loop

We woke up at 5 AM to a clear sky over Glen Pass in Kings Canyon. The air was so still the lake looked like a mirror, and we had the whole trail to ourselves for two hours. It was the only day of our 7 day trip without any wind or bugs. Anyone else have a stretch of trail that just felt magically calm like that?

4 comments

4 Comments

anderson.taylor1mo ago

Those silent mornings can feel a bit lonely though, right? @singh.harper's perfect hour sounds nice but I'd take some trail chatter over that quiet any day.

wendy321mo ago

Ever notice how people either need total quiet or constant noise? @singh.harper gets the quiet side, but I'm with you, some background chatter just feels better.

elliot_roberts6d ago

I read somewhere that those early morning hours have the lowest wind speeds because the ground hasn't heated up yet to create thermal currents. Makes sense why Glen Pass felt so still. We had a similar moment on the JMT near Evolution Lake, barely a ripple on the water for miles. It's like the whole world is holding its breath waiting for the sun to come over the ridge.

singh.harper1mo ago

Man those mirror lake mornings are unreal lol. Had a similar vibe on the Wonderland Trail last fall, just complete silence for like an hour before anyone else was up. Makes the whole grind worth it.