The Flickr Medicinebowpeak Image Generatr

Seen along the Medicine Bow Peak Trail in Wyoming.

Clusters of purple asters grow at the edge of a small meadow under the east-facing escarpment of Medicine Bow Peak (11,939 ft; 3,639 m) in the Snowy Range, Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming.

Due to the bright color of the ancient quartzite that comprises the Range, the Snowys appear white all year round. The quartzite began as a 5,600 ft thick deposit of sand that accumulated over 2 billion years ago when Wyoming had a shoreline and was lapped by coastal waves. Under metamorphic pressures, the layer of sand eventually became quartzite and was pushed upward and tilted almost 90 degrees due to tectonic collisions about 1.7 billion years ago. This first set of mountains was eroded then buried until the area was lifted skyward once again 80 million years ago during the period of mountain building called the Laramide Orogeny that formed the Rockies. Following a 40 million year period of uplift and collision, erosion became the dominant force once more, meticulously removing the softer, sedimentary layers and ultimately exposing the ancient, durable quartzite once again.

The passage of such great swaths of time is almost meaningless from the human perspective, and it is difficult to grasp the movement of immense layers of stone buffeted by even greater tectonic currents. There is some wan solace in the knowledge that Earth has existed for billions of years without us, and will likely experience billions more once we have vanished and left behind a layer of plastic and odd nuclei embedded in a thin section of her rocky skin.

- www.kevin-palmer.com - Medicine Bow Peak is reflected in Sandy Lake next to the trail.

- www.kevin-palmer.com - Halfway up Browns Peak I had a great view of Medicine Bow Peak and at least 8 lakes.

- www.kevin-palmer.com - Medicine Bow Peak lights up just after sunrise as seen from Spruce Mountain.

A trio of cold lakes sit at the base of the steep quartz-rich cliffs that form the east-facing escarpment of the Snowy Range, from the vantage of the summit of Medicine Bow Peak (12,018 ft; 3,663 m), Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming.

To capitalize on the last few days of August before the school year begins again, we met up with another family with whom we've shared a few backpacking adventures, and we paid a visit to the Snowy Range. I plotted a short, 12-mile loop that involved a small amount of off-trail route finding, and that strategy enabled us to camp with no other people within sight or sound. The monsoon has been relatively active this summer, and it rained persistently on the first night with frequent rumbling and flashing from a very dark sky. We were luckier on the second night when only a light rain fell and we were treated to an incredible combination of sunset and thunderstorm.

We summited Medicine Bow Peak on the third and last day, and the reward for hoisting our packs up and over the very top of the Range was this spectacular view south along the steep east-facing slope, which was paired with an expansive vista in the other direction that includes Elk Mountain to the Northwest. There were extended periods of heavy breathing, and I was asked a few times by the younger of the crew how much further it would be to the top. All things considered, when we reached the summit I think everyone in the group was pleased with their effort and to be up nearly touching the clouds. This is the third such trip in as many years on which my wife has come along, and I can say confidently that a younger self never expected such changes to take place. Especially not after our first trip shortly after we met, when I took her up Mount Snowden in Wales in poor weather and with even poorer gear...

Medicine Bow Peak

So made the trip to the trio of lakes below Medicine Bow Peak in southeast Wyoming - Marie, Mirror, and Lookout. Started before sunrise right here at Mirror Lake. It was pretty darn still before the sun started to climb on the horizon behind me.

During my whirlwind weekend in Laramie, I ventured up to the Snowy Range before sunrise to enjoy a glorious morning at Lake Marie, Mirror Lake, and Lookout Lake - all nestled beneath the 12,018' rise of Medicine Bow Peak. Photos to come, but for now - here's your 90 seconds of Snowy Range zen.

Can you find the marmot at 1:02?

Google Earth visual of the Lookout Lakes Hike

This looks like a fun last push to the Medicine Bow Peak summit.

I've seen a lot of geodetic markers, but the marker at the top of Medicine Bow Peak wins the prize for the most beat up marker ever.

I guess it's only fitting to have snowy travels in the Snowy Range. A nice patch on the downslope from Medicine Bow Peak.

As is common with mountain weather, we rolled out just in time for the thunderstorms to roll in.

Medicine Bow Peak over Lake Marie

Looking west, you would never know there's a massive storm behind us.

The clouds open up on Medicine Bow Peak.

Some thunder boomers sneaking up from the North.

Taken circa August 1999. This film panorama image is composed of 4 merged prints. This peak is 12,018 feet (3663 meters) and is located in southeast Wyoming. The hikes to the summit is along a 4 mile ridge and 2000 feet elevation gain (right). My Border Collie almost ran off the cliff but luckily listen when I screamed "STOP". Needless to say, my heart nearly stopped and he was on a leash for the rest of the hike.

Taken with Nikon FM2, Nikkor 35mm f/1.4.

Picture of the Day

The outlet of Lake Marie in May still snow covered. The lake was mostly still frozen