I wanted to get some good images of Kathryn Lake, deep in the Sawtooth Mountains, before winter set in hard. So, at 3am, I drove from Boise to Redfish Lake and took the early boat across (boats would only be running one more day – as it was mid October – so I had only 48 hours). This simple boat ride saved me 6 miles of hiking. Once on the far shore, the boatman said, “It looks like snow”, turned the boat around, and raced back to the Redfish Lodge, hunched down low in his down coat. Bo (the border collie - and my wife’s prized possession) and I hiked up the trail as fast as we could go. In about 2 hours we were at Alpine Lake, sweating like pigs and watching storm clouds sprint past the mountain faces. Rain and snowflakes followed us on our trek, but I was determined to get to Kathryn Lake. 

As we rounded the southern shore of Alpine Lake, and started our cross-country adventure into the high alpine basins beyond, I stumbled across the scene you see here. The low growing foliage was crimson red, and the grass surrounding the lake was wheat yellow. I had never hiked the Sawtooths this late in the season, so all of this color struck me as totally unexpected. I set up the tripod and carefully took a few shots, until the snow was creating small white streaks in the image.

From here Bo and I hiked another 3 hours to Kathryn lakes, where it proceeded to dump 6 inches of snow in just an hour. Photography was not going to happen. Visibility was 10 feet. At 1:30 pm, I kicked the wet dog out into the snowstorm, tore down the tent, and we busted our asses back to Redfish Lake. We took a more direct line back to Redfish Lake - one I would never recommend. We arrived at the Lake at 5pm, just in time to catch the last boat across. It was a very long day for just a few images – but sometimes that is just the way it goes.

Nikon D2x, Nikkor 12-24mm, f-8.0, 1/50, ISO 200
Minnetonka junior Megan Greiner placed second in the girls alpine ski race held Thursday, Jan. 25, at Buck Hill in Burnsville.  Greiner's two-run combined was 45.92.  The top-ranked Skippers won the team contest, beating Eden Prairie, Wayzata, Edina, Orono and Hopkins.
See photo in original gallery.