Mitchell Lake and its outlying ponds attract moose, which are particularly fond of willow and aquatic plants
Looking east across Blue Lake from its inlet area
Mitchell Lake and Mt Audubon (13,223')
Moose don't see well at close range, which has more to do with eye placement than poor vision
Shallow tarns dot alpine benches on the perimeter of Upper Blue Lake
View of Blue Lake from Upper Blue Lake
The columbine's extended sepals contain the plant's nectar
Moose are common in the Blue Lake area, typically in early fall after passes along the Divide have cleared
View from Mt Toll (12,979'), a conical peak on the valley's headwall
As the aspen's chlorophyll production slows, carotenoids' red and orange pigments show through
The valley opens past Mitchell Lake, though its true scale is limited from the trail
An accessible ridge separates the Blue Lake and Lake Isabelle valleys
There are several challenging x-country routes that connect Blue Lake with Mt Toll
The descent from Blue Lake reveals outlying ponds and a large open flat beside Mitchell Lake
Thick willow shrouds a network of streams that braid the Mitchell - Blue Lake valley floor
The trail continues 1.6 miles past Mitchell Lake to Blue Lake (11,355')
Rich willow thickets attract moose to the Mitchell - Blue Lake valley each fall
Massive perennial snow bowls span the saddle between Mt Toll and Pauite Peak near Upper Blue Lake
Upper Blue Lake (11,833') is accessible by a well-established x-country route above Blue Lake
A small alpine lake just off trail between Mitchell and Blue Lake
Ptarmigan feathers turn white in winter, exchanging pigment for additional, insulating air
Marmots sleep through the winter in deep burrows but are active and ubiquitous in the summer
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