Lake Blanche

My all-time favorite hike has to be Lake Blanche. It is a little over 6 miles, but steep. You’ll gain almost 3,000 feet in elevation on this hike. The climb is hard and gets your heart pumping. The first time I hiked this trail was a year after a serious head injury. I had been unable to do many of the things I loved for quite some time, so getting out on the trail again felt absolutely freeing.

I hiked the trail with a friend who could remind me to take my time and not push myself too hard. It was the first time doing a strenuous hike since the accident. We took our time making the climb, feeling the air get thinner in our lungs. We had started out early, around 7 a.m., to beat the heat and crowds. That turned out to be super smart! Watching people coming up in the afternoon sun as we hiked down didn’t look fun.

Lake Blanche is a beautiful mountain lake. There are moose usually enjoying the grasses along the side of the water and beautiful vistas of Sundial Peak and the canyon below. Hiking this trail will lead you through aspen groves and over boulder fields. The yellow wildflowers are abundant in the summer.

Since that first hike to Lake Blanche, I’ve hiked it in every season. Surprisingly, my favorite season for this hike is in the winter. The trail looks completely different in the winter. It actually feels easier to hike when the snow is packed down and you use clamps on your shoes. The lake surrounded by snow and ice seems to glisten. There are few people on the trail in the winter. It is almost eeire how quiet it is. You can feel the quiet. It’s a peaceful place in the winter.

If you ever find yourself with a free morning in Big Cottonwood Canyon, find the Lake Blanche trailhead and treat yourself. You won’t regret it. Well, your legs might regret it if you haven’t stretched!