8.5 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
Led a quartet to one of my favorite places, Lake Serene. Arrived at the trail head at 8AM to find only one other car and a sky beginning to clear. With cool temperatures and an expectation of sun we headed out on the old road. Fortunately, the day was pleasant and the road quickly passed from under our feet. Reaching the junction for Bridal Veil Falls we headed up, the falls roaring to life as we climbed up a well-maintained trail. Arriving at the lower view point, the falls were prepared to wow any crowd with crashing volumes of water not often seen at this time of year. The spray was present but held in check by a breathless wind. After climbing to the higher viewpoint, wherein the falls elicited the requisite oohs and ahhs, we headed back down and, after reminding half the group it was too early to head for home, we all struck out for Serene, basking in the shadow of Index's chaos. The way up to the lake was at times taxing but otherwise uneventful, although the clouds yielded somewhat to allow some views of the valley spread out below. This eased the heat in the otherwise burning thighs of some and onward we trekked, at last coming to the shore of the pacific waters which were our goal. Basking on the sun-warmed Lunch Rock we watched the waters twinkling in the sunlight, guarded by the mighty Index, gray and cranky in his stoicism. Alas, our serenity was soon replaced by the chaotic masses of humankind, each of whom sought to stake out his or her own piece of the rock (my apologies to Prudential for co-opting their slogan) and we bid adieu to Serene and her faithful guardian and returned whence we came, sans a revisit to the falls. Back at the trail head, what had once been but two cars had, like rabbits (not the VW variety) multiplied exponentially to fill every available piece of real estate with an army of climate destroyers. And we got in our cars and drove away.
