The conditions could change a lot the next few days though because the temperature even down at around 3500 feet or so is going down to 29 degrees Fahrenheit Sunday which means even colder at around 6000 feet where the lake is (maybe 20 to 25 degrees or lower?) so I suppose at least part of the surface could completely freeze over again for a day or two. However, there is no place you want to be walking on the ice in it's present condition on April 24th and it is melted out away at least 50 to 100 feet away from where the parking lot is next to it where people park and launch their kayaks and such from in the summers. The waterfall coming down the rocks is visible if you know what to look for where people jump off the cliffs into the water in the summers in the back of the lake away from the parking lot too. I noticed that water from the snow melting was running even alongside the road to the right and to the left some places from the snow melting now.
Though the sun wasn't out it was very beautiful up there and still 49 degrees earlier today with the wind blowing some and people didn't stay long visiting the lake because little round balls of snow (that some might call hail) were falling lightly on the ground and vehicles there. So, my friend and I after walking to the edge of the lake and taking some pictures decided to stay warm in my truck with the heater on because it felt pretty cold with all the snow coming down and the humidity in the air. But, the lake was amazing to visit today because it made you feel very alive to be there in the 6000 foot high mountain Alpine Air.
The ice is melting off sooner likely because of the drought this year. I have kayaked around ice on the lake that is like icebergs when the lake is filled with these icebergs and the waterfalls are flowing into the back of the lake about 10 years ago now with my wife. It was really an amazing experience for us then too. I think that was around June that year also.
Here's a nice picture of Castle Lake covered with ice:
https://hikemtshasta.com/2020/04/19/distancing-pt-iv-mount-shasta-and-waterfalls/klamath-mountains-trinity-divide-castle-lake-april2020-18-custom/
No comments:
Post a Comment