Ramblings about myself...
Atul Talesara
Lake Serene...
A 7 mile treacherous hike + breathtaking view + yummy pullav at the summit == Perfect Way to spend a sunny Saturday, AtulT 08-May-10
A total of 7.2 miles (11.6km) round trip trail the hike took us amidst the towering and formidable Mount Index where Lake Serene lies; safe, secluded and in the protective womb of mother nature! The first mile of the trail is a piece of cake. Just when you feel the rest of 2 miles are going to be nothing but a breeze, you are struck with an increasing gradient that will eventually sore you to the elevation of 2000ft, to a place that looks nothing short of a lake kept sacred and secret by the surrounding ranges of Mt. Index. A total of 3 hrs hike each way, that last mile is the toughest. But once you reach the lake, you feel all the pain is worth the efforts!
The breathtaking view of frozen Lake Serene takes your breath away. At first the formidable mountainous walls induce no feeling of serenity, but if you are patient enough and watch the sexy reflection of Mt. Index and blue sky you realize why it is called Lake Serene! Like in this photo.
Yummy Pullav and Almond Topped Choco-chip Muffins by Sheetal only added to the fun! I tried hard to do some justice to Lake Serene's beauty, but I'm not sure if I succeeded at it, come in, and judge for yourself. And don't forget to see the Panoramas.
Photos are _best_ viewed at 100% full zoom so that your monitor's anti-aliasing doesn't ruin the beauty of the photos. If the photo doesn't look great, it is most likely your monitor, try zooming in. Best viewed at highest-res on big monitor!
Read more about Lake Serene and trails at Washington Trails Assoc.
Coming soon... a related post on my blog.
Meanwhile enjoy the photos below...
- View Online: Picasa Album (with captions!)
- Photos in Picasa Album for download as single zip file (80 mb)
- Panoramas for viewing at full-resolution
- Panorama 0 (8 mb)
- Panorama 1 (5 mb)
- Panorama 2 (6 mb)
- Panorama 3 (4 mb)
- Panorama 4 (3 mb)
- Panorama 5 (5 mb)
- Panorama 6 This is my favorite! (3 mb)
Browse through my other photos here.