We arrive at the Kohm Yah-Mah-Nee Visitor Center to find at least a couple feet of fresh snow. Definitely gives a different look to an otherwise fairly barren…
We head into the Visitor Center to see what trails are still accessible in the snow.
We decide to head up the road at least to the Sulphur Works, one of the few mud pots in the park that's visible year round. You can smell the sulphur all the…
Magma deep in the earth heats water as it rises to the surface forming these boiling pools of muddy water.
Video of the Sulphur Works mud pot.
Looking down the other side of the road, you can see the fascinating pattern of melted boiling areas and frozen snow.
We decide to give the Ridge Lakes trail a try. Snowshoes were recommended, but we only had our YakTrax, so those would have to do.
More contrast of snow and melted areas. And more sulphur smell.
The trail starts climbing fast. It was only supposed to be 2.2 miles round trip. That was definitely a bogus number!
Conditions were perfect. Snow still in the trees, a couple feet of untouched snow on the ground, cold but comfortable temps, and mostly clear skies.
Some snowshoers had already broken trail for us, otherwise we wouldn't have made it very far.
The trail starts getting quite steep. The lakes must be getting close!?
Perfect snow trekking conditions.
Dad's photo of me on the way up.
Steep but almost there. This is way more than a mile!
One last traverse. Where the heck are the lakes??
At last we finally reach Ridge Lakes and... they're not there! Completely frozen over with a thick layer of snow on top. Not quite the view we were…
Abominable Snowdad approaching the frozen lakes.
Panorama of the frozen Ridge Lakes.
We only saw a few other people all day, and one of them was fortunately on top just in time to snap a photo for us.