Alpine lakes backpacking

More backcountry adventures! This one was a fun time, although part of it kicked my ass as well. We made the hike in a two-day, stopping at a nice lake on the way here. There was wildfire smoke on the first two days, but it cleared up after some thunderstorms and rain. The second day the hike was less than 6 miles, but the elevation gain was no joke. The air was still smoky which didn't help. The reward at the end was worth it, with this view appearing on the third evening:

The first few nights I was able to get a feel for the orientation of the sky, despite the haze still ruining my photos. When it was finally gone the fourth night (third at this lake) here's what I saw:

There was also plenty of time for day hiking to the neighboring lake and the ridge in between. This lake was beautiful and deep with some great areas for swimming. We could also see some very large trout swimming around and got to have some for dinner the second day we visited.

More photos from this trip to come later when I have more time!