Day 121: Lily Lake Trail to Dumbbell Lake

We meandered in and out of several burn areas this morning, fragrant huckleberries and bright magenta flowers creeping across the charred ground, blanketing it with beauty and color. Hiking through the forest we passed a series of lakes, beautifully reflecting the surrounding trees.  But the lakes were warm and swampy, with no visible inlet or outlet stream.

As we hiked, we contemplated the many different ways to kill the ravenous mosquitoes circling our heads.  Swat!  Slap!  Squish!  Pinch!  Flick!  The possibilities were endless.

It was still early evening when we reached Dumbbell Lake, named for the large peninsula that cuts through the lake, creating a narrow channel between two larger pools of water in the shape of a dumbbell.

"Have you seen my friend, Supergirl?" A man popped out of a campsite near the lake. We updated him on when we last saw Supergirl, then accepted his invitation to camp. We set up camp on the peninsula, then brought our food and cooking gear up to the campfire (our fifth of the trip) to cook dinner.