First ice pool swim of 2016 !

My first "dip" into an alpine pool for 2016 has been achieved! The outlook hadn't been promising that morning when three of us hikers started the 13 to 15 mile alpine traverse that we call " the traverse." (Higher mileage is that recorded by a GPS, but 13 miles is what Forest Service signage states.) We were in an out of foggy conditions, but finally as we finally got near my favorite pool - 8 to 10 miles in on the trail - the fog was gone. The temperature hadn't been high enough to make us desperate to cool down as is usually the case for  our "swims" in the alpine, so initially I was just wading in to "ice" my knees. But, I knew I would regret not dipping my whole body in, so took a shallow dive and challenged buddy "A."  This video is our second "dive."

This side of the pool is not usually where I "swim" but every time I'd been here previously, this side had been covered with snow! So, it was a pleasant surprise to discover this sandy, shallow area for "dipping."

Since I wrote the above, I've now done several other "dips" : one on a solo hike to Blue Lake in which the only person challenging me to wade into very cold water was myself. Misjudging the 10-second self-timer on my camera, it took me several tries to capture proof of myself in the lake to send to my hiking buddies. I kept setting the timer, jumping down from the rock it was on, taking 5 or 6 quick steps into the lake to get into my waist or higher, then out again to look at the camera only to find a photo of my back or nothing. The goats on the other side of the lake didn't seem fazed, but the one other hiker in the area probably wondered what in the heck I was doing. (Although I don't think he could see me.) Finally, I did get this one of me squinting at the camera. As I hiked back out of the lake, I found some great blueberries and am remembering that spot for next year. I took another "selfie" to mark the beautiful day, after hiking out of the lake.