Red's Meadow to Purple Lake

Jim Filtering Water From Duck Creek.

I have fond memories of this lake. It was when all four of us were still hiking together, before Bailer Bri bailed at Vermilion. We had put in a LONG day of hiking. Surfer Dave was limping by the time we got to this lake, and we were all eager to set up camp. We found the first flat spot we could find and broke out the stoves and feasted our brains out. It was a beautiful setting, and we had the lake to ourselves. We had a very sorry campfire that never really got going, but it was okay, because we spent so much time looking straight up at the stars. Without a roaring fire it was even darker and more brilliant. We talked about many things, many profound things, and Surfer Dave and Bailer Bri were entranced by Jim's meteorite adventures. It was also on this night that I shared my Bigfoot story with them. Sometimes I get the chills again myself when I retell that story. The fishing in the lake was incredible for small rainbows, as the entire surface was dimples both that evening and in the morning. This photo is looking out from near the log-jam outlet. I think Purple Lake was Surfer Dave's favorite lake along the entire JMT. He used it as a benchmark for every other lake we passed. It certainly is a pretty lake. My photo doesn't do it justice.