Stop #6: The Crypt Lake Falls and Crypt Lake

 

Upon your arrival in the hanging valley you can veer right for a spectacular view of the valley from the top of Crypt Falls. Follow the trail and climb into the mouth of the cirque, but before you descend into the forest take a moment to observe an outcrop of limestone pavement on your left, which exhibits peculiar weathering patterns called clints and grikes, which create horns and grooves along the exposed surface. Limestone pavement is an exposed bed of limestone that has been ground flat by a glacier as it flows over it. Clints and grikes form after a layer of soil has covered the limestone and groundwater that is carrying organic acids from the soil and carbonic acid from the atmosphere begin to eat its way into the joints of the bedding. Following the trail brings you to the crystal blue waters of Crypt Lake, resting within the sheer cliffs of the cirque that houses it. Glacial lakes appear to be blue because they contain loess, the remains of rocks that have been ground into a very fine powder underneath the weight of a glacier. This extremely fine grain sediment(in lower commodities) can increase the waters ability to scatter shorter wavelengths of light, such as the blues and greens of the visible spectrum. If you have 30 minutes or so to spare, you can follow the edge of the lake to its southernmost shore and step into the United States, no passport necessary! Thank you for using this guide, be safe on your way back down the trail and in the rest of your travels!