Lake Van Norden and Upper Lola Montez Lake

Still exploring around the house, we are very pleased with what we discover. The hike in to Upper Lola Montez Lake early this morning - following the fabled Hole in the Ground trail - backwards - was peaceful and enjoyable. As the day wore on, however, the temperature continued to rise. By the time I reached the Upper Lola Montez Lake (via a scramble from the lower Lola Montez Lake) the temperatures had topped out over 85. We rested in the shade for an hour and rambled back down the mountain in the dusty aftermath of a handful of sweaty mountain bikers at the tail end of their grueling ride down from Castle Creek.