Cutthroat trout are particulary abundant in the 3rd lake above Mohawk Lake (12,372')
Bistort, a common alpine flower that favors damp soil, is in the Buckwheat family
Mountain goat hooves have hard outer shells and rubbery, concave footpads which act like suction cups when weight is applied
Lower Mohawk Lake is located at treeline; Mohawk Lake is a steep .4 mile climb ahead
The unimproved trail above Mohawk Lake aims for Pacific Peak (13,950’) in the SW corner of the valley
Dusky grouse (formerly known as blue grouse) are the 2nd largest grouse in North America; this female may weigh 2 lbs while males can exceed 3 lbs
Above the Mohawk Lake cirque, the valley widens and flattens with easy access to the third lake
Mohawk Lake is one of 8 lakes in the Spruce Creek drainage
Looking east at the Boreas Pass area from the Wheeler National Recreation Trail
Pacific Tarn is a steep climb with no discernable established route from the fourth lake above Mohawk Lake (12,438')
The 2nd lake above Mohawk Lake with Pacific Peak (left) and Crystal Peak (right) in the upper valley
Mountain goats have few natural predators; they're more likely to succumb to rockslides or starvation
Approaching the fourth lake above Mohawk Lake in the broad, flat tundra
Male dusky grouse stay in breeding areas through mid-July, then move to the highest sustainable forests
Afternoon storms reliably form each summer afternoon around the Continental Divide
Perennial flowers come back year after year, while annual flowers live and bloom only for one season
The trail between Lower Mohawk and Mohawk lakes can be a little tricky to follow, especially with lingering snow
The valley's south wall separates McCullough Gulch from the Spruce Creek draiange
Quandary Peak (14,265') from the Wheeler National Recreation Trail's southern terminus
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