San Juan Triangle | Saturday, September 12, 2026
I didn’t have anything planned in advance for this weekend since Diane was going to be having her second brain surgery earlier this month and we didn’t know how long we were going to be in Wisconsin. Thankfully, things went a lot better this time than they did last year and we made it back home less than a week after her surgery, so I thought it would be nice to get out for a day hike into the San Juan Mountains on Saturday before the mountain season comes to an end. While I had hiked up into Ice Lake Basin over 14 years ago on my very first solo backpacking trip, I didn’t make it to Island Lake and Fuller Lake on that trip and this area has become so ridiculously popular and busy since then that I thought I might never return, but I decided to take my chances and give it another try, hoping that it wouldn’t be quite as busy after Labor Day.
I had checked the weather forecast before going to bed on Friday night and saw there were no storms predicted for the area, so it was a bit of a surprise when I woke up at 4:00am on Saturday morning and saw that there was currently a large thunderstorm system over the San Juan Mountains and Uncompahgre Plateau! The forecast was now calling for the storms to end around sunrise, and I was hoping that the clouds might linger around the peaks afterwards, so I carried on with my plans and started driving to the mountains. As I drove through the Uncompahgre River Valley I was able to watch the lighting flashes over the Uncompahgre Plateau off to the west. The rain finally stopped as I drove up the South Mineral Creek Road to the trailhead, so my timing was pretty spot on! I was hoping that the unexpected early morning thunderstorm might have kept some people away from the hike this morning, but the parking lot at the trailhead was already almost full when I arrived shortly before sunrise. I got one of the very last parking spots, then shouldered my pack and started hiking.
The Ice Lake Trail was wet and muddy this morning from the very recent rainstorm.
Red Cliff & Clouds
Clear Creek Waterfall
/>Twin Sisters in the Clouds
On my previous visit I had skipped the lower portion of the trail, instead starting higher up along the road to Clear Lake, so this first part of the trail was all new to me.
Of course, most of the lower portion of the trail was in the trees with limited views, but the few times I could see out of the trees I could see that the clouds were indeed hanging around, which was nice!
Above the Trail
Hiking through the rising clouds.
As soon as I got out of the trees and made it to the beginning of the Island Lake Loop I had a very nice view of Golden Horn through the clearing clouds.
Golden Horn
I just love these conditions when the constantly-moving clouds are obscuring the surrounding mountains and ridges.
It was a lovely morning in the clouds!
Looking down into Lower Ice Lake Basin as I climbed the trail to Island Lake.
Clouds in Motion
Obscured Basin
I was able to capture a reflection on this shallow tarn.
I had a very nice overview of Island Lake as I crested the final hill into the basin.
Island Lake
I was originally thinking about hiking up to Swamp Pass before visiting Island Lake, but after not hiking for a few weeks my legs were already starting to get tired and I knew if I went up to the pass I might not make it to Fuller Lake, so I skipped it this time and descended to the shore of the lake.
The Island
Island Lake Outlet
U.S. Grant Peak towers over Island Lake.
As I followed the trail from Island Lake to Ice Lake, there was a good view down into the upper end of Lower Ice Lake Basin. On my last backpacking trip here I had camped in that group of trees just right of center.
Fuller Peak hidden in the clouds.
Following the Island Lake Trail into Ice Lake Basin.
When I came around the bend I got my first view of Ice Lake.
Ice Lake Basin Trail
Ice Creek
I reached the shore of the very blue Ice Lake just as the final clouds were burning off.
Ice Lake Reflection
Ice Lake Outlet
Blue Reflection
I was moving quite a bit slower during the climb from Ice Lake to Fuller Lake, but I eventually made it to the shore of Fuller Lake.
There are some old mining ruins near the outlet of Fuller Lake.
Fuller Lake Outlet
The trail to Fuller Lake passed by this smaller tarn.
Ice Lake Basin
Green & Blue
Rocky Tarn
Pilot Knob
I hiked back past Ice Lake and then started the descent into Lower Ice Lake Basin.
Ice Lake Basin Trail
The sky became mostly overcast during the descent back to the trailhead, so the only photo I took on the way down was when a little light lit up Bear Mountain.
Even though the trail to Ice Lake and Island Lake was busier than I would have liked, it was not quite as busy as the West Maroon Trail was in late July. Plus, very few people seemed to be taking the spur out to Fuller Lake and I saw almost no one when I was hiking that section of the trail, which was nice. I returned to the trailhead around 1:30pm and had just barely enough time to make it over to the Kendall Mountain Cafe in Silverton for a burger before they closed, which was something I hoped to do this afternoon since it would probably be my only opportunity to make it there this year. After my late lunch I started the drive back home. It was very nice getting back into the mountains after spending the last two weeks in the Midwest.
Thank you for sharing the natural beauty of this area! Gorgeous pictures. And good to hear Diane had an easier time