Pink Turtle and Ice-Off Pat
A friend (Susanne) had visited the Six Mile Hill area lakes at the end of March and she had posted a photo of Turtle Lake which had turned pink, so I ventured up there to go for a hike, investigate the lakes, and take a few photos. Overnight it had snowed and there was a strong cold wind, so I wore good boots, bundled up, and headed out. the road in was fine and I parked at Turtle Lake (so called because we can spot turtles there in warm weather).
About 2 inches of snow had fallen in the hills, but that just helped to show the contrast with pink Turtle Lake. Sometime Buse Lake will turn a magenta colour in summer when the oxygen is depleted in the lake after runoff dissipates, and bacteria multiplies, producing a reddish color. This is a relatively rare occurrence, especially right after ice-off.
I hiked around the lake in slippery conditions to get more perspectives.
After circumnavigating the lake, I hiked through the hills on double tracks. This area is a favorite. I have been hiking the hills in the Six Mile area for over 40 years.
The ice was mostly off Pat Lake and anglers were already out (March 31st). A small amount of ice remained in the bays, but it will be gone in a few days.
I usually paddle the lake early in April since it is one of the first “ice-off” lakes in the hills, but this was a windy day and only a few intrepid fishermen were out, each with a large anchor.
I will be back to paddle Pat Lake and hike through the hills. A wonderful area for hiking to the west….