The trail wound up out of the trees and the whole basin opened below. That small island sat alone in water so blue it almost looks made up, seemingly the sole tenant of this high mountain lake. Late-summer snow still hung on in the high gullies, which is about the only cool thing left up here by midday. I sat on the warm granite a good while longer than I needed to, mostly because getting up here was work, and I wasn't in any hurry to give back the view.