No, you're not imagining things. I really was just in the Ramparts six days prior to this trip. At that time, though, Treen and I climbed to Rampart Ridge on a perfect, blue-sky day. We didn't have time to descend to the lakes below even though they called to us.
Throughout the week, the thought of the frozen lakes just beginning to thaw nagged. On Sunday, I couldn't help but return to the Ramparts and head down to the lakes instead of up to the Ridge. What a great decision that was!
Treen chased me down a 300 foot glissade to the lakes and then I chased her around. She loves the snow and even the parts that were slushy were ok by her.
From above, the lakes were ringed by bright blue halos. Up close, the blue is just as stunning, but the detail of the snow under the water adds a depth and texture that invites a dip. Not being crazy about either falling through the ice or being really, really cold I abstained. (Treen was a little more daring, but not much.)
Knowing this was likely my last trip to the snow-covered lakes before they melted out I lingered, but I couldn't spend all day. Thankfully, Rainier was out and floating over the horizon so our walk back to Lake Lillian was full of big views. Lillian itself was still mostly frozen, but it was showing blue around the edges so I avoided the ice out of an abundance of caution.
The snow no longer extends down to the trailhead so the walk out was faster than just a few days before, but that's not necessarily a cause to celebrate. That just means Winter's but a distant memory and Spring can't hold on to the cold much longer. Soon there will be no snow left at all in the Ramparts and Treen and I will have to go farther and higher to find our fix. Then we will be sad.
