We reached one of the highlights of backpacking the Teton Crest Trail, Lake Solitude, early on a dead-calm morning—exactly according to plan, hoping to see the lake before the first breath of wind stirred its water. Perched at over 9,000 feet in an alpine cirque at the head of the North Fork of Cascade Canyon, it sharply reflected the cliffs and meadowed, wildflower slopes that ring the lake. That scene, and sharing this popular lake with just a few other backpackers that morning, fully validated getting up as early as we did. There are also two different horizontal photos of Lake Solitude available.
