Barclay Lake

Went on a Sunday-Monday span, arriving at the trailhead around 11:30. The lake was surprisingly deserted with only one other campsite being occupied. A few families with dogs passed through, but most didn't stay long and none overnight. In speaking with a Ranger on Monday morning, the trend seems to be that weekends are typically pretty packed, so if you're looking for quiet then a weekday trip is definitely the way to go.

Rainbow Trout in the lake were jumping almost constantly starting late afternoon on Sunday. We're woefully inexperienced anglers, so didn't manage to catch anything, but another guy across the lake walked out with something like 5 fish, so if you know what you're doing it shouldn't be too hard to land something.

I was concerned about mosquitoes but don't think I got a bite the entire time. Horseflies, however, were out in strength starting Monday morning, and they were incredibly aggressive. They seemed to leave us alone after we applied some heavy-duty insect repellent, but each of us had already gotten bit before that point and they never really stopped buzzing around the campsite. Something to be mindful of when prepping a trip.

Pictures struggle to do it justice, but the lake itself sits right beneath Mount Baring, which makes for a pretty fantastic setting. Daylight goes through an interesting pattern here, as the sun passes behind the mountain fairly early in the day before emerging on the other side shortly before sunset, meaning that the lake is shaded for much of late afternoon.

We did not attempt the trail to Stone and Eagle Lakes, but it's on the list for next time.