When I first arrived at the Huerfano Basin, at the southern end of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness Area, it was overcast. I backpacked steeply to Lily Lake and camped above 12,000 feet in the tree line forest below the Lake. To get to the Lake from camp, I had to climb the trail up a steep wall. It was very windy and the lake surface was dark and choppy. The descending evening light was beautiful on the high, stark mountains across the basin. It was growing colder, so I poured hot water in a bottle to take with me into my sleeping bag. It rained several times during the night but I was quite warm. The next morning was still windy but bright and sunny. As I hiked back down into the valley, I descended below the wind and it became warm.