Ira Spring Trail Trip Report

The trail towards Mason Lake was a decent, gentle one.  The first mile was wide, which allowed traffic traveling on both directions to pass through easily.  Not much issue there until the trail was truncated by a waterfall, strenuous in its demand to be noticed.  The traverse was a bit harrowing, and its presence was a caveat; it had suggested that the path would become narrow and steep - which it did.  "Narrow and steep" here was actually quite manageable, and it shouldn't discourage would-be pilgrims to forgo their trek.  It was raining when I went and there was a ton of water cavorting on and off the trail.  In spite of this, the path was very clearly groomed and well loved.  After about 2 miles, I happened upon a fork that sliced the trail between Bandera and Mason Lake, to the right and left respectively.   I turned left.  The path here began a fairly short rocky switch-back and I detected there might have been spectacular views within my midst as I glanced across a blanket of moisture, like an IMAX that ensconced a breathtaking mise-en-scene that somehow had failed to project.  The hike began to descend shortly after this section and Mason Lake would be less than fifteen minutes away.  One should note, though, there was a single blowdown just before the lake, but getting through/over it was totally a non-issue.  I felt it served a gateway-like presence due to its proximity to the destination.