I reached Emerald Lake about an hour and a half after starting at the trailhead. During my hike up, I only encountered two people, both headed in the opposite direction. It was a little bit dark when I arrived as the sun was still obscured by clouds. But soon, the sun peeked out and illuminated some of the peaks up above. It was quite cold and windy but it calmed down as I walked across the frozen lake. My favorite part was the dark clear frozen water. It was quite reflective, just like calm still water! Truly magnificent! I finally saw two more people just as I started to leave the lake, about an hour after I arrived.