This morning we went on a hike. A real one this time, not the wandering and confusion of the last hike attempt. We went hiking in the Brainard Lake area.
Fair warning, there are going to be a lot of nature photos with minimal info.
Hey look (finger point), the Sourdough trail runs into this trail system.
Boy am I glad we didn't try to keep following it.
When we got to the park we were informed that there had been an incident and so part of the roadway was blocked off. We would have to park and then hike to the trailhead.
The incident ended up being that two hikers had been climbing a peak the day before and the one, a woman, slipped and fell 100 feet down a crevasse. Her companion climbed down and tried to provide her with aid, but realized she would need more assistance. He hiked 8 miles to a trailhead to get help, but by then it was too late to send a team up. Believing she was already deceased by the time he left her, the park was now (the next day when we were hiking) sending up a helicopter to recover the body. They were several miles off of any known trail. DO NOT GO OFF TRAIL.
Recovery helicopter:
So that was kind of a bummer. We found all this out while waiting for the third vehicle in our group to show up. I was not concerned because I was with the lunches. But the missing vehicle had all the small kids with them, so we were slightly concerned for them. They had ended up somehow going to a different parking lot and a different trail all-together. I think they had a good time. I'm not sure. But they were all fine, if not hungry.
We were going to hike up to Patrick's finger and then depending on energy/time/weather continue on some other hikes in the area.
To start out you can go left or right around the lake. Some other hikers had seen moose on the left trail so we went that way instead of the right side trail as we had planned. I am very glad we did.
We didn't see any moose, but as it turned out, the left side trail had glorious wildflowers and the right side trail did not. Brian, in white, started singing The Hills Are Alive.
This is Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja) or Prairie-Fire.
Dan and Patrick.
Jenny and the trail.
Our target. The lake is a little low at this time of year/with the droughts happening out west.
We had our lunches here. I am so glad I followed the food.
The weather looked questionable and we, well I was, tired. So we started back to the car.
More Indian Paintbrush. It was everywhere.
Jenny and Carey.
Me and Dan. Look, my token photo!
Indian Paintbrush in white. They haven't painted with these yet.
Dan on a rock.
Michael, Patrick, and Carey exploring some stubborn snow.
These people are going "bouldering". They free climb boulders.
Those boxes on their backs are pads to put under them in case they fall.
Having fun with camera exposures. Short above. Long below.
I don't know what these are.
Mertensia of some kind.
Anyone know why the tree gets all twisted?
I wanted to put my feet in the water.
This concludes our hiking adventure.
While we went hiking so of the wee children were taken to Magic-fun-time-happy-land.
Or something like that. Photos courtesy of Gina.
Max and Joe.
Gina and Timmy.
Nancy and Angelo.
Molly seems doubtful of Gina's driving ability.
Susan and RJ.
Joe and Mary.
My brother Byron and my nephew Zephan.
My niece Tamzin, with my sister-in-law Karen, seems unsure of the water jets.
Nancy and Angelo.
Nancy, Angelo, Zephan, Molly, Mary, Timmy, RJ, and Gina with Max.
This concludes the Happy-fun-time-magic-Land, or something like that, adventures.
We mostly hung out around the ranch for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
Brendan, Grandpa, and Lauren.
Deer in the headlights!
Michael, Lauren, Brendan, Carey, Jenny, Grandpa, and Mark.
And then Dan became king of the glow sticks.
This concludes AnVollstal Day 3.
While we went hiking so of the wee children were taken to Magic-fun-time-happy-land.
Or something like that. Photos courtesy of Gina.
This concludes the Happy-fun-time-magic-Land, or something like that, adventures.
We mostly hung out around the ranch for the rest of the afternoon and evening.
Michael working on the Perfect Cast.
Chilling out in the river.
Matt, Peter, and Patrick on the rocks. Jill, Emmie, Collette, and Meara in the back.
Jill has perfected the one-finger hold. Emmie really wants to fall into the water.
Matt.
Angelo and Joe having a water gun fight. I think Pamera was trying to stay out of the action.
Joe bought water guns and toys for all the kids. He, however, saved the big guns for himself.
We ate all our meals here in the ranch dinning room. It was buffet style and it was run pretty tightly. Meals were at 08:00, 12:00, and 18:00. They started clearing away food at :45.
We kind of wished they'd chill out a bit.
Out of focus, but Ruby got the entire cupcake in her mouth.....well, sort of.
We had a campfire this evening.
Michael, Lauren, Brendan, Carey, Jenny, Grandpa, and Mark.
And then Dan became king of the glow sticks.
Angelo was quite pleased with all his rings.
This concludes AnVollstal Day 3.
