Hiking

The boys and I have been talking all sumer about hiking up to Timp. On monday we finally made it up there. We got up at 5:30 to get up there. That wasn't early enough to beat the holiday crowd. My plan was to hike the Timpanokee trail up to the glacier, and do the top another day. We had to park about a mile from where the trail head started, because of all the people.

This is from the rim of the bowl looking down toward AF canyon, which is how far we made it.

We got started from the car about 7:30 and got to this spot in the bowl to eat lunch about 11:45. It was about 7 miles to this point.

Our view of Timp while we ate lunch. The far right side of the pic is the saddle that leads to the top. On the far left is where we would have to go for the glacier. I had only been up there one other time and didn't realize that this was a longer trail to where I wanted to go.

Crossing the "wiva." One of four times. (Tobyn)

This is when we first started, while thier still happy and don't know any better.

Titus was the pack leader, blazing the trail ahead of every one. TC was a pack-mule, carrying almost as much weight in his pack as me. Tate was the middle man making sure everyone was staying together. Tobyn was the mountain-mover, having to pick up every rock he passed.

We all had fun spending the day together. The boys were dead by the time we got done. On the way back we took a short-cut on a steep trail. TC and Titus made it down first and were waiting on the main trial, while I was helping the other two. Tobyn let go of my hand while I turned around to help Tate and started down the path. He was building speed fast, his legs had never moved so quick. There was no way he was going to stop before he ran off the other side of the main trail and down the rim of the bowl. I yelled to TC and Titus to catch him and they jumped into position just as Tobyn jumped down on his butt and stopped himself. He got up and ran back up to me crying that he almost ran off the mountain.

We didn't take anymore short cuts after that. Going at a 4 and 15/16 year old pace is not good for muscles that aren't used in baby steps. We vowed that next year we will come back and make it up to the top. Mom didn't come this time, she was having a fun time finishing her table.