Day Nine - Hiking the Rockies

Trip Start Jul 18, 2008
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Trip End Jul 29, 2008


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Flag of United States  , Colorado,
Saturday, July 26, 2008

James is not well enough for a hike so the boys and I head out to Bear Lake Trail Head.  The area is crowded so we have to take a park and ride bus.  Trevor and I study the trail map and come up with a little 4 mile hike (At the time I'm still very disappointed about the Flattop hike getting postponed and am acting like a brat...this will change!)  So we start out on the trail and it is so EASY!  Almost like a nature sidewalk...the boys are having fun but know I am not and we end up having a little family therapy session on the side of the trail =).  I take a deep breath, they take a deep breath and we move forward.  Finally, the trail starts to change and we get into some real hiking.  Additionally, in studying the map we decide to add two miles and finish up at a different trailhead (we can do this because of the park and ride shuttle).  Our destiny is set...

We reach the lake of boulders and the boys are in heaven Bearlake Trailhead
Bearlake Trailhead
 !  If you have ever been to Enchanted Rock it is a lot like that.  We eat some and play some with Trevor the Brave One in the lead.  We start to head back on the new extended trail and are having a great time...the time is 12:30...I'm guesstimating we will arrive no later than 3 depending on how much uphill.  I hear thunder and put the move on with the boys.  It turns out that it is mainly downhill and we are making great time.  Around 1:00 we hit a main fork with signs and people (the boys were afraid we were on the wrong trail...please!)  and we determine we have about 2.2 miles to go...no problem.  ANYWHO, thunder again and sprinkles, ok we can handle sprinkle.  Then the hail...kinda funny at first watching the boys trying to dodge the ice.  Then the hail starts coming faster so we try to find shelter under the trees.  T & E take off their shirts to try to keep them dry (he he he).  The storm is upon us with no signs of stopping...we are completely unprepared in our t-shirts and shorts.  We decide to brave the hail and start walking...ugh, the ice starts to feel like needles in my skin and I have my first bit of panic...the temperature is dropping and there is ice everywhere...it is July right?  A group of angels arrive offering us plastic...at first we refuse thinking the storm will pass but a couple of more minutes pass and we accept the offer.  They hang back for awhile following us and come up again.  Evan is in full shake mode and our hands are frozen.  It must be 50 degrees and we are soaking wet Waterfall
Waterfall
 .  They pull out sweaters and don't even ask, they just put it on us.  They escort us the rest of the way down...can be called nothing but angels.  We walk two miles and one hour in freezing rain/hail...we can't feel our feet or hands...we will be chilled the rest of the evening even after our hot shower.  Trevor asks if this was enough adventure for me and we all get a good laugh.  I am so proud of the boys...they really held it together up there and got down that mountain in spite of the challenges and kept their humor!  I will never again hike in the mountains without raingear and a source of warmth - it went from sunny 80 degrees to winter like 50 degrees/ice storm in less than 15 minutes.  And I thank God for those hikers that wouldn't leave us and helped us down that mountain.

What a day!
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