Jan 28, 2011

Climbing Maple Mountain: Ben, Jeff & Hayden

My third trip up the mountain came within two years from the second. It was now time to take Hayden up the mountain.

We decided this time to hike to the lake and camp there so that we could have more time to play at the lake. I also packed a video camera up this time so that we could show Mom and Tia the sites. So this year the hiking was slower in that I had to stop and photograph the trail and sites from the trail. Also Hayden was having a little trouble hiking that far with his pack since he was still only 8 years old.

We did get to the lake in time to set up camp before dark with even enough time to play in the lake and cook supper. It was a neat camping spot up from the lake in the trees. The area was secluded and well worn from years of hunters and other using it to camp. We had brought along hammocks to use for sleeping that night. They were a lot better than the ground.

We arose early in the morning to have breakfast before climbing to the top. Plus we wanted to have plenty of time to play on the snow at the bottom of the cliffs. We went to the top this time with no incidents of pain since both of the snow drifts encountered on my other trips were not there this time. The only snow was at the base of the cliffs in the glacier that probably never ever totally melts.

We had fun up at the monument again and spent quite a bit of time there looking off the cliff to the lake and our camping area. Then we went back down to the snow and had a lot of fun sliding on the plastic bags we had brought along with us this time. Each trip up the mountain was a learning experience for me and made it more fun for the boys as well.  It would be years before I would finally get a chance to climb it with Tia or Loren. And to date I still haven’t been there with Brittany. In fact I am not sure whether Brittany has ever been up it yet. She probably has with the boys but I don’t remember for sure.