Perhaps feeling a bit overambitious because of the warm winter and the beautiful June day, we set out earlier this month for a hike to Revett Lake in Idaho's Thompson Pass. It is a popular hike for beginners and families with children, so we expected a pretty fun and uneventful day.
While it was over seventy degrees in the valley, it was in the 50s in the mountains. It was still cold enough that we found the road to the trail head blocked with drifting snow. So, we decided to eat our lunch right there and walk in to the trail head.
Can you tell that it was a little chilly?
The road was mostly clear after that initial drift, but we still saw some snow. Once the sun came out, it was actually pretty pleasant. Cam, of course, refused to walk on the dirt if there was snow available to guide his steps. Max busied himself whittling while he walked. Isn't there some prohibition about that on the Tote N' Chip requirements?
Whittling while Rome burned.
Elise likes the view
Eventually we reached the trail head and started the real hike. Initially the trails were mostly clear with a few patches of snow. Cameron quickly developed a hiking routine: Two steps, little hop and poke snow with stick, two steps, little hop and poke snow with stick . . . over and over and over again.
Should we get him a stick for Christmas?
At one point we came to a big talus slope. The girls were a little nervous because the snow covered the trail in a number of areas. I taught them how to dig their shoes in for traction and to use their walking sticks. Then I reminded them that if they did fall, they'd get a bruised ego and bum but wouldn't go anywhere. I'm not sure that helped.
Rounding up strays on the talus slope
After that crossing we stopped to shed some jackets and administer the vital mood enhancing and complaint ending trail mix. I tell you, kids will endure a lot for a few M&Ms, some goldfish and dried pineapple!
Trying to pretend his mouth isn't full of trail mix.
Get that boy an agent. What a pose.
Practicing for his Mt. Everest summit photo
This backpack would become very important further up the trail.
The further we hiked in, the more snow we saw. If it had been colder, we could have walked across the top of the drifts without problem. As it was, there were unexpected soft spots and little runoff streams running underneath some of the drifts. So, the kids learned the valuable lesson of walking in other people's footprints. When Max traveled off those areas, he sometimes found himself buried in the snow up to his thighs.
Before long, there was more snow than trail. We were more than halfway up when we came to a waterfall and a split log bridge crossing a creek. Another big log lay across the upper stream about three feet above a pool in the creek. Max and Cam perched on this log to eat another snack.
Long hikes take lots of snacks!
We turned our backs for just a moment or two to take care of Natalie and the girls. When we looked again, Cam had walked across the big log and was standing above the pool. We told him to turn around and come back to our side of the creek. As soon as the words were out of our mouths, we regretted it.
In turning around, Cameron lost his balance and fell right into the pool.
Brett rushed over and pulled him right out. But, that water was COLD and the air temperature didn't do much to help.
Cam was soaking wet, scared, cold and VERY, VERY, unhappy.
This is the part where I sing Brett's praises. I thought he was somewhat over prepared. We had four backpacks on this trip carrying lots of supplies and duplicate supplies. More than we've ever had before. But, boy was I glad now. Brett had packed an entire extra set of clothes for Cam, down to the underwear and shoes, in Camille's backpack.
He was a pretty pathetic sight for a few minutes. We sat him on my lap in dry clothes and wrapped him in extra coats. "Can we go home now?" he kept asking.
Wow! Cameron asking to leave the outdoors. I don't think that has ever happened.
But, nothing can squash his sunny nature for long. Within five or ten minutes he was running around and eating a doughnut.
Cam may have recovered, but the rest of us were done. So, we decided it was time to head back down the trail.
Max loaned Cameron his BYU sweatshirt for the return trip. He carried a long walking stick that was slightly curved at the top. As he skipped and danced around the older kids started to giggle that with his face shadowed by the hood he looked liked the grim reaper.
The second set of pants are now wet because he couldn't stay out of the snow drifts on the way back! We nearly had to drag him down the trail by one arm because he was so fixated on exploring everything.
By the time it was over, we went just a little less than five miles. Not a terribly long hike, but made challenging for young legs by all the snow. All things considered the kids held up pretty well. Natalie was the only one, though, who was completely positive the whole way.
I wonder why?!
We now know that we were probably two weeks early for this particular trail. But, if nothing else, we made some unforgetable family memories. No one is going to forget that hike!
