Every year on our annual family vacation to the Spanish Peaks, we try to plan a hike. There are always the small hikes- Lover's Leap, the meadows, Box Canyon- but we also try to do a longer one.
Our cabin is about 1/2 mile from the Wahatoya Trail Head, on the north
side of the West Peak. The trail splits off and goes up to Bullseye Mine
(in pink) or goes between the two peaks. I have hiked both ways. This year, we decided to tackle West Peak Trail, on the southwest side. Here is a description my Aunt Diana found:
I will try to go easy on the pictures, but even the view from the parking lot was beautiful!
At the trailhead (minus my dad and his 3 siblings):
At this point, the summit looks unreachable... at least a lot further than 2.5 miles.
Since I was carrying Mayer, I decided just to keep a steady pace rather than try to stay with everyone else. (Besides I was the chief photographer.)
Even though Mayer kept telling me to go faster and to stop taking so many pictures, it proved to be a good strategy. We weren't bringing up the rear for too long before we caught up with most of the group.
There was still quite a bit of snow on the trail.
Lily decided it would be fun to get as many of us as she could with snowballs. Most of us were not amused!
The views were just so beautiful!
Most of us (11 out of 15) made it to the timberline. My niece, proclaimed she was, "Queen of the World!" I was so proud of Tate for making it so far. Michael carried him a few times, but most of the time he walked. Mayer told me, "thank you carrying me, mommy!" (insert heart melt)
These were my hiking partners- Michael and my brother-in-law, Tom.
My dad and Uncle David wanted documentation that they made a valiant attempt to get to the top. (Look carefully in the green circle.)
We saw a muskrat, awesome scenery and some ice formations.
I kept going for a while, but then I got discouraged. I kept thinking, "by the time I get to the top, they will be ready to come back down." I was really upset with them for leaving me so far behind. I occasionally paused to take pictures, but I never really stopped and they kept getting further away.
When this guy started circling around me, I decided that was my cue to turn back.
I was so close to the top (edited: Michael says the pile of rocks in the top right corner is not the top, so not as close as I thought), but I was so frustrated that my hiking partners left me behind. It was a hike I was excited to do with my family, not by myself!
On my way down, I could see my dad and Uncle David, so I hoped they could see me if something happened. (They couldn't.) When I get really mad, I cry which is not a good idea when you are looking at this:
It doesn't look that bad from this angle, but there is a ridge and you can"t see the snow. I slid down the shale several times on my rear end (which, by the way, was blistered from my 30 day ab challenge), including through some snow. For some reason, the markers someone had painted to mark the path stood out for me better on the way down. (Ironically, most were hearts and at that point, I was not feeling the love!)
Then came the daunting mile to the summit of the peak. Mayer had no interest in going any further. He was afraid he was going to fall in a hole. Thankfully, my family walked back with the boys so Michael and I could go on. Besides there wasn't any way I could have carried him up much further.
There was some sort of a path, but it was hard for me to follow. Michael and Tom would occasionally call down to me to say there was an easier path than the way I was going. Then I lost sight of them.
When this guy started circling around me, I decided that was my cue to turn back.
I met my dad and Uncle David at the timberline. We didn't have to wait long before Michael and Tom were down too. The trip back to the parking lot seemed longer than the trip up. I blame my cousin, Morgan... since she had mentioned a bacon cheeseburger from the Dog Bar, on the trail earlier that morning, I couldn't get the thought out of my mind!
I know I will get the opportunity to try again. My Aunt Diana and I have already made a pact to make it to the West Peak summit together.
I hope when the boys are old enough, I will be able to do hike with them.
I know I will get the opportunity to try again. My Aunt Diana and I have already made a pact to make it to the West Peak summit together.
