Monday, June 30, 2014

lower cataract lake loop - part one

on saturday morning we loaded the backpack and headed north toward one of summit county's kid-friendly hikes - the lower cataract lake loop.




we drove past this gorgeous spot and had to pull over to get a picture. we would love to build our dream home on the grassy plain to the right of the water.




our first marmot sighting!! we saw a handful of these guys sunning themselves on boulders as we drove up a steep gravel road to reach the trailhead.





we heard this waterfall as soon as we exited the car and were pleasantly surprised to realize we'd be walking straight toward it.




the lake was beautiful, as were the wildflowers, evergreens and aspen trees, but my favorite part of this hike was that it felt as though we were the only people left on earth. there were parts of the trail that were so covered with brush it seemed as though we were blazing our very own path. it was a lovely adventure.




just starting out, the boys were excited. it takes us much longer to get through these hikes because the boys want to stop and see every single thing. and we let them. for the most part.




the trail offered such a variety in terms of terrain - smooth path, rocky path, aspen groves, bridges over rushing water - it held our interest for the entire 2.6 miles.

the following are some wildflower pictures for meme:






papa has taken an interest in birds and meme has a love for wildflowers, so the boys have become intrigued with both.

i'll be back tomorrow with a some more images and information about this great hike.


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