Estes Park 2013: Day 4

For day five we began by taking the advice of some of our new campfire friends- Steve and Judy. They recommended parking at the bottom of a hike, riding a shuttle to the top and hiking downhill to your car. Joe and I were feeling a little sheepish that we didn't think of this on our own.

 So, we got to ride on a school bus which might have been Court's favorite thing for the whole day. 

The first half-mile of this hike was (even with our cleverness) decidedly uphill. This was our most ambitious hike for the kids so we put them in the packs to start out. It definitely saved their legs. It also definitely tested mine.

Luca rode quietly, taking in the scenery and patiently waiting for her turn to hike (she really wasn't a huge fan of being carried). Court on the other hand, kept us entertained with a comedic routine that was at times, very loud.

Set free from their restraints:

Halfway down we made Bierstadt Lake.

She caught a dragonfly...

After a picnic lunch on this rock, we headed off towards our truck as the sky quickly became ominous. Joe and I decided to load the kids back up in the packs in order to make better time and we were peppered with raindrops for a good while but the sun won out and we were dry by the time we arrived at the parking lot.

The kids slept on the drive back down the mountain and it was still early in the day so we tried to fit in some boulder-ing before going to the cottage. But this time the rain won out and we ended up hunkered down under a rock to avoid the hail.

Making a run for the car. This picture does not reflect how torrential the rain actually was.

Back at our cozy cottage for dry clothes, mac'n'cheese and a movie.

And then, because the rain passed, the sun was still up and we really did want to climb around on those boulders... we went back to the alluvial fan.

A noisy family of elk caused a traffic jam on our way out.

Ending the night with smore's at the campfire.