Summer in WP

We had some great visits to Winter Park this summer. Brian and I hiked a variety of peaks ranging from 11,000 to 13,000 ft, and we even started to get the girls hooked on hiking as well. Addi loved hiking and exploring, Maren on the other hand had to be carried part of the way (although I still think she did well considering her age).

Here we are at the top of Byer's Peak 12,804 ft. The sheep at the top enjoyed the attention.

Addi and I became completely obsessed with photographing wildflowers and mushrooms on our hikes. Addi would walk the trails clutching her "Colorado Plant Guide," looking up every variety of plant, flower and mushroom she saw. She wants me to make her a photo flip book of all of her mushroom photos so she can write their scientific name of the back. I know she has always said she wants to be a chef, but she is a little scientist in the making. Not only was she enthralled with everything nature has to offer, but she loved to run the trail playing "Mama and baby mountain lion." This game basically consisted of me trail running behind her as we growled and pretended to be mountain lions. It was exhausting, but I had to do it seeing as how one of my greatest irrational fears is that my kid will be snatched off the trail by a wild forest cat or bear.

Later in the summer we hiked James Peak with my dad and Henri of course. Henri loves to hike and for being a couch potato most of the time, she runs and climbs like crazy on our hikes. The views were gorgeous at 13,294 ft.