Backpacking Bliss

Nate and my dad took the kids backpacking to the Trinity Mtns. Rainbow Lake Basin (I know, it sounds long but Nate says that's right). This is them at the beginning of the trail. They hiked 4 miles to their camping spot the first night, then 2 miles further for the second night. On their return trip it was harder, because they had to go that length in one day to make it back to the truck.

This is them standing at the top of the pass. It's not a lengthly trail, but I understand the hiking is steep going. You start at 7,200 ft and at the pass you're right around 9,000 ft.

These pictures are not in order, that's just the way they uploaded, and I can't move them around like I used to be able to (those of you who've experienced this, know how irritated I am!) Chloe was so thrilled to finally see an outhouse after two days of squatting in the woods.

Making their way to Hideaway Lake, this right here was where the kids were just about spent. Many breaks were needed.

One pooped out little guy

This is Middle Rainbow Lake, they stopped here to fish and have lunch.

Here you see Mal pointing to a tree. When he first saw these deformities he laughed and said they looked like "butt trees". Little boys - what to do with them.

They also stopped to fish at Big Rainbow Lake - they spent one of their nights here. Chloe's trophy winning catch.

My son was so mortified to see how my dad would put these suffocating fish out of their misery. With tears in his eyes he said, "Grandpa, you don't have to hit them so hard (as he watched my dad whack the fish against a rock)." Malachi tried a few bites of his fish, but Chloe had no interest, so Nate finished it off for her.

After a backpacking trip Nate and my dad usually stop somewhere on the way home to grab some real grub. Chloe and Malachi were in pure heaven after three days of eating oatmeal, ramen, beef jerky and sometimes fish.