You'll have to indulge me. I have way too many photographs in this post, especially when you consider that it was just an overnight backpacking trip. I blame my fondness for Ruth Lake. Time slows down there and my heart feels peace. Of course, getting ready to go is anything but peaceful. So much work to fill those packs!
An hour and a half drive, and we were in the Uintas.
Susie, Charles, Christy, and Ben joined us for our adventure. The more the merrier! (Well, at least in outdoor, somewhat socially-distanced ways.)
Christy and Brooklyn lead the way.
Eli's up next. Can I just say, backpacking is so much more enjoyable now that our kids shoulder their own weight.
Grandma Susie looks so happy in the midst of the pines.
Some of the vistas from our hike in.
Arrived at our corner.
Annika quickly claimed this rock for her wolf pack.
Susie and Christy pulled off some amazing fry bread and potato soup for dinner. Wheeler packs may be a bit heavier, but you will always dine well!
Lovely enough to endure the mosquitoes.
In the morning, I went for a wander by the cliffs near our campsite. I love how you can see all the little lakes dotting the landscape as you climb.
These flowers growing out of the rock inspired me as well.
Unfortunately, Annika decided to break out the wolf howl while I was gone. While her tenacity in caring for the invisible wolf pack was impressive, those who were still sleeping did not find her howls at all endearing.
Grandpa still loves ya.
Aunt Christy and her abode.
We've stayed at the same place on Ruth Lake just often enough for it to feel a bit like it's ours.
Here we are hiking up to Lofty Lake.
From this overlook, you could see at least seven lakes stretching before you.
Annika hiked well by pretending to be a wolf cub tethered to a leash. At some point, Eli decided to join the fun and they became sled dogs. Mush!
While we've backpacked Ruth Lake before, we've never seen the wildflowers so vibrant. Such amazing color!
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| Photo credit goes to Grandpa Charles. |
We felt so lucky to have Grandma Susie and Grandpa Charles there with us!
Aunt Christy too! Here we are cooling off at Hayden Lake.
Right about now is when the warm fuzzy feelings end. While we hiked the rest of the way back, Annika apparently stopped to smell the flowers...
...and no one noticed!
Freed from her wolf cub leash, she dawdled and fell behind. Our group was strung out, so everyone thought she was with someone else. I got all the way back to the campsite and relaxed in the hammock for a bit before asking, Where's Annie? My stomach dropped when I realized she was gone. Luckily we found her quite quickly. A kind family heard her hollering Marco Polo and asked if she was lost. They walked her over to Ruth Lake and wandered around for a while until they located the family who'd lost their kid. Oof. Just thinking about what happened still makes me nauseous. Mostly I feel grateful for these Good Samaritans. But gosh, we have got to figure out a way to get Annika to listen better and stay with us.
Soon thereafter, Christy, Ben, Charles, and Susie hiked out. Meanwhile, we hung around the campsite and played a few rounds of mafia. Brooklyn's a natural narrator.
After dinner, it was time for us to head on out as well.
Ruth, thank you for sharing your beauty with us once more.
One final surprise awaited us at the trailhead, just feet from our van.
Moose!
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