Maxwell House: Handies Peak - Our Family's First 14er

So we had quite the adventure this past weekend - finally making it to a 14er with our whole family! We had tentative plans last year to hike Handies, but we decided too late in the season and the weather just wasn't good. This year we had tentative plans for one weekend that would have had great weather, but Ben was finishing up his Ward Conference talk. So we put it on hold for 2 weeks later. Well 2 weeks later (and the whole back of the truck packed by me, food all ready, water bottles filled, etc., etc.) we canceled as horrible weather was forecast. It was a good decision as it rained and snowed the entire weekend up there (near Lake City, CO). I cried - I just needed to get in to the great outdoors and was soooo bummed to be stuck at home for another weekend doing nothing but chores (but good chores were accomplished - like Ben helping the boys deep-clean their room for many hours on Saturday!).

So we decided to try for 2 weeks later again. And this time it worked! Ben was done with cases early on Friday, I had packed the truck (again), we checked the kids out of school a bit early, and we were on our way to Lake City and beyond.

The drive was alright - the fall colors were beautiful in Lake City. The 4-wheel drive road from the town to our trailhead was a little precarious in spots, but we made it! We got to the trailhead at 5:30 and made camp. It was freezing cold because of a tremendous wind! I think the air-temp. was around 32, but with the wind it was so darn chilly. And annoying. Wind is the worst. The wind even blew down our tent a couple of times! We had to eat our dinner in the car as it was way too miserable to eat outside.

That night sleeping in the tent was about the worse tent-sleeping that Ben and I ever had - or didn't have. We maybe got 2-3 hours MAX of sleep that night. I'm not sure really why. I mean it was cold, but we weren't freezing. We just couldn't sleep. Then Lucy decided to wake up every 1.5 hours and cry and whine and such - but she wouldn't/couldn't tell us what was wrong and refused (quite loudly and awfully) any help. Finally by the 4th awakening of Lucy (maybe 2:30am?), we stuck her outside to chill out for about 5 minutes. That didn't help. I suggested to Ben that we just go hiking now (since everybody was awake) and watch an awesome sunrise on the peak. He didn't go for it . . . So Ben took Lucy to the truck and she quickly and quietly fell asleep for the rest of the night - Ben stayed in the truck as well and got a little bit of sleep. I just didn't sleep well and was happy when the kids got up by 6:15 - let the day begin!

The hike was great and the kids did really amazing considering their ages. Jonas was our toughest challenge as he just complained and moaned and groaned for most of the time going up. Lucy did pretty great - she had her moments, especially at the very end where she just wanted to give up, but really did amazing for a 7-year old.

The hike was 2.5 miles to the summit - and about 2,500 feet of elevation gain. So it is a steep hike. But it wasn't bad. Nobody got altitude sickness at all - I was thrilled about that! The wind wasn't bad at the top (but was horrible coming down for the first 15 or so minutes!). We had the appropriate clothing (except, apparently, Jonas' shoes as his feet were frozen the moment we began hiking and were threatening to fall off at any moment).

It was so beautiful at the summit - the mountains were amazing and I didn't get a picture of them! But I feel like the mountains we see from our cars are more like 2-D images. When you get on top of a 14er, those mountains are like an endless pop-out book of peaks and more peaks. It was incredible.

It was a fantastic outing and I was super proud of my family!

Emmy, Lucy, and Jonas eating dinner in the truck and warming up for a bit on Friday night.

This was Brigham's first time sleeping in the tent - usually he sleeps in the truck when we camp. He was a little unsure of it. He was really unsure of Lucy's crying throughout the night! But he did okay.

There's our campsite! The stream was covered with ice on Saturday morning!

The four kids finally ready to begin our hike!

This was probably one of Brigham's best days ever! He is an amazing hiker and I wish I had a quarter of his energy! He just ran and ran and loved every minute of it! As we started out, he ran up the hillside - quite high. I could tell he was after something - then we saw three deer start prancing away from him. :) He's beyond awesome (and, yes, still my favorite child!).

The handsome man of the family and hiking crew.

Miles in his fox-hat. Miles is such a great hiker - he never, ever complains and can hike fast and forever. He really is impressive.

There was lots of snow on the trail. Going up, most of it was still pretty solidly frozen. It made for some fun and excitement! Lucy really enjoyed it. :)

Jonas hiking up a little hill of snow - just for fun, this was not the trail. :)

Emmy is a great hiker, too - pretty fast and tireless like Miles. She can sometimes complains, but didn't on this hike. Go Emmy!

This was the most precarious part of the hike. You can't tell, but the trail was along a very steep slope, along the snowfield. One slip and you'd go tumbling down the rocky, snowy slope. Miles just cruised along it. Ben held on to Emmy's pack; I held on to Lucy's pack. Jonas came along slowly at the end. On the way back, Ben had decided to skip this section and so we cut off the trail (you know, at the sign where it read, "Stay on trail"). It was definitely a smart choice as the snow was getting warmed and melted - and, thus, more slippery. I do like to obey trail etiquette, but I valued my kids' lives more than the plants we were stepping on at that point.

Skittles on the trail are the best!

Trekking up and up! The snow at this point had melted and/or blown off.

We three girls at the saddle - ready for the last and steep ascent to the very top!

And Lucy made it - last, but not least, right?! They all did so great. That final ascent was tough! Emmy made it first - she just kept going. Miles was right on her tail (her coyote's tail, that is). Ben and I were in the back with our two slow-pokes. :) We traded at one point and I finished the hike with Jonas. And Ben and Lucy weren't too far behind. We had to break quite often for about 30 seconds those last 5-10 minutes. It was tough and the air was thin up there!

But it was an awesome feeling of accomplishment, as you can see in Jonas!

Emmy pretty much rocked it. :)

And there we were - the whole of us on top of Handies Peak. 14,058 feet in the air.

Go Miles. Like I said, it wasn't too windy nor too cold.

A bunch of new 14er-hikers! :)

This is Sloan Lake. We saw it on the way up, but didn't go over to it. We were planning on stopping there for a break on our way down. But then Ben made the choice to get off the trail and so we had to miss the lake. So I snapped a picture of it from atop the mountain.