Category: Explore

Big E throwing rocks

These photos are of Big E and his buddy Jack throwing rocks into the pond at Sundance resort. I’ve found that the best kind of ‘hike’ for three year olds involve some sort of water either to look at or play in. Big E especially loves throwing rocks so this was a big win. I was impressed that he and Jack did so well, even with some steep sections of the trail. Playing I Spy along the way seems to keep him motivated. Conveniently I kept spying things further along in the direction I wanted to travel.

We miss Jack, his sister and mommy who came on this hike with us. Hopefully we can have more adventures with them soon!

Hiking in Hetch Hetchy Valley

Location: Hetch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite National Park, CA
Destination: Wapama Falls
Date: May 2011
While going through photos for our 2011 photo album I found these gems.  More than any others these remind me of what it is like to hike with a two year old.  In the first photo Mountain Dad is wearing the hiking pack that we assumed Big E would ride in.  Big E vociferously refused complete with weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth.  Once we actually got on the trail Big E would run full speed toward the 15 foot cliff that ended in the lake so one of us was constantly sprinting after him.
When Big E wasn’t trying out for the Olympics in the 50 meter sprint he was examining plants, rocks, flowers and bugs with an enviable intensity.  Unfortunately for our forward progress he wanted to examine every plant, every rock, every flower and every bug we came across.  Our two speeds were full steam ahead or full stop.

 

You know the hike is in trouble when one of the members of the party sprawls on the ground and refuses to move forward at all.  This is where we decided to turn around.  We had been on the trail for an hour and gotten 500 feet or so.  My expectations had to be severely altered, even though I had gone into the hike not expecting much.  Looking back it was a fun experience but in the moment it was frustrating.  You know it’s bad when you feel like yelling at your toddler on a day that is supposed to just be fun.

 

 

Little g with mommy

Most of the photos of little g on this blog don’t show her face.  Although she’s not happy in this photo it is fairly representative of what we look like on our adventures.  Me with a baby grizzly strapped to my belly, chasing after Big E…at least until she falls asleep which is what happened soon after this photo was taken.

Big Springs Hike

Destination: Big Springs
Location: South Fork Provo Canyon
Time: 1:30 pm
Temp: 46 degrees

To Get Here: Take Hwy 189 (Provo Canyon Road) headed north.  Drive approx 4 miles until Vivian Park, turn Right.  Drive approximately 5 miles, almost to the end of the road.  Park is on the Right, look for the above sign.
Big Springs Hike is fairly easy with little elevation gain.  What I like about it is that you walk along a river which provides no end of entertainment for my now three year old Big E.  The weather was so warm when we went I was tempted to not put him in snow pants but I’m glad I did.  The sun was melting everything so bare spots became mud and the trail was still icy.  The full hike is 1.8 miles to the Big Spring, the source of the flowing river you walk by.  We just stayed on the bottom part of the trail since it stuck by the water.   Big E loved throwing rocks into the water and trying to break the ice.  Little g loved sleeping in the moby wrap.  I loved being outside.