The good thing about the route
up to Chicago Basin is that you never are far from water.
Hint: 8.33 pounds per gallon.
My spirits always improve
when we get into the Aspens.
Terri practices with an
arms-length portrait as I pump water.
We were not exactly the
fastest pair up the trail. We found another couple of slackers
to take our picture.
It rained off and on,
usually just long enough to make you put on the rain gear.
We start off from yet
another water stop.
I took this picture of a deer
- in front of the pine tree past Terri. At this point, late in
the day, Terri was losing her appreciation of the majesty of it
all.....
We finally entered the
lower end of the Chicago Basin, and were spurred on by views
of the four 14'ers on its north edge.
The lighting (and mood) of the last mile were
not conducive to photo journalism. Fast forward to the next
morning in base camp.
We apparently camped in
the middle of Mountain Goat Central.
It was early enough in the
Summer that they had not yet lost all of their Winter coat. The
undergrowth was covered with it.
When I got some coffee into
Terri life was again good. Click on the picture to enlarge.
I got started on a
wholesome breakfast.
My love for backpacker
gadgets knows no bounds. I love my Jetboil stove and
titanium mugs.
Even though we had to set up
camp in the dark, we loved our perch above the Basin. Terri was
in a happy place again.
We can travel a long way,
but never are far from the kids.
The sights and sounds of these mountain goat
families were great.
