Weekend Warriors.

I know I've been posting nothing but adventures and pictures, and feeling a little guilty too. I mean, afterall you know exactly what you're going to get when you open the haystack. Another post about another hike somewhere and a bunch of mumbo-jumbo about it that really doesn't matter. I've been feeling the urge to post something really insightful and interesting, but I figure that's what winter is for because right now I've been beating my body to a pulp hiking, climbing and exploring. THIS time, however, my sister Sarah came up to climb Long's Peak Keyhole route. She is a serious go-getter and set her mind to climbing a 14er-- so we planned it out. Fate tried to undo our plans (the night before I was called on a SAR on Long's Peak and didn't get home till midnight, slept for 4 1/2 hrs and then hiked back up there again). Here are the highlights from the first sister summit of Long's Peak this year (speaking of which, we were the only all-girl party up there). Sarah did a GREAT job!

tough chicks, tough faces.


passing through the keyhole about 12,500 ft up the mtn. This popular feature marks the entrance to the "technical portion" of the hike.



on the other side.


the Narrows-- quite a big drop off, but luckily you won't fall unless your hand falls off.



Sarah on the Ledges-- a 3rd class section of terrain with the amazing rockies all around.



Lindsey, this is for you. Who said white girls can't jump?

Sarah and I totally started a jumping picture summit trend. There were probably 50 other people on the summit and they all started rockin' the jumping pictures. I can't blame them!

lunching on the summit.

Heading down the Homestretch. The last technical portion.

Sarah and I in the meadows.

The obligitory wildflower shot. Chiming bells, oh how I love thee!

Sarah and her husband switched places. She got home Sat night to watch the kids and James came up to climb Long's Peak-- the Kiener's route, with Brian today. This route has a little bit of everything. Technical climbing, steep snow, crampons, ice axes, rappelling and hiking. James and Brian got up at 3:45am, weathered lightning, hail and rain-- andtotally rocked it!

gearing up the night before.

James on the Lamb's slide.

This boy is such a STUD!

James heading up the 5.4 rock part. Brian said that some of it was 5.7, not an easy feat at 14000ft!

The view down. The Diamond, a 1000ft wall is below brian's boot.

James' rock star summit pose. The girl behind him is totally jealous of this sweet gear.

Brian staring.

What a great experience to climb with family! Next up, tomorrow is a three day horse patrol through the mtns! I LOVE my JOB!!! If only I could work for more than 5 months a year. . .

Mountain Madness

We climbed the Petit Grepon, an 800ft route in the park. We woke up at 3am which explains the strained look on my face in the photo below. It was a great climb and we even made it to Andrew's 3rd Birthday party that evening in Co Springs!


This past Monday Brian and I climbed Blitzen Ridge, the one on the right in this photo. It took all day, but it was totally worth it. Afterward, we went down the left ridge and then spent a while lounging at the Spectacle Lakes-- one of the most beautiful areas of the park!




On Tuesday and Wednesday I went on a patrol with Michelle in the backcountry. Once again, it was beautiful and a lot of work. Aren't the wildflowers AMAZING???




I feel like we've been so busy lately! And my job is so exhausting that I'm dead by the time I get home. Being here feels funny-- it's such a short season with so much to do that every second we're on the move. Work has been great! Today I rode a horse up to rescue a guy that sprained his ankle.

tree trunk legs and sore backs. . .

Our jobs are going GREAT here at Rocky! It's been an exciting two weeks. We got assigned to removed an abandoned camp (these guys left TONS of junk! Tent, cast iron pan, quart of oil etc) and so we hiked in and got it. This is us on our way to Ouzel Lake last week.



We also had a pretty killer lightning/hail storm:

And I've get assigned to hike in to these amazing cabins and spend the night. There are five on the east side. So far, Brian has been a true to his marathon status and hiked in the 7 miles (up hill) after work and then down before his next shift. This is us at Thunder Lake cabin. . .probably one of my favorites but definitely the most cold! My job has been so awesome; climbing patrols, horse patrols (I got to go to a horse trainig last week that was SO cool-- I felt like I did at nine), and tons of hiking.