Well, the temps in Yakima finally caught up to what the rest of the nation seems to be dealing with...
HOT degrees!!!
We'll have a few days of really hot, then a few days of pretty hot, then back to just hot.
So today, on a really hot day, we decided to head to the mountains in hopes of cooling off!!
I'd heard of a hike on a place called Round Mountain and had been curious because I'd heard the views were worth the hike.
It wasn't a very far distance; either out of town or up the mountain, but it was said to be a steep climb...a 3 out of 5 in difficulty.
We can do this!
We started out all fresh and clean...ready to conquor the mountain!
We even made a Baumbach Family pact to "do this thing!!"
So we're hiking along...and getting pretty warm. At this point it really wasn't much cooler than home.
I was calling out all sorts of encouragements..."don't give up"..."we can do this"...blah blah blah...
Then an unexpected surprise happened.
We came upon unmelted snow!
Oh the cool refreshing joy!
So of course, a dirty snowball fight ensued.
And when I say dirty, I really mean dirty...the snow on top was covered in forest type filth.
Someone was really enjoying the fight...
And if he threw it through the old dead branches on the tree, it would spray out and send cool bits of ice all over you.
It was awesome!
We hiked on thinking how lucky we were that we stumbled across some sun-forgotten snow!
What we found a bit further up was...yep...more snow.
Go figure...we're in the mountains and going higher!
So, maybe not that big of a surprise!
So, what we loved at first, we soon grew tired of...for a while anyway.
Thankfully my very aware husband was able to follow the trail even though it was completely snow covered.
I just counted on the footprints being there on the way back to guide us if needed.
I also kept thinking about how going UP snowbanks is one thing, and the only way I really go DOWN them is with skis...and we didn't bring those!
And we were going to have to go down at some point!
As we got closer and closer to the summit, Donald and Ivan scraped an area on a huge snowbank clean of debris, and we had delicious snow flavored snow cones...that you eat with your hands.
They seriously hit the spot for this hot and exhausted family.
I know my friends and family down south probably have a hard time believing we were hot with all that snow...but just look at how Ivan chose to hike for most of the trip...shirtless!!
Donald and Ivan went ahead and as they turned another corner I heard the words I'd been waiting for...
"We're here!!!"
The only thing some of us were confused about was that spa that Donald kept telling us was at the top...the one where kids could play on ipods and video games and parents could get massages.
It just wasn't there...hmmm...
The lack of a relaxing spa/resort was made up for by the absolutely stunning views from the summit!
Rimrock Lake and Clear Lake
View of Goat Rocks with Mt. Adams in the background
A close up...gorgeous!!
And in the other direction, a peek at Mt. Rainier's peak! :)
This was a cool find.
It's a marker that Donald said they used/use for surveying and map making.
What I love is that the date says 1938, and there is a $250 dollar fine for disturbing it...
Wouldn't dream of it!
So we rested for a while and took some pictures!
A cave was found, so you know there was some exploration.
Donald told them that the bear family was out berry-eating and wouldn't be back til 4pm.
Guess they bought it!
And then it was time to head back.
We stopped at the big snowbank again and filled our water bottles with snow and grabbed a final fistful to eat.
The way down felt a bit treacherous - but it wasn't too bad really.
I just don't like that feeling of falling - especially when it happens with every other step.
I only fell down once...and my butt landed on a rock.
Nice.
On one particularly long slope, Donald "skied" a path down.
Ivan and Jenelle wanted to give it a go, so I leave you with a long series of pictures (giving you fair warning...there are a lot of them) that are pretty entertaining.
Ivan's series brings him all the way to the bottom, but Jenelle's are cut short as a result of her deciding NOT to ski down.
And Hannah and I just aren't that crazy.
Doesn't he just look like some crazy redneck skier...no shirt, plastic water bottle and backpack?!
I am cracking up looking at these!
Jenelle's turn...
No thank you...I'll just find a way to walk down!
We made it home safe, exhausted and very happy!
