Today, my 51st birthday, we decided again to avoid the heat. This time, instead of down to the river, we went up to the nearby La Sal mountains and canned canyonlands. We found a trail that started at Miner's Basin and ended at a lake, 2 miles each way but 2000 feet of elevation change from 9000 to 10000 feet and back to 9000. Unfortunately Miner's Basin was closed, but we were able to start at the end and work backwards. But it was 30 degrees cooler: low 70s.
We started up through a forest, then along an icy stream where we dunked our bandanas. It got very steep, 12% grade. Through a meadow, sprinled with aspen, switchbacking along, then past the remains of Schuman's cabin (miner from the 1880s), then up a 30% grade to a pass filled with pines. We passed several melting patches of snow. The kids ambushed us with snowballs. Then at the pass in the mountains, we decided enough was enough and didn't quite make it down to the basin, which was a bummer because there was supposed to be a ghost town there. ..after another 1000 feet of elevation change. Phil and the kids found a peak to reach, making our destination.
The kids ran down the mountain while my 51 year old knees required a more careful picking my way down with hiking sticks. My legs were at that point shaking with the effort. We finally reached the car after 5 hours of walking, to find the kids waiting at a picnic table with the food carefully laid out. It was the best birthday lunch ever.
The afternoon was spent at the KOA pool (it was 100 degrees off the mountain ), and then out to a celebratory dinner at the broken oar.
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