One of the main reasons I had such an amazing summer is the amazing family which I have adopted myself into. The chaos and characters that this family employs is nothing short of wonderful and I couldn't ask for better friends with more amazing kids. They have made me feel welcome in their home and brought me on family vacations without so much as a hesitation on their part.
One of the more memorable ones was just after my birthday when we all took a 4 day sojourn from work life and took off to Kluane National Park to climb a mountain.
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| At Kluane Lake in Kluane National Park |
Kluane National Park covers an area of about 22,000 square kilometers. It is a land of superlatives, within its borders are precipitous high mountains, the most immense non-polar ice fields in the world, and lush valleys that yield a very diverse array of plant, bird and wildlife species and a place where an outdoorsman is in wonderland.
Kluane is also home to Mount Logan - a 19,525 ft peak, which is Canada's highest. (Parks Canada)
Although we would have loved to tackle Mount Logan (hah), it was simply not in the cards for us just yet. Instead we decided to take a nice 5km (4200 ft) hike up Sheep Mountain in hopes of spying some Dall Sheep and glancing some breathtaking views.
We stopped at Kluane Lake as soon as we entered the park and dipped our toes into the chilly water before heading off to find a place to camp that was safe from the over 400 grizzlys that live in the park.
After heading to the Congdon Creek Campground where there was a ban on tents (what! simply perposterous) we went in search of another place that had less recent bear activity and ended up at Pine Lake Campground, which is located just outside of Kluane near Haines Junction.
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| checking out the mountains on the map |
We set off in the morning with an idea of where we wanted to go and hit the trail head with high spirits and bellies full of a delicious breakfast.
The hike was something of a challenge with its steep inclines and the hot Yukon sun beating down on us, but the the kids were tough and made it all the way to the top! I am so proud of all of us, especially the kids, for making it to the top and not giving up, even when it seemed that the steep patches would never end (they actually didn't).
So much can not be said for some adults that we saw some turning around and telling us that it was too difficult for them to climb.
The views were definitely worth it and drew is upward and onward into the mountain pass.
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| Taking a small break at the halfway point |
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Taking refuge next to a tree laden with woodpecker holes |
As we ascended through this vast wilderness I was struck again and again by the beauty that surrounded us. We are so lucky to live in such a place, and to be in these places with such wonderful people allows you to come to a place of such peace.
There is something about standing on a ridge with nothing but air all around you looking out onto the toe of a glacier while the sun warms your skin and a rainbow emerges out of nowhere that just allows everything to slip away and feel... free.
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| We made it... nothing but air all around me |
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| Taking it all in |
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| Amazing... |
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| These guys! |
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