Our Grand Adventure

By: Mala

This week was our grand adventure in the mountains. On Sunday, we went to Carbondale to stay overnight in a hotel before we started our hike early on Monday. We were at the trailhead, ready to begin at sunrise. After Mom and Dad took a few photos of the famous Colorado scene of Maroon Lake with the Maroon Bells in the background, we started walking.

The first couple of miles involved climbing through stands of aspen trees on rocky terrain to reach Crater Lake. Then, we moved along narrow paths lined with willows and crossed several streams, passing through some forested areas before arriving in a breathtaking valley surrounded by high peaks. Tessie and I loved all the water along the trail where we could get a drink and dip our feet. The weather was cool when we started. The air grew warmer as the sun climbed over the high peaks, but a pleasant breeze kept us from getting too hot. The only thing Tessie didn’t like was the loud noise of the marmots, which sound a bit like a smoke detector with a low battery. She did enjoy seeing the little pikas, though.

We stopped for a few snacks along the way to keep our energy up for the steepest part of the climb, which we reached around mile six. Dad took both Tessie and me for the final ascent to the top of West Maroon Pass so Mom could take her time and catch her breath. Tessie and I were eager to reach the summit, so we pulled Dad to the top. It was quite windy up there at 12,500 feet above sea level, but we stayed long enough to have some water and snacks and take a family photo.

When we began descending the other side toward Crested Butte, I was confused because we were still walking away from the car even though we had been hiking for a while. I tried to turn us back several times, but Mom and Dad insisted we were heading the right way. It was sunny and warm as we trekked through the valley. The wildflowers were in full bloom, so we posed for photos several times.

I kept us moving steadily for the final miles until we reached the trailhead. Unfortunately, we had to wait there for forty minutes because a van was picking us up. It would have been okay if there weren’t so many flies bothering us. We couldn’t all sit together in the van, so Tessie and Mom sat in the front seat while Dad and I sat a couple of rows back. I settled in and took a nap on the floor, but Tessie was a bit stressed because she couldn’t see me. The ride from the trailhead to our hotel was bumpy, but we made it safely.

We checked into our room and sat outside for a while. I enjoyed rolling in the grass and relaxing. Later, we walked to a restaurant so Mom and Dad could have dinner. We went to bed early that night. The next day, we didn’t have much planned. Later in the morning, we took a bus into town. I was scared at first when we got on, but I ended up lying down for the short ride. In town, we strolled along the main street, then relaxed at a coffee shop while waiting for the restaurant where Mom and Dad wanted to have lunch to open. After lunch, we boarded the bus again to head back to our hotel. My favorite part of the day was the afternoon. Tessie and I played in the grass in front of our hotel, and I found some sticks to chew. Before we knew it, it was time to eat again.

We went to bed early again and got up in time to catch the van back to the trailhead. This time, we all sat together, which made Tessie much happier. I lay on the floor, and Tessie mostly stood up, but when she did lie down, she used my head as her pillow. I’m a good big sister, so I let her do it because I know it makes her feel better to be close to me.

I was happy when we reached the trailhead and saw that we were finally heading back in the direction of where we left the car. The first three miles were smooth and easy as we walked through fields of wildflowers. The mile leading up to the top of the pass was even steeper on this side, so Tessie and I went with Dad so Mom could take her time. When we reached the top of the pass, we had some snacks and rested for a bit.

Tessie and I kept an eye on the people coming up the other side to make sure everyone was okay. When there was a pause in the crowd, we started back down toward Aspen. Once again, we enjoyed crossing streams and moved at a good pace. When we reached Crater Lake, the area was busy with visitors, so we had to yield to many people coming up in the last two miles. Mom got teary-eyed at Maroon Lake because she was so happy to have completed this bucket-list item with us. I was thrilled to get back to the car.

We dropped Dad off in Aspen so he could hike with a friend the next day. Mom, Tessie, and I weren’t up for another big hike, so we continued on to Twin Lakes, where we got some much-needed rest before driving home on Thursday morning. Dad had a good hike and finally made it home by dinner time yesterday.

Tessie and I enjoyed our big adventure, but we are glad to have the whole family back home together. We have some time off before our next road trip. We not only met the challenge but exceeded expectations. This journey pushed us a bit out of our comfort zone, so we feel a great sense of achievement. To our parents, we say, “What’s next?” Never stop exploring.