After several hikes over the years exploring the ridges and intermediate summits along Harp Mountain, Willa finally made it to THE summit!
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| the summit |
It was a gorgeous sunny day but with a rather cruel icy wind blowing along the ridges! As the trail wound it's way up taking its hikers from one side of the spine to the other, we vacillated between uncomfortably cold and quite hot. It was probably the most challenging hike Willa has done to date and she rose to it despite feeling tired and at times not sure if she would make it. I have always told my kids a hike can be tough...grueling at times....but that reward at the top! It makes it all WORTH IT! And the cool part is that once you've had a rest and refueled, you'll feel energized again-ready and strong for the trip back, or perhaps to take on a little more! The top of Harp is a treat- a nice flat area to explore and hang out on with rocks above marking the summit. It provides an amazing view of our valley and the next one over as well....we're always looking to spy our friend's house over there! Willa found an eagle feather at the top and was very excited examining all the tiny details in that HUGE feather! One small piece of an immature bald. How did it get there?! Did it just fall off? We spied an eagle circling overhead and wondered if it belong to it. Willa jumped around the rocks up there, arms outstretched, feather in hand feeling sure that the it was giving her extra loft.
Not knowing that it is TOTALLY illegal to take an eagle feather :0 I let her carry it home to show Miles and to compare with her friend Lily's eagle feather. Yup. Bad Mommy. Apparently it's around a $100,000 fine and/or jail time if you are found with an eagle feather???!!! Zoiks! Back up it goes! Either we will take it back up ourselves when we go for the longer ridge hike that we have planned.....or we'll find a buddy to return to get it back sooner. I did feel a little guilt when we took it....I was touched by Willa's excitement and awe of the feather, but I also felt that other people should be able to see and enjoy it....Take only pictures, right? Sigh....so I will feel better once it is back up in it's home. And I'm really proud that Willa could understand and agree with this, even though she was disappointed.
On our way back down the mountain we found a couple of snow fields that looked like they might provide some fun glissade opportunities so we gave it a go. HOOKED now!!!! It was SOOOOOOOOO fun!!! I felt like a little kid! We want to do some more sliding before all the snow melts in our valley! Below are a couple videos I took of us slidin' on down. Too fun!
And then.... I slipped on some mud when trying to position myself to take that photo of Willa sliding below, over supinated my right foot and sprained it. "Pop!", I heard. Oi. Pay back for taking the feather? Hmmmmmm......Karma. Well, better ME then Willa! I was ok getting back down the mountain and I can walk just fine on it. But running and hiking? OUT for now. I've been icing, elevating, compressing, and even letting Curzie adjust it(which actually feels good!). We'll see how long this shit lasts......I don't do injury well AT ALL.
We'll put the feather back, I PROMISE!!!!! Heal up, ankle, and I'll take it right back up there myself!!!!
And next time I won't wear minimalist running shoes on that type of terrain. ;)
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| Refueling. See?!?! You feel better already! |
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| touch those clouds.... |
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| In awe of this child...this amazing creature... |
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| WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! |
