peakn
New member
The last week of August is a time we look forward to each summer. That's when two of our grand-kids come to Waterville Valley to visit for a week without their parents.
We have been able to take Alex, now 12, on a few hikes over the past few years, but his sister Emily, 15, has always had something else happening and has been unable to join us other than for short walks in the Valley floor. We've had Alex up Mt. Willard though and locally up Dickey Mtn to the summit and back.
This year provided the weather and opportunity to step it up.
On Aug 26, Alex, Emily and I hiked the Welch-Dickey loop. I was surprised by how easily they negotiated the Welch ledges and thrilled by how much they enjoyed themselves. Alex kept repeating "wow! Look at the view. This is what hiking is all about". I was ecstatic.
Hmmmm. Maybe we can kick it up another notch?
So, with great enthusiasm on my part (and some trepidation on Carol's), on Aug 28 I set off with them to hike Mt. Liberty.
We parked at the Flume Visitor Ctr hikers parking lot and walked the Bike Path to the Liberty Spring Trail. The main focus of conversation for the first mile and a half or so was- "Are we at the steep part yet?" "Not yet Emily." "Are we at the steep part yet?" "Not yet Emily." "Are we at the steep part yet?" Losing patience- "You'll know it when we reach it Emily."
The Liberty Spring Trail eventually becomes a series of steep rock steps that goes on for almost 2 miles. There's not anything really challenging or any scrambling, but it is a steady uphill slog.
The conversation changed. "Can we stop for a minute?" "Sure Emily."
It was a ball!! We had fun all the way up. What really impressed me was that they exhibited absolutely no concern on the couple of somewhat narrow spots near the summit.
We reached the summit in 3 and a half hours. Emily and Alex's first 4K! And not that much over book time.
It was another beautiful sunny day and we relaxed on the summit for over half an hour, enjoying lunch, identifying summits before starting down.
This was one of those special days that one remembers for a lifetime. I hope they do. I surely will. I'm a lucky guy to get to introduce my grandchildren to hiking the 4Ks?
Pictures here
http://community.webshots.com/user/creakyknees
We have been able to take Alex, now 12, on a few hikes over the past few years, but his sister Emily, 15, has always had something else happening and has been unable to join us other than for short walks in the Valley floor. We've had Alex up Mt. Willard though and locally up Dickey Mtn to the summit and back.
This year provided the weather and opportunity to step it up.
On Aug 26, Alex, Emily and I hiked the Welch-Dickey loop. I was surprised by how easily they negotiated the Welch ledges and thrilled by how much they enjoyed themselves. Alex kept repeating "wow! Look at the view. This is what hiking is all about". I was ecstatic.
Hmmmm. Maybe we can kick it up another notch?
So, with great enthusiasm on my part (and some trepidation on Carol's), on Aug 28 I set off with them to hike Mt. Liberty.
We parked at the Flume Visitor Ctr hikers parking lot and walked the Bike Path to the Liberty Spring Trail. The main focus of conversation for the first mile and a half or so was- "Are we at the steep part yet?" "Not yet Emily." "Are we at the steep part yet?" "Not yet Emily." "Are we at the steep part yet?" Losing patience- "You'll know it when we reach it Emily."
The Liberty Spring Trail eventually becomes a series of steep rock steps that goes on for almost 2 miles. There's not anything really challenging or any scrambling, but it is a steady uphill slog.
The conversation changed. "Can we stop for a minute?" "Sure Emily."
It was a ball!! We had fun all the way up. What really impressed me was that they exhibited absolutely no concern on the couple of somewhat narrow spots near the summit.
We reached the summit in 3 and a half hours. Emily and Alex's first 4K! And not that much over book time.
It was another beautiful sunny day and we relaxed on the summit for over half an hour, enjoying lunch, identifying summits before starting down.
This was one of those special days that one remembers for a lifetime. I hope they do. I surely will. I'm a lucky guy to get to introduce my grandchildren to hiking the 4Ks?
Pictures here
http://community.webshots.com/user/creakyknees
