In 2011 we took our growing granddaughters (and Annie) to our favorite destinations: Red Rock Country, the BWCA, and fjords. We spent a week in Moab during spring break; summer found us canoe camping, and we visited New Zeeland during summer - late December 2011 and early January 2012.
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Tom, Brian, Karen, Andrea, Mary,
Annie, Dustin, Becca
Canyonlands National Park, 2011 |
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Tom, Annie, Dustin, Becca, Andrea,
Karen, Brian Alan Burges Greenwood
Farmstay, New Zeeland, 2011 |
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Mary, Annie, Andrea, Becca, Dustin
Fourtown Lake Trip, BWCA - 2011 |
Spring 2011 - Canyonlands and Arches National Parks
Western Red Rock country is a great place to visit in spring, before the heat of the summer arrives. So we all flew into Denver, where Dustin and Annie had their own rental car while the other six of us rented a minivan. We drove to Moab and stayed in two cabins in nearby mountains for a week. The highlight of the trip was an overnight backpacking trip to Chesler Park in the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park.
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| Chesler Park, Needles District, Canyonlands National Park 2011 |
The camping permit was for six people, so after accompanying the backpackers for about a mile, Mary and Brian returned to Moab for the night. It was two more miles to Chesler Park, where a loop trail around the park led to camp sites and side trails.
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Mary, Brian, Tom, Becca, Andrea,
Annie & Karen on the hike to
Chesler Park, Canyonlands
National Park, 2011 |
In 1978 we had taken Dustin and 8 year old Andrea on this hike (See
Growing Up Backpacking.). So we figured it would not be too challenging for teenagers. Dustin wondered if we were reckless taking them on this trail when they were so young, but a mile into our hike, we were passed by a troupe of young children out with a few adult leaders, proving it's a good hike for kids.
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| Karen, Andrea, Becca, Brian and Mary look on as children hike past them. |
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| Becca, Andrea, Annie, and Karen hiking to Chesler Park, Canyonlands NP, 2011 |
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| Annie, Karen and Dustin on the way to Chesler Park, Canyonlands NP, 2011 |
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| Karen looking over the route to Chesler Park, Canyonlands NP. 2011 |
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Tom, Annie, Karen, Becca, and Andrea
| hiking to Chesler Park, Canyonlands NP, 2011 |
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Annie, Karen, Becca, Tom and Andrea (hidden)
| hiking in Chesler Park, Canyonlands NP, 2011 |
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| Campsite at Chesler Park, Canyonlands NP. 2011 |
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| Karen, Andrea, and Becca hiking back from Chesler Park, Canyonlands NP. 2011 |
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| Annie and Dustin hiked to Durid Arch on the way back from Chesler Park, Canyonlands NP. 2011 |
We spend a day exploring the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park where we captured the iconic picture of our family under Mesa Arch.
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| Tom, Dustin, Annie, Brian, Andrea, Becca, Karen, Mary at Mesa Arch, Canyonlands NP, 2011 |
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| Dustin and Annie, Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands National Park, 2011 |
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| Dustin, Island in the Sky District, Canyonlands National Park, 2011 |
While we were in Moab, Karen got a chance to climb on the Red Rock.
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| Karen climbing near Moab, 2011 |
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| Karen climbing near Moab, 2011 |
We spent the remaining three days exploring Arches National Park.
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| Arches National Park, 2011 |
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| Brian. Andrea, and Karen in Arches National Park, 2011 |
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| Karen taking a picture at Arches National Park, 2011 |
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Andrea and Brian, Balanced Rock, Arches NP 2011
Annie taking a picture of Karen and Becca
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Annie in Double Arch, Arches NP 2011
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View through Double Arch, Arches NP 2011
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| Beca in Turret Arch, Arches NP 2011 |
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Delicate Arch, Arches National Park 2011
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| Sunset at Arches National Park 2011 |
Summer 2011 - Fourtown Lake Canoe Trip
In summer of 2011, we entered the BWCA at Mudro Entry Point - north and west of Ely - and paddled a modest distance to Fourtown Lake where we found a large campsite that could all eight of us. (Karen's friend Amy came along so we could have an even number of paddlers.) While we were there, we took a long day trip up the Horse River to Basswood falls. (See
Boundary Waters Canoe Area.)
December 2011 / January 2012 - New Zealand
To be continued...
