Monday, July 22, 2013

King's Peak with the Scouts

Bryce was invited to attend his first week-long scout camp.  I went as a dad.  We hiked over 30 miles with heavy packs.  The ultimate destination was King's Peak, the highest peak in Utah.  It was both very challenging and rewarding.
Flat tire on the way up.

I loved spending a week in the mountains with Bryce





Starting the trek to Island Lake


Hiking with Bryce was a blast!  It was so fun to see the way he would respond to the challenges of the week.

Carrying 35 pounds to the top of a mountain was no small task.

Cameron was prepared for the rain - and boy did it rain!

Mmmmm!  Dehydrated dinners.
Taking a break on the way up - Jaxon, Damion, Cameron, Bryce, Ryker, Alex





Brook - our fearless leader

Still having fun on the way up.

Alex


We didn't quite make it to Island Lake on the first day.  This is where we camped the first night.  
Our rescue crew, Chandler, Deven, and Bishop showed up in the morning and helped us into camp.  What a great sight it was to see them hiking over a hill toward us.  It was really a miracle they were able to find us because we were not on the path.  They had said a prayer and then went where they were prompted.
Starting Day 2 - Destination: Island Lake



Deven is one of our heros who came to find us!


Alex and Jon became great hiking friends.

Setting up camp next to Ryker and Jaxon
The last time we will ever use this tent.  It has a broken zipper and a ripped rain fly.  Notice the tarp sticking out of the front.  That made for a great rain trap later in the trip - collecting and holding in 9 hours worth of rain water under our tent. 

Island Lake!
Watching the boys build and float a raft in Island Lake
Testing the water.  Do we really want to swim in this? Notice the snow not too far in the distance.
Standing on the island

Swimming to the island

Bryce learned to use the jet boil to cook our dinner.

Devotional around the camp fire.


Hacky sack

Looking at kings peak from camp

Kings Peak through the trees






Beginning the trek to Kings Peak - 7AM Wednesday

Henry's Fork Lake






Hiking toward Gunsight Pass

Rex, Alex, Jon


Playing 20 questions and answering riddles made the hike go by a little better.

Javier


The Gunyans were great hikers!

Taking a quick break.











Gunsight Pass!

The Judds kept things fun on the hike


Hiking past snow in July!


Amazing views



Climbing over boulders as we approach 13,000 feet elevation


Bryce is a great hiker!


Bishop Johns shows us the way







This monster-sized beetle was climbing on Bryce.

Getting Closer

Notice the blue sky.  This will change in a matter of less than an hour.

Starting the final ascent.


Carter and Jaxon


The top is in sight!


Bro. Seamons, Bishop Johns, and Chandler

Javier




Ryker and Cody on top of Utah!

Jaxon enjoying the top!

Cameron and Brook

We made it!






A bunch of us gathered together for a picture before heading back down. 


The Judds - Rainstorm in the background

Brayden takes it all in


Haroldsens

Spencer made it!

McKay at the top!

Tim Bennett brought and his 3 boys are troopers

Now for the long hike back to camp.  Time to put on the rain jacket...or garbage bag if your rain jacket is ripped from the first day.

Kings Peak in the background.

Gunsight Pass on the way down.

Tanner

Tanner and Andrew

It rained for 9 hours straight.  We returned to camp after taking a long detour, to find our tent swamped, and our sleeping bags floating in water. Fortunately, they were on top of the sleeping pads so they weren't submerged.  We covered the pads with garbage sacks, unloaded the tent, got as much water out as possible, and put our sleeping bags on top of the pads in hopes of staying a little dry.  It worked!


We built a canopy with our tarp to put everything under from our tent.  It was still raining while we worked on this BIG project.  Bryce was freezing, and his coat was wet. 


Finally a chance to get warm and sleep.  We were so grateful to have brought garbage sacks.  We were also grateful for Bro. Jenkins who helped us, and let us use his magical towel that soaked up water like nothing else.

We woke up to a beautiful day!

Laundry was the name of the game this morning.  Here is John Fullmer trying to get a few of his things dried out.

It was a great day for orienteering with Bro. Jensen

"Find an attack point."



Following the coordinates

Brook was all set for another big storm. Maybe that's why it was nothing but sunshine all day and night. 


A moose came to get a drink.




Brook showed the scouts how to make these cool bracelets out of paracord. 

Beautiful final morning


Getting ready to head home
over half way down the mountain - feeling very tired at this point
David and Damion - still smiling
We hiked along this beautiful river most of the way
2 miles to go...

Damion
One scout group had horses bing their equipment in for them.  They were smart - but missed out.

Jaxon
Ryker

The boys saw the trailhead and began to run.  They were so excited to see the parking lot. 


The $.99 menu at Wendy's never tasted to good! - Evanston, WY

Gunyans

Judds
Monroes








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