One last stop, a dip into Two Jack Lake!

Day 3 in the mountains, took us to Grassi Lake, but the roads were closed. So I've saved that one for a family hike in the future. Instead we went to Grotto Canyon. Once we arrived in the parking lot, Conor and I recognized it. We had done this hike when I was pregnant with Maeve! So a repeat, no big deal. Enoch wasn't feeling very well (day one of covid for him, poor guy), so he stayed in the backpack carrier the whole time and no one was allowed to look at him! The hike began feeling really dystopian, dried out creaked, walking past a mineral processing plant. We got some laughs out of that. But as we arrived at running water and cooled off the the canyon, it all felt a little better. Ira loved playing in the water and I didn't mind having his damp little self on my back for the the hike back to the trailhead.

Next stop, we were crossing our fingers we'd find parking at Lake Louise and could do the hike to the Plain of the Six Glaciers. But no luck, so that hike is one I'll do as a day hike the next time I have the opportunity. Instead, we hiked Boom Lake. We had a bit of stalled start as we heard about 2 grizzlies and a black bear on the trail. We went anyways, carrying our bear spray and didn't see one single bear. The hike was really pretty and the fresh air smelled so good! When we reached the lake, we stopped for lunch, water play and rest. Once, Enoch saw the lake, he wanted his clothes off and he hung out lakeside in the nude until we packed up and headed back to the trailhead. I was so proud - so McNeill of him. Notice the picture of Enoch sampling everyone's water bladders. I think that's how he effectively spread Covid to almost everyone in the group.

We took a little side trip to Banff this summer with our friends, Amorette and Parker and their girls. We left Maeve behind with my sister (Thanks Kim!), and threw the babies on our backs. Our first stop was Sunshine Mountain Lodge where we caught a gondola (Ira was terrified) and a chair lift up higher into the mountains. We then hiked through wildflowers and to Alpine Lakes. It was breathtakingly beautiful! I just wish we had gotten there earlier in the day and didn't have to worry about catching the last gondola back down the mountain. What a great start to our couple of days in Banff!

Ok, so this wasn't in Banff, this hike is in Kanaskis Country. We met Conor's sisters and their kids to do this. This was our first time seeing the Larsens (!!!!), minus Cora, on our trip and it was SO MUCH FUN to have so many of the cousins together bonding so hard. Family is the best! This hike was great, Liz knows how to pick them. It had it all; majestic mountain, wildflowers, frigid lake, huge boulders. I mean, what more could you want?? Conor got into Chester Lake with Seger and Evan, what a hunk. I just want to go back and backpack through the Rockies. Added that to my bucket list for sure! There's so much to explore and I want to do it all!