You know the drill. Amy's off working her fingers to the bone so I get to take the kids adventuring. Poor kids. All they really want to do is stay at home and run around screaming like banshees. Is that so much to ask for?
It's been wicked cold here the last week (or at least just slightly below freezing during the normal part of the day) and there's been no new snow in the mountains. I was actually a little worried the road to Gold Creek would be bare. no worries there. It was covered by an easy six inches at least. Phew. Disaster #1 averted.
Gold Creek isn't exactly the type of trip to inspire a massive write-up. If you really want the gory details you can look at the 10 other trips* we've done over the years. (11 if you count a trip that used the road, but didn't stop at the Pond.)
This time we were legion: Me and the kids, Scott and Josie, Chris (Scott's cousin) and Kelly and their two kids. If we'd brought the dogs we'd actually have been at 13. (The dogs wouldn't fit in the trucks with all the gear.
I had the pulk, of course, with yet another "adjustment." The latest development was making a seat belt of sorts for Henry in the seat. The last time out he slid down and wasn't too happy about slouching. (Poor posture is such a downer.) We were trying out new snowshoes (social butterfly/con-artist Josie had charmed three little-kid 'shoes out of the local Atlas rep) five of the group and while they were on they worked well. Mostly the little kids rode, though. (Chris and Kelly's kids, Jake and Tyler, were each a year younger than Clara and Lilly so of course Clara referred them all as the "little kids.")
Along the way it snowed lightly and the very thin layer of fresh snow served well to let the sleds move along the very well packed road/trail nicely. Lilly got tired to walking and sat in the back of the pulk facing the rear. She and Henry had a blast while Clara kept up with Josie.
At the lake we broke out a virtual feast. I even tried to make 'smores, but it turns out there's a great reason I don't use my old stove any more. It is all made up of suck. Even at full throttle I could hold my ungloved hand almost right on the burner. The marshmallows didn't cook terribly quickly, but that wasn't a big deal since most of the kids didn't want them anyway.
It never got really cold or windy. There was a teeny tiny sled hill to play on and snow falling. Twas a goodly place and a goodly time with new friends. Now if it could just keep snowing (only four inches accumulated over the day) we might be in for some real adventures in the mountains soon.
Total distance was about 1.5 miles and 100 feet of gain.
* Scroll down until you find the not insignificant Gold Creek section.
