Getting high

We hiked up high in the wilderness today, reaching almost 11,000'. Being in grassy meadows higher than tree-line opened stunning panoramas. Here's a sampling from our hike.

During the uphill trek, my nephew was full of suggestions for photographs that would "help my blog". Here, he points out a rodent tunnel for me to photograph. He has amazing knowledge about nature for a 6 year old. He and his younger brother can identify almost any animal scat or track. I think that the boys and I share some genes!On the way up, a small pond drew the dogs like magnets. My nephew threw sticks for them. The two raced furiously for the stick and battled for possession all the way to shore. K seems recovered from her minor tick allergic reaction yesterday so she zipped around as fast as R. Once they reached dry land, they joined forces.It was a perfect hike for two young boys because we reached an open vista with breath-taking views without a long hike. Here, my nephew climbs on boulders with snowy mountains close behind him.Our youngest hiker snoozed on the soft grass while the rest of us gazed at the peaks surrounding us. As we enjoyed the mountains, we also shared many happy memories of S. S lived with my brother's family for most of his life before moving to the mountains with us.
One snowy mountain towered just beyond our meadow. Wildflowers, most of them unfamiliar to me, carpeted the meadow. I'll post about those when I learn more about them.Another craggy, but snow-laden, mountain stood out behind a forested hill.The storms seemed to part as they approached us, and we hiked in a moving island of dry and sunny weather. When we arrived back at the trailhead, we saw rain pelting out of the sky below us but sun still shined on us. What a sweet day.