Odessa Lake Overnight

The backpacking trip was AMAZING! I think that the pictures can pretty much tell the story. We went up 1215 feet in just shy of 3 miles - with packs weighing in between 26 & 35 pounds. We marveled often at the scenery and were incredibly blessed with the most amazing weather.

The pictures won't tell the near disaster stories of the trip...there were a few...I'll tell you at the end of the story.

Just a little ways up the trail from Bear Lake - happy to be out on the trail!

B's first time backpacking ever - she did a great job!

Longs Peak, and in the lower third of the picture, what I think is probably Alberta Falls.

Wildflowers on the trail - it felt like it was never going to level out during those first 3 miles.

Seriously - this was the first of several times that we had to stop and check out the snow and figure out where the trail went. Good times! Snow in late July!

This was our first glimpse of Notchtop Mountain - we thought it was amazing.

A random shallow pool as we neared the high point of the hike.

Another look at Notchtop

Our first look at Odessa Lake - from high above

Lake Helene
The farthest out into the backcountry we went...
and where my cell phone actually rang (had it along for the clock)
now if that's not a commercial for AT&T - more bars in more places!

Between Lake Helene & Odessa - serious snowfields - two weeks prior some were considered an avalanche danger - two weeks prior the campsite we stayed at was still under snow too.

Making my way up the side trail to Odessa Lake, and our backcountry campsite for the evening.

Our nice little camp

B enjoying some French Rabbit wine streamside while we made dinner.
Mountain House Turkey Tetrazini and Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs.
Complimented the carton of chardonnay quite nicely...too nicely perhaps.

Our first look at Fern Lake from far above on the very rocky trail down from Odessa.

One of the many wildflower shots taken on this morning's hike out.
Columbine

Fern Lake - was incredibly still today

More Fern Lake - blue sky and still water - great for pictures!

Fern Falls

Me at Fern Falls

It was a long hike out from Fern Falls - I think mostly because we knew we were thisclose to being back to the car, away from mosquitos and biting flies and on my part...my Chacos!

Ok...now for the near misses and other troubles...
Before we even met in Estes, the French Rabbit Chardonnay seemed to have sprung a leak of some sort - inside my pack! The trouble was contained (thank goodness for ziploc bags) and damage was minimal, both to the pack and the carton of wine! Near miss.

THE MOSQUITOS - as I sit and write this, I have counted not less than THIRTY bites on me. Plus from Fern Lake on down, we battled both the mosquitos and biting flies. GRRR.

We had freeze dried scrambled eggs with bacon on the menu for breakfast. I was awake and decided I'd get things going and have breakfast ready when I woke up B for the day. I went down to the river, pumped the necessary water, set everything up on a nice flat rock, lit the stove and went to tend to some other chores, about 10 feet away. I hear the pot fall over and think nothing of it until I hear a loud WHOOOOSH! As I turn around I realize that not only did the water I had just pumped fall over, but the stove and fuel canister were in FLAMES!!!! Scary scary flames. I had two thoughts:

• That can is full of fuel and is going to explode
• The forest is going to burn and it's going to be all my fault

After a brief moment of panic, I grabbed the cooking pot, filled it with river water and after about 4 trips, the fire was out and disaster was averted. The control knob on the stove is melted. Eggs were taken off the breakfast menu and I'm now researching new backpacking stoves. Very near miss - too close for my comfort.

I'm looking forward to getting back out there again sometime, hopefully sooner than later.