When I was in high school, probably a junior, my family and the Roberts were going backpacking in Colorado. I was going to be at summer camp and I was either going to have to miss the entire session or I was going to have to leave a day early which was unheard of. However, considering the other option, leaving a day early was going to have to be the option.
At camp, I was up and packed and ready to go by the decided time. I said goodbye to my camp mates. My counselor and I made our way to the shelter house where Mrs. Roberts and Theresa (best friend and the middle Roberts child) would pick me up.
We went back to the Roberts’ house where I showered and cried and got my clothes washed and repacked to leave the next morning to head West to Colorado. We met up with my family, decided which kids were riding in which car and continued our trip.
Once we arrived in Colorado, we found a campground and settled in to get acclimated to the altitude before we donned our backpacks and headed up the mountain. It was an amazing (possibly the best ever) family vacation. We backpacked up above the tree line and set up camp. The kids got a very serious and stern warning about not walking on the snow patches. The snow melts from underneath and those patches could be eighty feet deep with only snow on the top portion. You could fall to your death or at least serious injury. Sooooooo what did I do? In front of all the kids and with their encouragement, I found a flat rock, tempted fate, and slid down a small snow patch. Not only did I survive, but it was fantastically exciting!
What could top that? Standing on top of a mountain! Yep, the actual top of a mountain in the Rockies. It was better than sliding down a snow patch. There was a mountain lake that was a beautiful blue-we never got in, it was basically melted snow and freezing cold.
One day another group arrived. Clad in what looked like white, linen “robes” and sitting in a large circle and chanting, they were entertaining to say the least, especially to teens and younger.
We ate (tried to eat) dehydrated meat protein- it looked like dog food and even the Canadian jay birds (known scavengers) wouldn’t eat the stuff!
There was hail one day. The next day there was hail, twice. The third day it started to snow. And snow and snow. We ended up breaking camp and heading down the mountain. Of course, the lower we got the warmer it got and the snow turned to rain. We were a hot mess. Our parents and their infinite wisdom decided we should eat dinner at the local pizza place, (where all the teens hung out) Theresa and I, the two teens, were mortified to be seen but we were hungry and not up for a fight. Pizza it was, even though we were total messes.
It was an amazing vacation and I couldn’t have topped it if I tried. I was resentful of my parents for pulling me out of camp a day early but boy oh boy, I wouldn’t have missed that trip and those once in a lifetime experiences for anything. I decided the vacation couldn’t be topped and that I wouldn’t go on vacation with my family again. I’m satisfied with my decision and my parents understood and accepted my choice. They were awesome.
