For this year's vacation we decided to return to Lassen National Park where we had a fabulous time back in 2011.
Lassen is a wonderful, uncrowded National Park with miles of spectacular hiking trails, beautiful high mountain lakes, and wonderful views everywhere.
This is a picture of our family taking a break on the Lassen Peak trail. Click here to see and read more about this trip.
One of the beautiful views in Lassen's backcountry.
Lisa getting re-energized.
Caleb happy to be out hiking.
Lisa and Hannah hiking the Lassen Peak trail with Brokeoff Mountain behind them.
Two views of Lassen Peak.
Mom and "Captain Christy" out on the lake.
Lisa and Hannah having a good time in our perfect little camp.
Hannah, Caleb, and Christy in front of Summit Lake in Lassen National Park.
About a year ago Bob was approached by his good friend Darryl Seale asking what would be on his "bucket list" of hiking, climbing, skiing, biking and other need-to-do outdoor trips. Bob gave him his list including a one day hike in Yosemite National Park from Tenaya Lake, over Clouds Rest, with a side trip to the top of Half Dome via the cable route, and then back down past Nevada and Vernal Falls to Yosemite Valley (MAP). Plans were made and permits applied for, and the trip came together for Saturday, June 22nd, 2013.
In order to make this all work we had to figure out a shuttle to get us back to the trailhead at Tenaya Lake. We had originally planned on using the Park systems shuttle bus system, but everything came together so that Lisa and the kids could come along and help out. So we drove to Lee Vining near the east entrance of the park the day before and rented a motel room so the guys could get an early start the next morning with Lisa and the kids following later. This way we could have a private shuttle and the family could enjoy a bunch of fun stuff on a slow drive through the Yosemite and pick us up late Saturday afternoon and give us a ride back to the trailhead and motel before driving back home on Sunday the 23rd.
This is a picture of Darryl and Bob on the most exposed portion of "The Visor", the overhanging ledge on the summit of Half Dome. Yosemite Valley is roughly 4,000 feet directly below them.
Click here to see and read more about this trip.
Bob, Darryl, and Jim Sundali on the summit of Half Dome.
While Darryl, Jim, and Bob were hiking, Lisa and the kids were enjoying their leisurely drive through the park and stopped at this beautiful lake at the east entrance of Yosemite. It was great to be in this beautiful park again.
As in years before, Lisa and the kids went for a swim in Tenaya.
Here they are posing much as they did six years ago in the photo to the right.
The way it was back in 2007 when Hannah was six and Caleb was three.
The good times keep rolling...
Having fun!
Because we had a little extra time before meeting Darryl and Jim for our adventures in Yosemite, we took a quick detour through Devil's Postpile National Monument just outside of Mammoth Lakes California. Lisa and I had last been here in 1998 while backpacking through the Ansel Adams Wilderness Area and Yosemite National Park and wanted to share it with the kids. Here we are among among the many hexagon shaped lava rocks along the trail that leads to to the multi-sided columns that are the namesake of the Monument.