5th Annual Hassey "Goat Vacation"

[Nanno]

Today we packed up the truck and trailer, loaded up Finn and Sputnik, and embarked on our 5th annual "goat vacation"! We're not going as far as Utah this year. Instead we made tracks to my home town of Lake City, CO. This is the first time we've left Cuzco at home. The old fella has been taking it easy all summer by his own choice. He would come along if we asked him, but I don't think his heart would be in it. The colors here this year are incredible!! The aspens are at their peak and I can't wait to start hiking tomorrow!

[nebs]

Can't wait to see the pics!

[Nanno]

Phil and I spent our first morning in Lake City scouting out a place to hold the NAPgA Rendy 2017. We found two really nice choices and I plan to head over to the FS/BLM office tomorrow to ask about them. 

Finn and Sputnik had fun helping us explore these potential sites. In fact, Finn was so busy exploring that he didn't always want to get back in the truck afterwards. We had to drive away a few times before he would come running and leap in. There's no way it's too hard a leap for him--one time he didn't even bother to run around back to use the open tailgate. He just jumped in over the side. I had no idea he could leap so high, but he acted like it was nothing. 
   

We took a very short but very steep little hike down to Whitmore Falls. 
   
   
   

Here is one of the potential Rendy sites. The boys really liked it and it's close to two awesome trails! 
   

One of them is the Alpine Gulch trail. It has a lot of water crossings. Finn always crossed these narrow log bridges with catlike agility. Sputnik usually preferred to walk through the water. 
   

The water in this creek has a soft, milky blue tint that contrasts beautifully with the iron-red rocks. I loved the aspen leaves floating on the surface. 
   

As we got further up the trail we got into a beautiful old aspen forest. The trees are at their absolute peak. The camera couldn't remotely capture their glowing golden splendor. 
   

[Nanno]

"Follow the yellow leaf road, Sputnik!" 
   
   

Finn attacked an aspen sapling and came back with this lovely ornament. 
   

Near the end of our hike we encountered a big potential trail clearing project for the Rendy next year. It looks like a huge windstorm took out all these dead trees at once and buried the path. 
   
   
   
   

When I was a teenager I used to rub my palms on the aspen bark and slap "Indian" handprints on my horse's rump. Today Finn got handprints.  
   

[Taffy]

What a gorgeous place! I love the smell of Aspen along with their color. That's a perfect handprint on Finn's rump!

Did I read that right - the Rendy next year is in/near Lake City, Colorado?!?!

[nebs]

Nanno, you didn't disappoint! Great pics, and looks like a great place for a Rendy!

[Nanno]

I am working on a Lake City, CO Rendy for 2017. I have to run some stuff by the board and whatnot, but it looks like it may be coming together. Let's keep our fingers crossed because I think this could be a fabulous Rendy location and the locals seem very excited to that we might have one here. The local FS officer is also very on board, which is super important for us right now.

[Charlie Horse]

Get ready for some rain on your vacation! The giant storm is 40 miles from me at this moment. This could be the last of the summer weather. Now... I've done some goat trekking in the rain but it wasn't sleet and slushy snow-like stuff thats on its way. So I have a great idea for you: There's this stuff called Never Wet that is an anti-water spraypaint that causes droplets to bounce off completely. Spray the goats and yourselves with it and you're set!

[Nanno]

Yesterday was a bit rainy so we stuck around town and took it easy. I cut a tarp down for the boys in case it rained on us but we never had to use them. Sputnik was glad. He didn't like his tarp. He thought it was a little scary.  
   

We walked around Lake City in the morning and then took a leisurely stroll about two miles up Henson Creek Road in the afternoon. 

Phil and Finn share a moment. 
   

We sat and watched the river. 
   
   

Then we walked back into town and got some ice cream. The boys even enjoyed some free broken waffle cones! It was an easy, low-key day. It started to rain pretty hard so we put the boys to bed early and then Phil and I spent the evening playing games with some friends. 
   

[Nanno]

Bear with me because I had a very hard time narrowing my photo selection down! We took over 150 photos today and nearly all of them were fabulous! (I can't say much for the photographers, but when the scenery is this incredible you can't really go wrong.) 

Today we hiked Uncompahgre Peak, the highest 14-er in the San Juan range at 14,321 feet. Although I grew up in Lake City, I never climbed this peak. I was hoping we'd be able to do it on this trip but wasn't sure if the weather would cooperate. It kind of didn't, but we took a chance and climbed it anyway.  

Before we got to the trail we encountered this beautiful waterfall on Nellie Creek. 
   

Our destination: 
   

"Thank-you, Sputnik, for carrying my stuff up the mountain!" 
   

Phil took a brief rest on this convenient "outcropping". 
   
   
   

Looking toward the summit. 
   

Sputnik found a convenient, well-padded place to rest his weary head. 
   

Uncompahgre peak: Getting closer!