STANLEY 2010 -- SAWTOOTHS.

After Mom joined Dad and I in Stanley, she and I spent a day seeing Stanley -- as in the actual town of Stanley. My very favorite store in the WHOLE world, Riverwear, is in Stanley so we HAD to do some shopping there! I think I ended up in that store three different times before my vacation was over! :) If they were open in December, I would drive there JUST to do my Christmas shopping! Yeah, I LOVE it THAT much! After our shopping spree, we stumbled upon the elementary school -- where their sign reads, "Home of The Lawn Chairs!" The area adjacent to the school is one of those places I found myself going to again and again. The views -- amazing! After seeing the views, I decided to do sunrise/sunset sessions there just to see the dramatic lighting changed the mountains.

MOM AND DAD ENJOYING THE SUNSET FROM THE COOL SWING

CAN YOU THINK OF A BETTER PLACE FOR A PICNIC TABLE?

WHAT A VIEW!

SUNSET

I LOVE THE PICTURES MOM TAKES OF ME TAKING PICTURES!

THEY ARE REALLY REFLECTIVE OF WHO I AM!

:)

SUNRISE

WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ARRIVE RIGHT AT SUNRISE BECAUSE IT WAS TOO TOO FOGGY!

BUT I THINK WATCHING THE FOG BURN OFF WAS EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR!

GOING . . .

GOING . . .

GONE!

MOM SWINGING AGAIN!

WHOEVER THOUGHT TO PUT THAT SWING THERE . . . SIMPLY BRILLIANT!

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING!

A PERFECT MORNING FOR A GRAND ADVENTURE . . .

COMING UP NEXT . . . THAT GRAND ADVENTURE!

STANLEY 2010 -- STANLEY LAKE.

My first full day in Stanley was a solo day for me. Dad had to work and Mom had yet to arrive. Although I am never one to be disappointed by solo adventures, I was bummed that it POURED rain the entire day! It didn't stop me from exploring though -- it just kept me from seeing as much as I would have liked! The dogs and I spent most of the day in the truck (especially since the heater ran out of propane shortly after Dad left for work)! I learned my way around the area and by the end of the day, had a list of places to visit again in the sunshine! Stanley Lake ended up being one of my favorite places to visit -- rain or shine! Since it was largely deserted, the days I spent at the lake were fabulous! There is just something to be said for feeling like a lake that beautiful is yours and yours alone!

A SOGGY MOUNT MCGOWN AND I

DURING MY SOLO ADVENTURING, I HAD DISCOVERED WHAT I PRESUMED WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL OVERLOOK HIGH UP ON THE MOUNTAIN OPPOSITE THE LAKE. THE RAIN AND THE CLOUDS OBSCURED WHATEVER VIEW THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SO I WAS EAGER TO RETURN WHEN THE CLOUDS HAD LIFTED. THE NEXT DAY MOM, DAD AND I RETRACED MY ROUTE TO WHAT WAS INDEED, A VERY PRETTY VIEW OF MOUNT MCGOWN.

MOM AND DAD

THEY REALLY ARE THE BEST ADVENTURERS . . . EVER!

SUNSHINE MAKES ME HAPPY!

AFTER DRIVING TO THE TOP OF ELK MOUNTAIN, WE DROVE BACK DOWN TO STANLEY LAKE WHERE WE OOGLED CATERPILLARS, WILDFLOWERS AND OH, YEAH, THE MAGNIFICENT VIEWS!

STANLEY LAKE.

FALL 2010.

STANLEY 2010 -- REDFISH LAKE.

I have to admit, I don't think I have EVER been so excited about visiting my Dad on one of his job sites! In addition to working on the Landmark and Elk Creek Guard Stations, he was also awarded the bid for some work in the Stanley Ranger District. In early September I was able to spend FIVE amazing days with him there in the shadows of the majestic Sawtooths (or is it Sawteeth?). This trip was easily the highlight of my summer! I love the Stanley area and was especially tickled to find that the tourists really clear out after Memorial Day! We practically had the mountains to ourselves! Mom too was able to take a long weekend so the three of us PLAYED HARD! We went on so many adventures and I took so many pictures, I have decided to do MULTIPLE Stanley posts! Be sure to check back to see all the posts from my grand adventure! The photos in this post are from my final bittersweet hours in the mountains. We enjoyed a still, quiet morning at Redfish lake!

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and have my senses put in order.

--John Burroughs

BEAR VALLEY, ELK CREEK GUARD STATION.

For the past several summers, my dad has been working in the backcountry. This means Mom and Dad spend entire summers camping in some of THE most beautiful, remote places! This summer was a busy one for Dad as he had several backcountry jobs! This is all VERY exciting for me because I get to show up for four or five days and camp in LUXURY! The MANsion, Mom's cooking, splendid fresh-air-mountain adventures and THE best company a girl could ask for! I feel so spoiled! The first outpost I was able to join up with Mom, Dad and the crew was in Bear Valley. Although I have passed through the area, I had never had the opportunity to camp there. All the stories I had hard about Bear Valley being beautiful were absolutely true -- all the open meadows are simply gorgeous. Next year, I will be back for wildflower season!

*** CAMP ***

EVEN DAISY LIVES IN LUXURY IN THE MANSION!

DAD BUILT HER THIS HIDEY-HOLE AND SINCE NEITHER LONG NOR LONGER WILL GO IN THERE, IT IS HER OWN PRIVATE RETREAT!

THIS IS THE VERY FIRST THING I NOTICED WHEN I PULLED INTO CAMP!

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CREW CAMP IS JUST BEHIND THE SIGN!

THEIR DRINKING WATER ALSO CAME FROM THIS FAUCET!

APPARENTLY GOVERNMENT SIGNS AREN'T ALL THAT SERIOUS!

THE CREW AS WORKING ON RE-ROOFING SOME OF THE FOREST SERVICE BUILDINGS AT THE ELK CREEK GUARD STATION.

MY DADDY, HARD AT WORK WHILE I WAS VACATIONING :)

THE FIRE CREWS QUICKLY LEFT THE COMPLEX TO MAN FIRES THAT WERE STARTED BY A BIG ELECTRICAL STORM THAT ROLLED THROUGH ON NIGHT WHILE I WAS THERE. THIS PARTICULAR FIRE LITERALLY BURNED ALL SUMMER!

ME AND SMOKEY (A CHERISHED CHILDHOOD ICON)!

THE CREEK BEHIND CAMP

MY OLD DOG LOVES THE WATER!

(but he doesn't swim well!)

*** DAGGER FALLS ***

THE WEEK BEFORE I ARRIVED IN BEAR VALLEY, MOM AND DAD HAD SPEND AN EVENING AT DAGGER FALLS AND ACTUALLY SEEN SALMON JUMPING UP THE FALLS! I WAS SO JEALOUS!!! THERE WASN'T A FISH TO BE SEEN THE NIGHT WE WERE THERE BUT THE FALLS ARE SPECTACULAR NONETHELESS!

DAD AND I STANDING ABOVE DAGGER FALLS

JUST BELOW DAGGER FALLS IS THE BOUNDARY CREEK BOAT LAUNCH, THE PUT IN FOR WHITEWATER RAFTING TRIPS DOWN THE INFAMOUS MIDDLE FORK OF THE SALMON RIVER. THIS WEEK-LONG FLOAT IS DEFINITELY ON MY BUCKET LIST! SOMEDAY! SOMEDAY! :)

IN THE MEANTIME, THIS WAS AS CLOSE TO BEING ON A RAFT ON THE MIDDLE FORK AS I COULD GET!

I AM, APPARENTLY, VERY SERIOUS ABOUT MY OAR WORK!

***BEAR VALLEY MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT***

THE DRIVE TO BEAR VALLEY MOUNTAIN LOOKOUT WAS BREATH-TAKING! THE VIEWS WERE AMAZING. THE ROAD, A MERE FOUR MILES, WAS EASILY ONE OF THE MOST RUGGED ROADS I HAVE BEEN ON! MY LITTLE NISSAN ATE UP EVERY INCH OF IT THOUGH! THAT BABY KNOWS HOW TO ADVENTURE!

A SMOKEY SUNSET

THIS IS ONLY THE SECOND STEEL LOOKOUT TOWER I HAVE SEEN!

VERY COOL!

DAD AND I DECIDED WE HAD TO CLIMB THE TOWER!

(keep in mind, neither of us "do" heights well)!

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MY MOM IS DOING!

IT LOOKS LIKE SHE "SPLATTED" THOUGH!

MADE IT TO THE TOP!

(the hatch was nailed shut so we couldn't actually make it into the cab).

I SUPER LOVE LOOKOUTS!

***THE CROOKED GOVERNMENT OUTHOUSE***

DEFINITELY ONE OF MY FAVORITE OUTHOUSES I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED!

BUT THE OCD TESS, REALLY WANTED TO "FIX IT!"

ON OUR OUTHOUSE HIKE, DAD SPOTTED A FROG (and we had a big laugh because there is a sign at the guard station about talks about being able to see frogs mating in the meadows. Fortunately, we didn't "interrupt" anything!) AND I SPOTTED MY VERY FIRST ELEPHANT HEAD FLOWER! I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT FIND ONE!

***GRAND JEAN***

ON THE WAY BACK HOME, WE DECIDED TO DRIVE INTO GRAND JEAN.

WHAT A FUN LITTLE AREA! I WOULD LOVE TO BRING MY NIECES AND NEPHEWS CAMPING HERE. THE RIVER IS BEAUTIFUL HERE AND THERE IS A WONDERFUL HOT SPRINGS POOL. THE KIDS AND THEIR AUNTIE WOULD HAVE A BLAST!

WE ATE DINNER AT THE SAWTOOTH LODGE

(A DELICIOUS GRILLED CHEESE FOR ME)!

AND THEN WE HAD ICE CREAM! MY MOM HAS A FOND MEMORY OF EATING ICE CREAM AT THE SAWTOOTH LODGE WHEN SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL! WHAT A NEAT NEW MEMORY WE MADE TOGETHER!