you’re careful with your food,” Mom replied, smiling.
Their path took them to the lake. At a small footbridge they gazed at the scenery spread out before them. Gunsight Lake sat in a deep mountain bowl framed by high peaks, snowfields, and cascading waterfalls. Dad picked out a faint line indicating the trail toward Gunsight Pass. “Major climb ahead!” he announced.
James examined the snowfields clinging to the high peaks. A few of them had noticeable cracks in them. He checked the map. “I wonder why those aren’t glaciers.”
Dad thought for a moment. “It might be they’re not big enough. Remember, they need to be about 100 feet deep to move.”
“And twenty-five acres wide,” Mom added, recalling something else Rick had mentioned.
Mom noticed dark clouds building up. “We better keep moving,” she prompted. The Parkers began the long climb as a light mist started sprinkling down. They trekked on, alternating between warm and sweaty because of the climb and cold from the light rain and dropping temperature.
The trail switchbacked steadily until it was high above Gunsight Lake. Soon the family was looking down at the deep, U-shaped valley that held the large body of water. “Boy,” Dad said in awe, “the ice age glaciers around here must have been huge.”
The narrow trail hugged a cliff, with steep drop-offs plunging all the way to the lake. Across the way a melting ice field’s plume of water plunged out of its base, zigzagging down a rocky ridge.
The Parkers kept climbing. A tongue of ice appeared far above on their left. Large chunks of blue ice hung precipitously down from it. “Glaciers or not, there’s a lot of ice around here,” Dad said.
Morgan took several pictures of the hanging ice field to their left and Gunsight Lake far below. Then she gazed down at the path they had climbed and saw two people. “Greg and Corinne are coming!” she exclaimed. Morgan waved to them. They saw her and waved back.
James counted all the streams of water plunging down from the snowfields. “There are at least eight waterfalls around here,” he announced.
Soon the trail leveled off. The family splashed through pools of water and a waterfall that soaked the trail. They tramped over a remnant patchof snow and past displays of delicate alpine wildflowers.
Morgan noticed a structure ahead. “There’s a building!”
Morgan, James, Mom, and Dad surged on. Finally they made it to Gunsight Pass.
Mom noticed that James was shivering. “Let’s get inside and try to warm up,” she said with concern in her voice.
The Parkers walked into the small stone storm shelter and Dad pulled the door closed. The family sat down, put on more clothes, and pulled out some snacks.
After a few minutes, James glanced out the window. The clouds hung low over the mountains as a light rain drifted down. “It’s really getting wet out there,” James announced.
The wooden door to the shelter slowly creaked open, then stopped. Morgan, James, Mom, and Dad turned to look. The door opened a few more inches. The Parkers traded nervous glances.
A small animal walked inside. It looked at the family and twitched its nose.
Dad scolded the marmot. “Go on. Get out. There’s no food for you here.”
The marmot stayed put.
Dad stomped his foot, then took a few steps toward the alpine creature.
The marmot turned and scampered out.
This time, Dad latched the door. “That ought to keep our animal friends out.”
The Parkers huddled close, still trying to warm themselves.
A moment later the latch to the door popped up and the door started to creak open again.
The family stared at the door, bewildered, wondering what animal had the dexterity to enter.
Greg and Corinne stepped in and saw the Parkers. “Hello, old friends!” Greg called out.
“We thought you were another marmot,” James replied. Then he explained what had happened a few minutes earlier.
Soon the rain abated and the sun began to peek through the
Their path took them to the lake. At a small footbridge they gazed at the scenery spread out before them. Gunsight Lake sat in a deep mountain bowl framed by high peaks, snowfields, and cascading waterfalls. Dad picked out a faint line indicating the trail toward Gunsight Pass. “Major climb ahead!” he announced.
James examined the snowfields clinging to the high peaks. A few of them had noticeable cracks in them. He checked the map. “I wonder why those aren’t glaciers.”
Dad thought for a moment. “It might be they’re not big enough. Remember, they need to be about 100 feet deep to move.”
“And twenty-five acres wide,” Mom added, recalling something else Rick had mentioned.
Mom noticed dark clouds building up. “We better keep moving,” she prompted. The Parkers began the long climb as a light mist started sprinkling down. They trekked on, alternating between warm and sweaty because of the climb and cold from the light rain and dropping temperature.
The trail switchbacked steadily until it was high above Gunsight Lake. Soon the family was looking down at the deep, U-shaped valley that held the large body of water. “Boy,” Dad said in awe, “the ice age glaciers around here must have been huge.”
The narrow trail hugged a cliff, with steep drop-offs plunging all the way to the lake. Across the way a melting ice field’s plume of water plunged out of its base, zigzagging down a rocky ridge.
The Parkers kept climbing. A tongue of ice appeared far above on their left. Large chunks of blue ice hung precipitously down from it. “Glaciers or not, there’s a lot of ice around here,” Dad said.
Morgan took several pictures of the hanging ice field to their left and Gunsight Lake far below. Then she gazed down at the path they had climbed and saw two people. “Greg and Corinne are coming!” she exclaimed. Morgan waved to them. They saw her and waved back.
James counted all the streams of water plunging down from the snowfields. “There are at least eight waterfalls around here,” he announced.
Soon the trail leveled off. The family splashed through pools of water and a waterfall that soaked the trail. They tramped over a remnant patchof snow and past displays of delicate alpine wildflowers.
Morgan noticed a structure ahead. “There’s a building!”
Morgan, James, Mom, and Dad surged on. Finally they made it to Gunsight Pass.
Mom noticed that James was shivering. “Let’s get inside and try to warm up,” she said with concern in her voice.
The Parkers walked into the small stone storm shelter and Dad pulled the door closed. The family sat down, put on more clothes, and pulled out some snacks.
After a few minutes, James glanced out the window. The clouds hung low over the mountains as a light rain drifted down. “It’s really getting wet out there,” James announced.
The wooden door to the shelter slowly creaked open, then stopped. Morgan, James, Mom, and Dad turned to look. The door opened a few more inches. The Parkers traded nervous glances.
A small animal walked inside. It looked at the family and twitched its nose.
Dad scolded the marmot. “Go on. Get out. There’s no food for you here.”
The marmot stayed put.
Dad stomped his foot, then took a few steps toward the alpine creature.
The marmot turned and scampered out.
This time, Dad latched the door. “That ought to keep our animal friends out.”
The Parkers huddled close, still trying to warm themselves.
A moment later the latch to the door popped up and the door started to creak open again.
The family stared at the door, bewildered, wondering what animal had the dexterity to enter.
Greg and Corinne stepped in and saw the Parkers. “Hello, old friends!” Greg called out.
“We thought you were another marmot,” James replied. Then he explained what had happened a few minutes earlier.
Soon the rain abated and the sun began to peek through the
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