Another day and we are still going strong. Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks border each other so today, we drive to Sequoia for our first significant hike of the trip. Little Baldy mountain is a 3.4 miles round trip, but straight up. Josh shared that this mountain was named after me. Why do we have kids again? Yes, now I remember, so they can harass us. It’s a tough hike at 8000 feet. Nothing slows Josh down so he and I reach the top about 25 minutes before Eli and Amber (he reaches it about 10 minutes before me). Thankfully, Amber loves wild flowers. This gives her multiple break spots to take pictures and identity the flowers. The hike, again, is beautiful. On top, you are rewarded with 360 degree views. It’s another moment to relax and enjoy creation, Josh and I are at the top for about 1 hour. There are very few people around and for a bit, we are the only people here!!!! I don’t want to leave. I could sit in these beautiful spots almost indefinitely. Amber, Eli, and Josh are ready to go. But why? Why leave this beauty? Here, there is a sense of peace. My soul feels at rest and full. However, it has to end. In fact, it could be selfish to stay where you feel complete, when there is life and those in need down in the valley.
Did I tell you that Amber loves animals, especially, small, furry creatures? In 2015, in Rocky Mountain National Park, we encountered the yellow-bellied marmot. It thrilled her to discover, they live in California also. On the way down, we have our first sighting! My family went on the hunt to get a good look and a good picture while I watched. If they were really hunting the marmot, it had nothing to worry about, but it was fun to watch.
The largest living thing on earth is the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park. Again, amazing. This time we did the congress trail which winds through a grove of extremely large sequoia’s. I loved it. Mountain top hikes/views have always been a favorite. Little Baldy was great, but I have never seen a forest like this, and trees like these. Every five minutes, we heard again from Amber, “that’s a big tree.” Just opposite of the mountain top hike, here there is a crowd. In fact, a shuttle was needed to get to the trail because of the lack of enough parking. The crowd was a bit annoying, but the farther away from the parking lot, the less the crowd.
Finally, today is Father’s Day. I cannot spend a better Father’s Day than with my family in a beautiful, never been there before National Park, hiking to a mountain top and then seeing the largest trees in the world. To celebrate the day. Amber got us reservations for dinner at the nicest park restaurant, and I ordered a steak.
