Mud Addict-In-Training

[looks easy from here]

Yeah, it was really beautiful and isolated, especially when we pushed past Spasm Block and the trails petered out. The mist and clouds made it especially atmospheric. The weather and terrain brought to mind the Scottish Highlands.

[looks easy from here]

Calvin and I are reopening our Pinnacles Season tomorrow (hopefully the "lower 80s" forecasts are more accurate than the "upper 80s" forecasts), which got me reminiscing in this thread and I realized I missed posting his first trip to the High Peaks in March, so here are just a couple quick hits from that trip.





And totally unrelated, I love the "Warning: this topic has not been posted in for at least 120 days.
Unless you're sure you want to reply, please consider starting a new topic." admonishment.  

[mynameismud]

Awesome

[JC w KC redux]

I missed posting his first trip to the High Peaks in March, so here are just a couple quick hits from that trip.

Did he try to reach up and grab the starting holds for the Denny Colliver route above the railing at Condor Crags?

Are you guys coming to the PCAD?

I'm pining for Pinns this weekend 

[clink]

Insert Quote
Calvin and I are reopening our Pinnacles Season tomorrow

Hope to see you two out there soon.

[looks easy from here]

Did he try to reach up and grab the starting holds for the Denny Colliver route above the railing at Condor Crags?

Are you guys coming to the PCAD?

Ape index isn't quite high enough to reach it from a sitting position.

And unfortunately no. We're going to be in Modesto that weekend.

From our visit yesterday:


A new angle of the The Sisters for us.


Name that chute?  


Cars are much more interesting than these big, boring rocks.


Little rocks are also much more interesting.


Tunnels for me are freeways for him.


Parting shot of our destination.

The sharp-eyed amongst you might notice a slight glaze around Calvin's nose. He had (has) a touch of a cold, but nary a peep of complaint through our three hours of hiking and exploring and total 5 hours in the car (had to make a sidetrip post-Pinns to REI to buy a new pair of shoes). The hike in and out was a touch warm, but I think it was easier on the rider than the mount, and once we were in the slot it was nice and cool. Huge thanks to the team that found it and worked it. I'm looking forward to getting on those lines. And I love the range of grades clustered so closely to one another (I know that's not really in your control, but that doesn't make it any less fantastic).

[JC w KC redux]

Wheel Chair Access could be Calvin's first lead 

[looks easy from here]

Wheel Chair Access could be Calvin's first lead 

Heh, if I don't keep an eye on him it'll be his first solo! He zips up stairs and slides, I don't imagine rocks and trees are far behind.

[looks easy from here]

Double issue this time. Our last two trips have expanded to include Mom in October, and Aunt and Uncle yesterday.


October got the ultimate Calvin highlight when we stopped to look at the Calfire helicopter from the roadside and the captain invited us up for a closer peek.


Safety first!


Then a mellow cruise up the reservoir inlet.


Extra mellow for some of us.


Yesterday was my sister-in-law's first trip ever to Pinns, and my brother's first time in about 20 years, so I took them on the park overview tour from Bear Gulch to the High Peaks, along the ridge and down. We were all excited to have a condor cruise by less that 30' overhead at the top.


Center of attention, as usual.


Summit treats.


Cars on top of the pinnacle over the outhouse.


I'd like to say it's less cute when you know you're that cute, but I don't think it's true.


BRIDGE!

[Brad Young]

Very nice.

What percent of your distance is he walking on his own now?

[looks easy from here]

Not much, as real life has kept our hiking pretty sporadiac since he became very stable. But as of today my schedule has opened up immensly, so we will be able to get out more and I'll really be able to start testing his range.

Though I predict that ground level distractions slowing our pace will be more of a limiting factor than actual distance. And I have to keep him accustomed enough to the backpack that he's willing to go back in it when I can tell he's running out of steam.

[Brad Young]

Though I predict that ground level distractions slowing our pace will be more of a limiting factor than actual distance. And I have to keep him accustomed enough to the backpack that he's willing to go back in it when I can tell he's running out of steam.

I actually used "distractions" to great benefit with my girls. When they were "beginners" I'd set out on a walk with them, usually with a modest goal in mind for how far they'd walk on their own. We'd get going and a girl would get distracted by, say, collecting acorns. I'd let her play around for a short time and then I'd point and say something like: "wow look at those acorns over there," and we'd be walking again.

It'll be your job: balancing your goal and his fun 

[clink]

Great pics! Especially the CDF showing the helicopter to your son!

[mynameismud]

awesome TR. 

[looks easy from here]

Sign of successful parenting:
This is an actual conversation Calvin and I had near the end of December
Me: "what do you want to do tomorrow?"
Calvin: "Hike!"
Me: "Hike with big trees, or big rocks?"
Calvin: "Big rocks!"
Me: 
Unfortunately the next morning instead of Pinnacles he got to go to the ED with a bad flare up of what turned out to be RSV, but nonetheless I think he's hooked. 

But finally, a month later we made it back out, for Calvin's first ever trip to the West Side, and first trip sans backpack.


Oh yeah, this is why I show up at 10 am on cold weekday mornings instead of 1:30 on beautiful Saturday afternoons. But no problem; to a 2 year old rocks are rocks.


Enjoying the freedom to throw rocks anytime you want.


"TUNNEL!" -direct quote


Catching last week's raindrops.


Showing me C for Calvin (it's under his finger).


R&R beneath Machete Ridge.


Pooh sticks.



He made it on foot all the way from the first bridge to right before the caves, and back again, in just about 2:10, and was still laughing when we got back to the car. Not too shabby for a 2 year old attention span. 

[clink]

Super cool LEFH & Calvin!

[mudworm]

Not too shabby for a 2 year old attention span.

Calvin for president!!!

Nice outing, father and son.

[looks easy from here]

A few pics from Brad's 1000th:


Safety first!


Always interested in story time, regardless of venue.


HUUUGE thanks to my Calvin-wranglers for giving me the opportunity for this uncommon angle of him. 

[clink]

 Calvin took the day in stride!

[Brad Young]

The Dawsons and I used to talk about whether climbing crags were "Alex friendly." In other words, how was the approach for a little boy? How about the base (no nearby cliffs to fall off)?

Obviously he's grown past that stage. "Calvin friendly" seems like an apt replacement