Mountain Climbing and My Little Girls Big Pike (lots more pic's)

[solopaddler]

Part one was devoted to my back lake excursion, and you can find it right here: http://www.ofncommunity.com/forums/index.p...t=0#entry241099

Part two is basically the rest of the week..

 

So anyway I'm lounging on the deck one morning around 7am coffee in hand watching the mist rise off the lake wondering "What can we do today?".

I mulled it over. If I had my way we'd fish all day long.

But....no. It had to be something we could all do, something momentous, something memorable. Something that looking back, my little clan would talk about with excitement.

I had it "Why not climb a mountain?!"

 

I knew all I had to do was get my 5 year old Riley stoked and it was a done deal. Joanne would fall into line and my 11/2 year old Brendan? Well he'd just be along for the ride anyway .

 

The plan was sprung over breakfast. The clincher was my promise of hordes of blueberries at the top of the mountain and a picnic and swim at a spring fed lake after the climb.

Everyone thought it was a marvelous idea (even Joanne, although in her defense she did have her doubts about hauling a 11/2 year old up a mountain).

 

Regardless a little later we were off to climb the local landmark, Mont Chaudron (Or Mount Cheminis depending on your slant).

 

Here's a faraway view of the summit:

 

 

There was actually a trail most of the way up.

It started out pretty tame:

 

 

Then slowly but surely grew a bit more.....rugged:

 

 

 

 

I played sherpa and carried Brendan on my shoulders for most of the way. He was having a great time laughing at nothing in particular and either constantly pushing my hat down in front of my sweaty eyes, or grabbing my neck and choking me with a python like grip. Ahhh the joys .

 

The last 100' or so were almost vertical. It was here that Joanne expressed her concern, but still, we pushed on (very carefully).

Brendan wasn't too thrilled with this part of the climb as I had to lug him up under my arm.

No pic's of this critical leg, I was too preoccupied with the ascent.

At one point I was getting delirious and think I called out to Jo for an oxygen bottle. The air was getting thinner.

Suddenly a huge Golden Eagle flew out of it's nest in the rock face and soared right past me.

Who am I kidding, it was actually a sparrow, but still, it was a proud and majestic creature.

 

Finally the summit!!

First things first a rest:

 

 

Some of the vistas were amazing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Were there blueberries? TONS! (THANK GOD).

We picked almost one large zip lock before deciding we had enough.

If anyone cares we claimed the mountain as ours and renamed it Mount Riley.

We're also staking claim to all mineral and blueberry rights .

 

After surveying our new domain we began the lengthy and arduous descent. No pic's, but then they'd be redundant anyway.

 

Next on the agenda was our swim and picnic.

 

We travelled further down the bush road and found a perfect little lakeside oasis:

 

 

Riley and I immediately donned our trunks and hopped in:

 

 

Joanne refused to enter the lake, mumbled something about leaches?

Brendan munched on his PB&J and laughed at us.

 

I love it when a plan comes together.

 

Next morning back at camp Riley begged me to take her fishing (yes there is a God).

On the eve of the trip I had let her pick out a lure at our local shop for her tacklebox. Of course it was the most hideous hot pink crankbait I've ever seen, kinda goes without saying..

Anyhow she refused to use anything else so off we went trolling the edge of the shoal in front of the camp when WHAM it happened.

 

Here she is fighting her first large esox:

 

 

She landed it entirely on her own, even caught on to the pump the rod up, drop the tip and reel in the slack thing.

When the fish ran she let it run.

I was one proud poppa .

Only thing, she flatly refused to hold the fish so she took a picture of me holding it.

Pretty big for a little girl I think:

 

 

The rest of the week was a blast. Without getting into a long narrative here's a few random images.

 

We went tubing practically every day:

 

 

Brendan always insisted on trying to fish with his rod, insisted quite loudly in fact:

 

 

The kids were constantly playing together in the top bunk, it was their little hideaway:

 

 

Headed back to camp after a long day on the water:

 

 

Riley likes to "surf" in the bow of the boat:

 

 

The view from our deck in the early morning (I take the same picture every time, can't help it ):

 

 

Brendan trying hard to help dad steer:

 

 

The cabin from the water:

 

 

It's kinda hard to see but I made a plaque out of concrete for Joanne and cemented it into the point in front of the camp:

 

 

Full moon over the lake on our last night:

 

 

And of course the campfire and marshmallows on our point. Great capper to the trip

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed,

 

Cheers, Mike

Edited August 19, 2008 by solopaddler

[majorlifts]

Now thats a sweet trip with all the trimmings. I dont thing there would have been anything else in the world you could have done to have a better time. the pictures are really nice,and the kids will have memories to share around the dinner table when they are our age.

 

Way to go, really well done.

 

Oh and ya, sweet pike!

[Roy]

Man oh man, Mike. Both part one and two of your week with the family is a super day starter of a report. In part one, your back lake adventure with your uncle is priceless! The pics are just inspiring. Good on Jo for giving you a green light on that one.

 

And this part of your adventure focusing on family is just super. You'll want to guard these pics with your life. I don't know of many 1 1/2 and 3 year olds who've sat at the top of the Chaudron. I've been seeing pics of that landmark all of my life but I've never been there.

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to put these reports together for us. They're just fantastic.

[JohnF]

*****

 

JF

[limeyangler]

That was a fantastic report, lol.....the choking grips, staking rights for blueberries, not taking pics because kinda busy doing other more important things, taking the same picture over and over of the same thing( i really did laugh out loud at that one, cuz i know it so well myself, getting one person to go for a planand knowing the others willl fall in line with a plan . I have to stop there because i am just beginning to rewrite your whole post...guess i enjoyed it that much....great pics, great post, great times, ty for sharing.

 

 

PS where was it you were at?

[Spiel]

....I thoroughly enjoyed that Mike (parts 1 & 2), thank you.

[fishnsled]

Both part were awesome!! I've only been in that area in the winter time. Nice to see some warmer weather pictures. Thanks for the post.

[mattyk]

Very nice pictures, thanks for sharing.

[corvette1]

great week what more can be said wishing i was fishing

[Guest Johnny Bass]

Another awesome report!!Congrats on your daughter's PB. Your son is also very big for his age. He is going to be a big boy.

 

I told my female friend as soon as my ankle heals, I wanted to go mountain climbing! So either I have to invade yours or find another mountain.lol But those blueberries are tempting. And who knows. Maybe there is oil buried beneath it. Glad to hear you conquered the mountain with no bad incidents. Thanks for sharing.

[ehg]

Wow, what a great vacation

Having the whole family up on top of the mountain for the great view and blueberries is truly outstanding.

You are a lucky man. Thanks for posting this,

ehg

[solopaddler]

Thanks everyone, truely.

[douG]

Fabulous, Mike, many thanks.

[Joey]

What a super report Mike. Felt like I was there, then I realized I'm at work sitting behind a computer

 

You have a beautify family, and as the saying goes, the family that plays together, stays together

 

Tell Joanne there's nothing wrong with leeches, you just pick the off and use them for SM bass

 

Thanks for sharing Mike.

 

Joey

[Leecher]

Great report and pics Mike

 

Congratulation to your little one for her PB

 

Truly memorable moments!!

 

Thanks for sharing

Leechman

[FinS]

that mountain has some great scenery those are memories for sure

another great report for the books

[wuchikubo]

Great report (Part 1 and Part 2)! You definitely have a little piece of heaven there and it's great to have you report on it from time to time for people like me who can only wish to be able to do it.

 

Thanks Mike for sharing,

 

Stan

[swahrer]

Great looking trip and family my friend! Thanks for sharing both parts!

[Hooked]

That scenery is something else. You got something special up there for sure!

[ccmtcanada]

Sweet report Mike! Really cool to see the perspective from the top of that mountain....must have been fun to make the trek up there. And...that's a great pike Riley caught!!!

 

Would have been cool to share that stuff with you guys....thanks for the invite...maybe next time!

[fishindevil]

Amazing week mike !!!!. ..looks like heaven bud,a very special place you have for sure,great to have the family with you to enjoy it all,something to remember forever,and well to have a mountain named after your kid!!! they will always want to go there bud !!! cheers & thanks for sharing...