The Lost Year- Colorado: Hiking with the Van Nests

The next day Matt and I attempted to recruit some hikers.  The Van Nests were game, so we left the girls with Grandma and Grandpa and we hit the trail, this time with the idea we'd see waterfalls.  We had another adventure trying to find the trail head, but eventually made it to the starting point.  The guidebook failed to mention the river we would have to walk across to get to the trail  head.  Seriously, the guidebooks were seriously lacking.  Matt and I decided that we would write our own.  Talk about a great excuse to get out to Colorado frequently!

The hike was beautiful.  It was seriously one of the prettiest hikes I have ever been on.  I loved every minute and I'm so glad the Van Nests came with us.  I didn't want to hike with my good camera, so all the pictures are from my phone, but they didn't turn out to badly.

Hiking with Aunt Robbie

The girls walking in the river

First real waterfall

This was probably the third or fourth waterfall.  There were so many!  It was just amazing.

My favorite spot on the hike.  It was this little alcove that made this neat bend in the river.  It was almost a right angle.

At the actual trail head.  We had to hike a ways up an access "road", but found a trail that someone had forged along the river.  The actual trail didn't start for over a mile up the hill.  We ended up having to turn around because we needed to meet up with the rest of the crew in Crested Butte as they were going horseback riding that afternoon.

I thought the little red outhouse was too cute.  This was at the ranch.  Derek was big enough to go on the horse, but my girls were not.  Matt and I stayed back with the littles while the rest of the crew hit the trail.  Charlotte wasn't super thrilled, but we promised her a pony ride when she was big enough.  She ended up being able to ride a horse at Deanna Rose Farm in Kansas City later this summer.

Petting on of the horses.  He was awfully sweet.

"Helping" poor Drew walk.

Stole this picture from my aunt Shirley.  The gang lined up.  It just cracks me up.  One of the horses was a movie star; my dad's horse was one of the horses they used in the new Lone Ranger movie.  Pretty cool!

The girls tuckered out after fun times with Derek in the hot tub.

Evidence that it truly was a Hopmann family get together- cards!