Variety

I get bored easily. So do the girls. The challenge: finding running routes that are new to them (or they at least haven't seen in many months) with plenty of wild water and shade, and visually interesting to me.

Granite Mountain (last entry) fit the bill, as did yesterday's run to Hard Creek and Upper Hazard Lakes.

This route offers a variety of terrain without too much elevation change: wide, open grass covered hillsides; streams choked with evergreens; large granite boulders; dead tree trunks burned years ago, many fallen; cool, shimmering lakes; sharp granite peaks as backdrop to it all.

The trail was rough with downed trees, boulders, mud, and higher up, snow. The slower pace allowed me to focus on wild flowers and vistas while the girls focused on picas and chipmunks. I took over fifty photos. Our objective was to pass two alpine lakes, then return. The run was a success, except that Maia had to do too much jumping off of downed logs and was limping on a foreleg through the afternoon.