This was our second fourteener as a whole family. Aunt Trish and Cousin Keziah also joined us. It was a tough hike for the kids through all of the boulders but everyone made it.
Map:
Elevation Profile:
Anne-Marie and I climbed Mount Princeton during our first week of dating. We were ill prepared and started very late in the day, but so in love we didn't care.
We camped nearby on some national forest and got the kids up early. Then we drove up to the trailhead and got a pre-dawn start.
Trish and I dropped off Anne-Marie and then went and parked by the Lucky Mine. I was impressed how far they got up the trail before we caught them.
Everything went well up to the ridge line. The trail is well established and fairly easy walking. When Anne-Marie and I first climbed it the scramble from the old miners trail to the ridge was brutal, but there is a nice path of switchbacks now.
Once on the ridge the rock scrambling really slowed down everyone. Every step had to be planned and the trail frequently disappeared.
As we neared 13,500 feet some small light clouds began to form in the valley below us. They started very light and wispy, but quickly grew to envelop the entire mountain.
This was Isaac's second fourteener. He complained for the first mile or so, but soon found his groove and did great.
As we reached the top the weather still looked solid in spite of the clouds forming lower on the mountain.
My family on the summit. Ellie's 8th fourteener, Kenny's 3rd, and Isaac's 2nd. Koda's 2nd too.
Trish and Keziah.
As we sat on the summit for a little while the clouds really began to grow. So we headed down in the fog.
I do love hiking in the clouds when they aren't hazardous, but these were building so fast I knew they were going to be trouble so we went as fast as we safely could.
As we reached the point where the trail drops off the ridge some rain started. Not long later we heard some thunder. As we neared the trailhead the thunder was frequent and we saw some lightning hit one of the high ridges. We got off the mountain a little later than I would have liked, but not bad. I did have to carry Kenny for the last mile due to him getting a terrible altitude headache.
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