Camping weekend #4

Before the camping pics, I wanted to tell that I made my first ever apple pie.  

I know, shocking right?

Chris really likes apple pie, but I just never really felt motivated to make one.

We had friends for dinner Sunday night and it was alright.  I used the recipe out of Betty Crocker's book.  It didn't get flaky enough I guess.  Any hints out there?

But it was better the next day. I like my pie cold.  I have never liked hot pie and cold ice cream.  

Do you have an apple pie recipe that I need to try?

Ok, Fairy Lake was our destination last weekend.  

To be honest, we were this close to going to Yellowstone but we didn't really consider it until about 11 am on Saturday morning.  (On a side note, I have to say how much I love the fact that Yellowstone is so stinking close that we can go on a whim)  Two other good friends ended up going, not knowing that each other was going.  We should have planned better.  They ended up seeing grizzly and black bears, wolves, etc.  Bummer.  I think we will go this weekend.  I can't believe we haven't gone yet this year.

Fairy Lake is up behind the Bridget Mountain range, which are the mountains you see from our deck.  We have a book of hikes and trail heads, and this one looked pretty local and nice.  They give directions, and are very clear that 6.1 miles of it is a gravel road.  Lots of places in Montana are.  But this gravel road was horrible.  We took Chris' truck and bounced around for 40 minutes on this 6.1 mile gravel road.  So, this will be one and only time at fairy lake.

We kept going up and up.  There is a trail head up at Fairy Lake, called Sacajawea Trail, that hikes to the tallest peak in the Bridgers. So it is a pretty popular hike, and people love to fish Fairy Lake, so I am not sure why they don't make the road nicer.

Still some snow in the shadows.

When we finally got there, we passed a tiny little lake, and I was thinking, "this can't be what people have raved about.  All this way for this tiny thing?"  But it was Elf Lake.  There were 9 campsites and we found one.  These first come first serve camp sites are a bit stressful. 

Dum Dum suckers have been life savers. 

Fairy lake was a 1/4 mile trail from our campsite. (Another side note...and I know this will erk some of our Texas family and friends, BUT we have had the BEST summer weather.  Not too hot during the day, cools off at night and as you can tell, up in the mountains in the summer is nice and cool.  Don't be mad guys, you are welcome to visit anytime)

A fun little switchback trail.  Gunner didn't complain this time about the hike.  Yeah!  Little victories.

Rock throwing in the creek

Wanted to get a good pic of them here so badly.  The boy would not cooperate.

He kept looking at Chris and we were both telling, yelling/chanting, LOOK AT MOMMY!

Back towards camp

By the time I think to get in one of the pics, the kids are done wanting to try.

Except Sophie.  She was a willing poser.

We forgot our skewers. 

We got an awesome, quick little storm that passed through.

And I LOVE waking up to little tree shadows

That queen sleeping bag is amazing. I was actually hot.  Till next time!