Lost In The Right Direction

The chaos and troubles of life can sometimes be a little overwhelming.  Taking the time and using our opportunities to get outside and enjoy some fresh mountain air, jaw dropping views and admiring all that nature has to offer is to good to pass up in this crazy world.  Walking up on the view that this trail had to share was just stunning.  As you crest the hill and the mountains slowly (I'm a slow hiker) come into view I just stood in amazement. Pretty sure I have this same reaction every time.  Oh the places we can go, the view we can see, the mountains we can climb, the places our feet can take us.  It was a warm day with a slight breeze, birds going about their business filling the air with sweet sounds, the balsam root was in wonderful shape, lots of small wildflowers blooming on the hills.  Sometimes it's good to just wander over the hills, no path, just roll with the landscape and enjoy the surroundings as you make your back down to the trail....

I have to confess, I work so close to this trail that it is almost embarrassing to admit that this is the first time I have ever hiked it. I have for years watched the seasons change on this Butte as I come and go to work, had big plans to some day tackle the trail after work....Right, not going to happen. To tired, to lazy, didn't bring the proper clothing all the good excuses. So when my niece called me and let me know that she was on her way up from Oregon and her and my nephew wanted to join us on a hike. Preferably close, due to activities they had planned for later in the day. I threw out a few options, this being the hike with the most elevation gain, but with the nicest views and flowers blooming, she jumped all over it. So one of the only hikes that some how I managed to squeeze in to a extremely busy April, we left the house at a fairly descent time. With only a 20 minute drive ahead of us, we only had to make one stop for a morning coff...