Trip to Juneau, Alaska (Part 3)
Well, I have to admit, I am tired this evening! What a day this was! Can you read the sign that my niece, Taylor is beside? Well, it says that the portal camp in 1.7 miles up the trail. I don't think we made it that far, but if you look close to the pictures below, you will see that this was one heck of a climb for us.
When we started out from the hotel I made sure that we packed our lunch. I didn't want to have to come back to the room and waste the gas to get here and then back out there. So about half way up, well half of the path that we climbed before it got to dangerous for Taylor to be on, we stopped for lunch.
We even got to see a rodent on the path as we climbed.
After resting and eating lunch we started climbing again. Man! Am I out of shape! Course this was not the easiest trail to climb. In some places it got very steep.
But, it was well worth the hard climb. Some of the different views of the river below, the snow capped mountains and the forest were spectacular!!
After about a mile to 1 1/2 miles, the path just got way to steep for me to feel comfortable with Taylor trying to get up it, so we turned around and headed back down. t took us several hours to get up and back down the mountain.
We were both tied when we reached the bottom, but Taylor was not ready to head back to the hotel. I had started this little game with her the other day. We are adventure girls, and we can do anything....even go places that the BOYS would be scared to go. Well, I paid for that today. She just had to go see more! So we drove farther north of town to the end of the road. We parked and started looking for a trail and found one.
Just when I thought this trail was not going offer up it's treasures real soon, I heard the sound of rushing water. As you can see from the pictures above, this was a beautiful waterfall. The last picture I took would make for a great oil painting! Once there, I really didn't want to leave. I just wanted to sit and listen to the water.
BUT.....
Taylor had other ideas, so we trekked on.
We didn't get to far when the trail started to look like it was not as well maintained as the rest of it. We had to go though some vegetation and as we pasted though, I guess I brushed up against a plant that I shouldn't have. We have been seeing these "prickly" plants all over the place and knew to stay away from them. I had tested what looked like thorns on our first day out exploring and we both knew that they could hurt. But these plants didn't look totally like the ones we had looked over the day before. So even though I was paying attention and trying to not get to close to them, I really didn't have much choice. where Taylor made it though without any problems because she is shorter, I didn't and one got me. At first it wasn't a big deal. Yes, it hurt, but not that bad. But about 2 minuets later it started itching, the a few minuets after that, it started burning and hurting. so I turned us around. I was not sure that it might not be something that I was allergic to or a bit poisonous. My arm looked like it had been stung and was turning red and puffy. Not to bad, but that far from town with a small child, I thought it better that we head back, just in case..... On the way back we did stop long enough to take another picture or two with us by the waterfall.
My arm got to feeling better by the time we got back to the SUV, but it still was stinging, burning and hurting a little. We came back to the hotel and I washed my arm off. Now it is doing fine and not bothering me at all. I am not sure what it was, but when we go back out there tomorrow, I will make sure that I have long sleeves on when we get to that part of the trail. I don't want to get bit by that plant again!
What wonderful photos. I love to see all the trees and green things. Your trip will prove very educational for your young lady. We must always get our little ones out there to experience the world. Good job giving her such a good educational adventure.
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