Part 1~Sunlight Cabin

The first four days of our road trip were spent in Sunlight Basin at the G&F cabin. 

I never grow tired of the sheer beauty of this place.

A place that has become even more special to us since moving away

 Our first morning we awoke to the sound of a chirp which Mark assured me was just outside the window. I was sure it was coming from inside and sure enough we found this little guy in the living room. We think he got in accidentally through the chimney and was trying to find his way out.

It was pretty entertaining watching Mark run around the room trying to catch the little baby. 

He then set it free.

Bailee and I got right to work hanging all the new curtains she had sewn for the cabin as a personal progress project. 

 

She did a great job and although we had to fix a few that didn't fit the handmade log rods correctly, they look terrific and were a much needed update to the rustic place.

Lots of time at the cabin is spent on the rocky shore of the creek. This year there was a Killdeer that had laid her eggs right in the rocks. The only reason we knew this is because she would fake a broken wing which is what they do to deter predators, and make this high pitch noise if we walked anywhere close. 

After it being so unusually hot last year, we decided to bring tubes to float in the river. The water was FREEZING ! I have a weird lack of tolerance to cold water and I don't adjust to it like most people. It kind of makes me lose my mind a bit. Emmrey begged me to give it a try and so I wanted to be a good sport. It was fun {minus the cold water} but lets just say there is a video Mark took that is hidden deep in the family vault;) I did float down several times but it never got easier. Emmrey on the other hand couldn't get enough!

The weather was a little unpredictable ... or predictable if you consider we could count on rain everyday we just didn't know when.

It did make for some cozy cabin time. Mark had this great idea. To combat some of the cooped up time, he told the girls to each make a doll using things they could find around the cabin. This is what they came up with. Pretty creative!

L to R- Emmrey, Bailee, Karsyn

We had a couple of failed attempts of fishing due to that rain. We tried to fish the upper Sunlight Creek one evening and as soon as we walked to the bridge it started to downpour. Oh well ... we tried.

We tried the next day to fish Little Bear Creek which is located in the Beartooth Mountains in an area known as "Top of the World".

It was a success to say the least. Everyone got in on the fun of catching these little baby brook trout. The action was constant making it easy to hold the girls interest. By the time we made our way back to the car, Kars had caught a nice round 30, Emmrey 26 and Bailee about 14 {although she quit far earlier than the other two}. Fun stuff!

It was a great spot for a picnic too and we managed to finish just in time for another afternoon storm to roll in

 This trip made me appreciate the cabin more than ever. It was so nice to have a refuge from the storm {literally} and be able to carry on inside while we waited for it to pass ....

Once it did .. .. we were back outside

Gorden and Bode kept this girl busy

Enjoying time around the fire

 Smore's are pretty much expected. Although I think it is more about the camping tradition than loving smores per se. Most of us eat one at most and then maybe toast a few marshmallows. This girl could eat them all night if we let her. She took it upon herself {likely with a little coaxing from a sister;} to make a double decker. She was most certainly cut off at this point:)

 

Our last day before heading to West Yellowstone we got going earlier to do a hike in the Park. Mark gave the girls the choice between a longer hike that was flatter and a shorter hike that is steeper. Those little rascals chose to climb ...ugh!

Another time we will do Osprey Falls, but this time we hiked Bunsen Peak.  The appeal of this hike are views like no other.  I wouldn't disagree but we didn't exactly get to take it all in. About halfway up the mountain the dark clouds started to loom. We proceeded with unnatural speed so we could make it to the top before the rain and I thought for sure Mark was trying to kill me. Climbing is not my forte as it is. Ascending at a speed that allows for no stopping to catch your breath made bad words swirl in my head {and possibly out my mouth}.

The views that make it worth it

Overlooking Mammoth~ 

We made it just in time for a group photo{silly faces at Emmrey's request} ...

...and then ran for cover under the roof of the radio tower. Thank goodness that was there because it poured for a while. We signed the log to prove we made it and had a quick snack lunch.

A few hundred feet from the summit is another peak which may be the official "peak". I thought it was all the same given the weather conditions. Not these two. Once the rain let up they wanted to touch ground on the other peak as well. I think they were just showing off;)

The rain let up but soon the lightning started and Mark was all business about getting us off the mountain! He is typically telling me not to worry so when he gets worried ..... I am a wreck! We more or less ran down through the switchbacks at record speed. I was in shock and worried about the handful of people we passed on their way up. Already uneasy about possible bears in the area, adding the fear of being struck by lightning was almost more than I could take. We made it back in one piece and thankfully the girls all said it wasn't that bad:)

What an adventure!!