December 2017 - Harriman State Park

Another winter wonderland year at Harriman State Park Yurts.  David and Grace joined us for a wonderful night of gaming (Salem!) and the next day spent kicking a trail up to the Railroad Ranch along the river and back.  Stephanie, Oliver and Charlotte kept warm in the second yurt, and did join us for the witch trials and the ski tour.  While at the ranch parking area we admired the kiosk signs illustrated and installed by Grace's grandfather.

Cleaning up our mess before the witch trials can begin

Ski Prep

Snowgazing

November 2017 - Moody Meadows

Ellie and I headed up into the hills with the intention of camping out and getting our family Christmas Tree.  We found the Table Rock campground closed for the season, so headed up the Long Hollow road to an area I'd been eyeing throughout the year as I made circuits of the area on my gravel bike.

We ended up setting up camp by headlight and headlamp, but had a great meal before tackling some Tangram challenges.

Dutch Oven Nachos!

The "Award" Tangram; we got better or they got easier as the night went on.

It snowed all night but we were plenty warm in our Hilleberg and awoke to a winter wonderland.  We enjoyed eggs and sausage for breakfast.

Hilleberg 1, Kitchen Tent 0

Watching Steam Rise from Breakfast Cleanup

Once camp was packed up we walked ten yards to find the perfect tree, and made it home without ever spinning a tire.

Leave No Trace (except footprints)

Lumberjill Ellie

October 2017 - Heise Hot Springs

Ellie and I headed up to Heise for their last open weekend of the season.  We flirted with the idea of running the zip lines in the morning, but good thing we didn't...

Candlelier Dinner for two (notice the green grass)

The pizza/calzone slipped while we were soaking in the hot pools

Morning breaks on 4 inches of snow

Thank goodness for Hilleberg Tents!

Breakfast of "Christmas Morning"

September 2017 - Packsaddle Lake

Took a little backpacking trip into Packsaddle Lake with the Goodsells.  Perfect timing with the morning hike out let us listen to Conference on the way home.

Ready to Go (looking across Teton Basin)

Downhill from here

Packsaddle Lake with Ellie, Lydia and Troy

Ellie and Dad

Lakeside Camp

August 2017 - Hatchery Ford Float Trip

This was a fun trip the weekend before the Eclipse.  We thought everything would be crowded, but lo and behold, we had the site at Hatchery Ford to ourselves.  The following day on our float from Riverside Campground back to the Ford we were joined by a wonderful couple from Montana who helped immensely in navigating the river and providing fun along the way.

It's a technical stretch, but safe to say it's the prettiest stretch along the Henry's Fork!

Hatchery Ford
 

Wild Raspberries

Boiled eggs in a cup and...

Muffins in Orange Peels - Scrumptious!

Waterbug Ellie and Ducky Pulsiphers Ready for Whitewater

Negotiating the tricky rocks

Back to the Ford

July 2017 - Stake Girls Camp - West Piney

In addition to the video above, Charlotte and I helped out a bit as in the pictures below.  (Charlotte is good at eating leftover donuts).

June 2017 - Menan Butte

Took a little backpacking trip up into the North Menan Butte with the Pulsiphers.  Had a beautifully soft bed on the verdant cheatgrass...

Rim of the Butte

Making Camp

Touching the "R" on R Mountain

Breakfast scratch

May 2017 - West Piney Girls Camp

Ellie and I went up the night before our ward was to help with a service project at the camp.  It was fun to have it all to ourselves...

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie (in the Dutch Oven)

Learning How to Chop Wood

Evening Hike

Torch 2.0

Breakfast

Coming Home on the South Fork Falls

April 2017 - Sky Mountain Ranch - Teton Valley

We enjoyed a frosty night at outside at the lovely Sky Mountain Ranch west of Victor with the Pulsiphers.

Ellie Making Dinner

Grace tending the fire

Dutch Oven Lasagna (feeds two hungry girls and their papas)

Ellie makes a Torch!

Morning Breaks at Sky Mountain Ranch

Ellie's Breakfast backed by the Grand Teton

Yummy Breakfast

Sunshine Breakfast

Old Barn on the Ranch

Ellie in the Attic

Contemplating skull anatomy