A Remedy For Cabin Fever

These arctic blasts we've been seeing rather frequently this winter have not been friendly for my little ones.  My children love to play outside, but when the daytime highs don't reach the freezing mark, (yesterday's high was 19) there's not much they can do outside for very long.  Mom and I can only abide so much television and she's done her best to keep them engaged in painting and crafts.  But today, I said we were getting out, regardless of weather.  So I packed us lunch while Mom got them dressed and we headed out for an adventure.

When we parked at the trailhead, the kids recognized where we were and began asking if they could slide down the waterfall like last summer.  Not today, kids.

A giant hemlock stump, another victim of the the wooly adelgid.

Temps hadn't risen to above 20 in about three days.  Everything has a protective coating of ice.

The climb from the lower falls to the upper falls was very treacherous.  Most of the footpath was solid ice, but the end was worth the hike.

After we got our fill of the waterfall, the kids were getting hungry.  Mom gave them snacks while we headed for destination number two.  We hiked to an old campsite that I grew up camping in and let the kids explore the creek and the woods while I fixed lunch.

Mountain House prepared on the Blaze stove.

There's something about a creek that appeals to every kid.

And you can't go to a campsite and not have a campfire.