Abe's Chair and Camp Luthy

Beduhn Idaho Vacation 2010 Travel Log

August 6 & 7, 2010-Days 7 & 8

The kiddos have settled into a morning routine of watching DVR episodes of Max and Ruby on Auntie Ellie's bed (ie, the sofa), while the adults work on breakfast and pack for the day's adventures.

I could tell Ellen was a little anxious about dropping Adam and I off at an unmarked trail head off Smiley Creek Road before continuing on her journey to Big Creek for a few days on her own in the wilderness. After about an hour spent searching for aforementioned trail head, we decided to trust that we were standing by the correct stream marked on the topo map and convinced her to drive away. Jordan and Heather convinced me earlier that morning they would watch the boys while Adam and I enjoyed some unexpected time away to attempt a double peak, beginning with Vienna and concluding with Abe's Chair, the peak we viewed daily from camp.

Since we got a late start on the hike and we planned to meet the Dales at the drop spot at 4 pm, we changed our route and starting ascending Abe's Chair. Our decision was fortuitous, as the weather on the summit was questionable, and we never would have had time to peak both Vienna and Abe's without causing undo worry.

It was just like old times...signing it at the summit box, enjoying trails food (we had purchased an expensive Gouda and organic loaf of bread in Ketchum before leaving town)...and experiencing the majesty of God's creation. As Holly (Wendt) Crowser would have said...we were blessed with an "Ah Ha moment." View of Lake Alturas from the summit
Castle Peak, Whitecloud Range
The arms of Abe's Chair





While we were hiking, the boys were dam building at Lake Alturas.
We met the Dales at 4:10 pm and proceeded to LHBC for the beginning of family camp. After a quick tour of the camp, we had dinner in the lodge, sang a couple camp songs, and played meadow games. Collin and Aaron's excitement was contagious.

Luther Heights Bible Camp, the meadow
Braxon, Jordan, Carter, Heather, and baby Dale (who we all learned about for the first time this morning!) I guess spending a week amidst our chaos didn't deter them...or maybe we should've arrived about 6 weeks earlier?
Climbing the Rock


Family picture, with an Abe's Chair backdrop
I feel blessed beyond measure that somehow we managed to find each other in this crazy world...and that, God willing, we can spend the rest of our lives together making beautiful memories.
Turns out climbing is not the problem...but convincing the boys to descend slowly to avoid calamity.
View of Abe's Chair, 9,988 ft, from the Rock
After our hike, we attended family camp's evening worship service in the lodge. We had an opportunity to offer prayers at a station around the fire pit, picking up a rock and placing it next to one of the five items that had meaning to us in the moment. Our family lined up behind the medical supplies, to pray for Nana's health. After the service Collin whispered to me, "Mom, even though Nolan can't say Nana Splash out loud, I think he thought her in his heart."

We drove back to Sun Valley after worship and departed for Salt Lake City around 11 am. The picture confirms...everyone is still smiling!

I made the mistake of saying that our traveling issues were behind us after our experiences on the front end. However, I didn't anticipate airline weather delays in SLC that would impact our connection in Denver. As we exited our gate in Denver, our flight to MSP was in final boarding, over 20 gates away. We told the kids to run...fast, and we arrived at the gate as the attendants were closing the doors. Fortunately, they let us on the plane and we arrived home in Minneapolis around 11:30pm, with baggage claim and the Park-n-Fly still ahead of us. Fortunately we have Sunday to recover.

All told...it was an incredible trip.

Post script August 29, 2010
Adam's persistence with the airlines paid off. To compensate for our traveling horrors, we received free vouchers worth more than we paid for the original tickets and a check for our hotel room in Twin Falls. Idaho...here we come...again!