Panguitch Lake

I'm trying to figure out how to not make a travel log insanely boring. I can't figure it out. The advent of digital pictures sure makes it a lot more fun to go and be able to just take as many pictures as you want and not have to worry about the cost of film and processing them. We took approximately 250 pictures between our two trips, I shared a few of the highlights in the slide show.
The first trip was to Panguitch Lake a week ago. We went with my side of the family. I have been pondering this thought - At what point in your life does it change from a vacation with my family to a family reunion? We still call it a family vacation - I think reunions are boring and for old people.

We did a random search on the Internet back in February and found a cabin at Panguitch Lake. We are not a boater family, so the lake wasn't a big deal to us, just a nice view. The location of Panguitch was what drew us there. In fact we had to stop by the lake the last night so that I could actually go down and touch the water. Aaron went fishing with Cassidy and Whitney so those three had been down there but the rest of us hadn't.

We went over to Bryce Canyon one day and went on a short hike - it is a lot harder to hike with little kids. Scares me to death. We didn't make it down to the bottom of this hike, if I didn't have my kids with me it would have been fun to keep going. The black dots in this picture are my brother, and brother-in-law with two of his kids.
The next day we went over to Navajo Lake and to Cascade Falls. We went on an "EASY" hike to the falls. I emphasis easy because that is what my sister said it was before we started. I would really hate to think of what a hard hike would be. (She has been fired of any and all planning of hikes in the future) Now, I am very afraid of heights, always have been. I have very vivid memories of going up into the mountains with my family and sitting on the floor of the truck so I didn't have to look out the window. Obviously this was a long time ago before seat belts were the cool thing to do. I also remember my mom (also terrified of heights) screaming at my dad (Not scared of heights) because he liked to drive his truck on these hills that pretty much put the truck vertical in my opinion. I remember clinging to the side of a mountain when we were hiking once because of a cliff on the other side.

Anyway - you can get the idea. I don't like heights (or maybe it is just gravity I am afraid of!) We get a little way in and there is a sign that says "Trail Closed." Now isn't it funny how peer pressure works even as an adult. My first thought is - turn back. But hey everyone else is going on. There are a lot of people there, no one else is turning back, everyone is simply ignoring this sign. We talk to several people, and say was it hard? How long is it? Is it safe for little children to go on it? Now I would like to say that all of these random strangers are liers. Not only am I terrified of heights, but I am holding my 3 year old daughter's hand and trying to pretend like it is all fine and keeping her from walking off the side of the mountain. To summarize a little here, the path went along the top of the mountain with approximately 10,000 foot drop on the one side. Most of the trail was washed out - hence the trail closed sign - so there was only space enough for one person to walk at a time, so it is holding your child's hand in front of you while you walk. We finally get to the point where we can see the waterfall and my mom and I agree that this is far enough for us. Aaron, my dad, Cassidy (who didn't have her glasses yet and can't see) and Whitney decide to go on. My mom and I stay with Lindsey and Grant and some stranger lady who also chickened out at the same point and waited. Well the area we were waiting in was about three feet from the cliff and Grant was not liking sitting in his Grant pack waiting. There is no way I will take him out, so I strap Grant onto my back and my mom and I head back with Lindsey. I made my poor mom hold Lindsey's hand and try to walk back through the hike. (Thanks mom for not letting my daughter die) I seriously am still having nightmares about this experience. To almost everyone else on this hike it wasn't a big deal - like the 20 year old girls who said "I did it in my flip flops" - but when it is suddenly not just your own life, but four small children, it changes your perspective - and also the scared of heights thing played into it a little.