Field Trid Friday #10--Buffalo Peak

The days are getting shorter, but so far, the warm weather has held.  Next week, however, all that is supposed to change.  So before it gets cold and we don't want to be outside anymore, I decided to do an outdoor activity today for Field Trip Friday.  I wanted to hike to Buffalo Peak, from what I'd heard from a friend, a relatively easy hike with a fantastic view.  I had it on the list of things to do over the summer, but we didn't make it.  Today seemed like the day.

While I initially met with some resistance from Blythe, we invited cousins as well as Lily and Emma Bradford, and having friends along made it seem far more appealing.  We borrowed Grandma Sue's car which would hold eight rather than five, and we took off up the canyon.  Actually, we turned up the Squaw Peak Road and climbed and climbed for a long way.  I had been given fairly vague directions but was mostly confident we could find the trail head, and although we didn't hit upon it right at the beginning, we did find it.

The weather could not have been more perfect.  We were able to hike in our shirtsleeves, the sun was out and it was warm, but it wasn't hot and I had no complaining about being tired or hot or needing something.  The hike was about a mile with beautiful views over the valley as we neared the top.  The kids were enthusiastic hikers and didn't complain.  In fact, most of them were far ahead of me and had to be kept at the summit so I could take pictures before they raced back down.  They were loud too, screeching into the air for no apparent reason.  They were all very funny.  I was delighted with the hike and will return, perhaps spending a bit more time at the top rather than racing down after the children.  It was a super fun field trip.

The trail and children racing ahead.

I thought this was the trailhead, but I was wrong.

We had to climb up a hill to get to the actual starting point.

No one seemed to mind.

At the summit.

Hikers are: Crew, Ava, Brandt, Blythe, Lily, and Emma

Valley views

This is what much of the hike looked like.  

Had we come several week earlier, the trail likely would have been lined with trees covered in brightly colored leaves.

Oh well.  

I still think it's beautiful.

We can almost see our house from this vantage point.

The field closest to the mountain is just behind our cul-de-sac.

The large building is Centennial Middle School.

It was fun to see houses in our neighborhood.

We made it!

We are hikers!

Blythe took this picture.  

I don't look fantastic, but it is proof that I made it too.

The trail on the way back down.

Brandt and I were behind the other kids who had ran on ahead, 

but we saw a flock of wild turkeys moving through the tall grass.

We were't really very close, but you could see them--maybe seven or eight.