[NWtrax]

great shares everyone!!!! I finally got this girl out on her first backpack trip last weekend. We both had a blast! 9 or so years ago...

[Slowlanemcvane]

Wow, great stuff everyone! I love seeing pictures of the littles out on the trail! My family is just starting up with hiking over the last couple of months. My wife and I take our toddlers out in their Osprey Poco Plus backpacks, and have done trips of up to just short of 7 miles thus far. We haven't gotten "good at it" yet, as we still have a bit of a harder time with moderate and steeper grades. I'd like to say that it's from having a 2.5 year old and a 1.5 year old on our backs, but who knows? The kids seem to get a kick out of it, my oldest loves to nag me until I let him reach out and touch trees, and he's obsessive over waterfalls. We want to get in a couple of hikes before the rains start up, and are looking for 6ish mile loop trails and maybe some modest climbs (did Lena Lake, and the 1300 foot gain was a bit of a killer for us on the way out) and maybe with the benefits of waterfalls and wildlife. We're in the Tacoma area, and don't mind driving a couple of hours for something special, especially if it isn't a crowded place. For example, Denny Creek was too busy for us, in spite of the nice vistas. Proximity to Seattle definitely seems to affect the crowds, and since we're slow on the trail (30 minute mile, on average) we tend to get in everyone else's way. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[payton]

Happy to finally be back on the West Coast, enjoying winter in California!

[Foist]

We had a day of firsts on Sunday. Our three year old (will be 4 in June) did his first real 100% self-propelled hike yesterday! He hiked all the way to Barclay Lake and back without being carried at all. On the way up he had trouble finding a mode between "sprint" and "meltdown," but eventually he figured out that he could rest for a bit and get his "powers" back. His little sister also had her first hike in the "WEEE!" (i.e. our Deuter child-carrier backpack). The hike was busy but within my tolerance level. And for a low-elevation lake the hike is quite pretty. There is one annoying fallen tree right before the first group of campsites, and then a really big mess of trees right after the 2nd group of campsites (before the sign for the toilet).

[olderthanIusedtobe]

That's cool Foist. Can I assume the trail has been cleared to the lake? There were dozens of trees down all along the trail back in November or so, and I think the area got hit by another storm that caused more blowdown after that.

[Foist]

Yes it was cleared to the beginning of the lake, basically. I saw a report on WTA by someone who hiked it a couple weeks ago and encountered the trail crew that was doing the clearing.

[mbravenboer]

Nice to see, Foist!

[raising3hikers]

Last weekend, I was able to talk my daughter(Sahale 6) into a short hike up Cedar Mtn 898'. She ended up having more fun than she had thought. She even asked to go on other nearby trails, so we did.

Sahale heading up the trail

Sahale making sure she tagged the summit

[RichP]

[raising3hikers]

On Saturday, I was able to get 2 of my kids (Jayden and Sahale) out for a short hike up Mt Erie. Ryan had baseball practice, so wasn't able to join. We parked at the TH and walked the road to the summit. Sahale had a good time finding and eating snow. We took the Sugarloaf trail back to avoid the road and got a brief view of the Sound. Sahale lead the rest of the way back down and had a good time.

Sahale taking a bite of snow

Sahale brought a toy up the peak saying it was her home

a view of the Sound

[bobbi]

i love seeing the little hikers enjoying the outdoors! start them young! i posted this photo on the Celebrations thread... my daughter is due April 21. someday, i'll be posting photos of my first grandson. so excited!!

[silence]

OMG Eric .... I can't believe how time flies!!!!!! In my mind Sahale was still just a sweet little toddler ... and now she's growing up fast and oh so beautiful. She obviously loves the great outdoors, like her mama and papa. Congrats on raising another hiker!

[Backpacker Joe]

My nephew rafting Minotaur lake.

Hunting hamming it up at Minotaur

[Hiker Mama]

My "Little Hiker" is now bigger than I am, and his sister is catching up. But it's cool that they still want to go out with me on trips. Our last snowshoe was in Central Oregon.

G taking photo of Black Butte

[neek]

Hidden Lake Peak

Baby's first summit