What went well was the weather. Beautiful blue skies with hardly a cloud to be seen. Driving up to the Pass low clouds were spilling over the Crest and I was sure we were doomed. Happily, they were localized over the ski areas so by driving a mere two miles to the east we missed them.

So now to the less than ideal portions of the trip.

Clara and Lilly fussed almost from the moment we parked at Gold Creek. Amy worked on them while I put the pulk together and got gear ready. Lilly was mostly ok while I worked on no fewer than four of the five adults (myself included) and their snowshoes even though she was on my back. Clara was sitting in the pulk, having refused to don her snowshoes, and Amy had the pulk around her waist.

Lilly actually did quite well while in the pack almost all the way to the lake. Clara fussed and cried and said her feet were cold. Well, duh. It was 12F when we left the cars and although the sun was out we were in the shade most of the short trip to Gold Creek Pond. Unfortunately, Amy was also feeling a bit chilly in the foot department. Hmph. Maybe I just have freakishly warm feet. Dunno.

To help out I picked up Clara and carried her for the last quarter mile or so. (Yes, in addition to Lilly on my back.) Amy kept the pulk and the three sets of little snowshoes that had been deposited there.

Daryl had Jack on his back and Lex walked. Michelle was mostly unencumbered, but Cindy had tied our other non-pulking sled to her pack and was towing Aura. (Aura tended to lay flat or sit backwards. Not sure why...)

Amy beat us all to the lake and had a few moments of solitude there before we rolled in. Clara and Lilly broke down almost completely even though we did our best to keep them warm (or at least not let them get any colder) and entertained. We tried lunch, but to no avail. While the others were still eating we gave up and headed for home.

Back at the car and warming up a bit the girls relented and had some food. By the time we got home they were all smiles and giggles. Of course, when we got home I saw Amy's feet (waxy purple toes aren't good, are they?) and the end of the Seahawks game (fitting we should end our season with a game-winning field goal, huh?) so I wasn't terribly happy.

Still, as Daryl put it, "The worst day in the mountains is better than the best day sitting on your couch eating nachos and watching football." His Broncos had a really bad season so I don't know I really buy it, but looking back I can almost smile.

Almost.

Total distance is about 1.5 miles and 100 feet of gain.

Almost.