Camping at Pearl Lake

We had a great time camping at Pearl Lake this weekend.  I'll let the pictures tell the story:

 We were fortunate to see quite a bit of wildlife:  elk, deer, moose antlers (on a sleeping moose), a snake, fish, and ducklings.

 Pearl Lake is located outside of Steamboat Springs.  It's one of our most favorite areas in Colorado.

 Camp Barber

 Justin made this lovely fire just before the heavens opened and we experienced a tremendous mountain thunderstorm and a deluge of rain.  Needless to say, we scavenged through the coolers for dinner and spent time playing cards in the tent, since it was a very soggy evening.  The boys are really good campers though, and they just kind of roll with whatever comes our way.

 They love their headlamps.

 There was a balloon festival in Steamboat Springs so we got up really early to go to the balloon launch.  The weather wasn't entirely cooperative, but we got to see a few go up.

 This guy pilots without a basket

 The balloons were very pretty

 Northwest Colorado is dotted with beautiful ranches, so we suddenly found ourselves in the middle of a cattle drive.  Lots of mamas and babies.

 Morgan snoozing with his carton of worms, which he called his "gummy worms"

 My three fishermen on the opposite shore

 Morgan casting away

 Happy campers

 Team Daddy/Jacoby caught a cutthroat trout!

 Checking out their catch

 It was such a fun experience for them

 He was about 12 inches long

 Morgan taking care of some potty business, and Jacoby giving him some big brother advice

 Playing with the worms

 Playing on the beach at Steamboat Lake

 Nothing but their birthday suits underneath their fleeces, after an impromptu swim at Steamboat Lake. (:

 Working on their camp journals while we got supper going

 Morgan wrapping up his hobo dinner...yummy!  And lucky for us, no thunderstorm or rain this evening!

 The brothers

 Roasting marshmallows

 Fishing at the end of the day

 Here we are...a tired, smelly bunch.  But it was a very good time.

 One last snack before bedtime

 Enjoying the camp fire and looking at the stars

Jacoby read to us every night, by headlamp, of course

 

 Moose antlers

This was our trip home up over Trail Ridge Road...not great driving conditions, especially when you're driving on the edge of a mountain at 12,000 ft.  But we made it home safe and sound.