Yule Pass ADVENTURES

So Saturday we decide it would cool to go up to a place called Paradise Divide, which is truly an amazingly beautiful place and that I would go for a run and then meet my main squeeze and his pal up at Yule Lakes. I took off with the dogs and we had an excellent 6 miler up passed the top of Schofield Pass then back to the Divide. I did a superman, changed my shoes and strapped on my hiking backpack and ate a bar and off I went. This trail, minus some of the rock slide areas is an easy peasy trail for about 2.3 miles to the top of the pass. So, I rolled up and passed Shamus' parents close to the pass. They said as usual there was a snow slide area and Shamus had cut out steps and that they were only about 20 minutes ahead of me because Tom had to backtrack after forgetting his fishing pole on a pee break. So, off I go again and get to the slide...I take one look and decide no way in HECK am I crossing it by myself. So, I turn around and go up a cut in the hill about 25 yards back, which was much easier. This whole time as I've been hiking I notice how black it is getting behind the pass and unfortunately as I crest the top of the hill all hades breaks loose and there is lightening outstretched like a hand above me. So, I bust a major move down, down, down and hit the trail again and the pups and I hunker down beneath some willows for a few. Luckily, I'd had the foresight to put on my rain gear. Snow, hail, grapple and rain and two t-oed pups thinking that I am punishing them take of to find a place a bit more out of the wind. So, up and over the pass to the other side of the snow slide and wait under a rock ledge for a few while it is coming down in sheets. All of the sudden the sun comes out and we jet back out up and over the pass, but I see a huge line of black clouds well on it's way. So, in the break I decide that maybe it's not too late and I could catch Shamus' parents before they leave. Up and over the cut I go again, and basically running down the trail to the cars and I get there right as the rain starts and no parents, which was fine. So, the pups and I hop in the jeep and chill while the next line of storms pass and again out comes the sun like a beacon. At this point, I have no watch and no key to the jeep to know what time it is, but looking at the sun I can tell round about what time it is and that I don't want to just wait at the jeep for hours. So, I strap on my backpack and off we go up the pass and up the cut down to the trail and into the meadow. The whole time I'm just a hair worried because Shamus' had told his p's that if I couldn't make it across the slide that I should just go home with them and after being at the jeep and going to the pass the second time I realized that a note just in case probably would have been a good idea, but hindsight is always 20/20... I roll down into the meadow about a mile passed the pass and look who I find, a sight dressed in earth tones, pheeew! Here are some photos from the trail back with those yahoos...

Peace...