Hiking in Beehive Basin

Ah, from my classroom -- just spent about three hours organizing files (does that not sound FUN?) -- I did take a little time off to visit with a colleague in the AC and a custodian that I adore -- that man makes me LAUGH -- he is a rig. When I called him that, he wondered what I meant. How do you explain it? The essence of him (sorry not at all about Beehive Basin yet)... Two short snippets that will help you understand why I like the man.

First -- within the first week of starting here at this high school we became friends. I have known people like him (although there really isn't anyone JUST like him) all my life. So he strolls in with his broom and bellows, jumping me a little, "So, you think you're so smart. Why don't you find me a book I will like." (Said with a rippin' Maine accent). I proceeded to find him many books he enjoyed and look forward to another year of doing the same.

Second -- he is just about to leave my classroom after one of our daily afterschool, afternoon visits and he grabs his gut -- which is alarmingly substantial -- I honestly do worry for his health -- and he says, "Yup," while patting it and loving it a little, "it's the only thing I got that's paid for."

That's him. Saw him today and was instantly happy to be back around the halls. Good people that make you laugh -- who can have enough of them?

So Beehive Basin -- beuatiful place (what isn't out there, honestly?).

Although it is the place where the wounded right side theme begins. We had a beautiful hike -- made it nearly to the summit of Beehive istself -- just shy of it but still within an amazing view -- and on our way down I tried glacading. Glacading is basically skiing in your hiking boots, shoes, etc. I was doing really well -- ripping it up almost -- but I did not get in control of myself early enough to avoid landing in a pile of rocks with my knee. Ouch. My ever-caring brother does not start with, "Shit -- are you alright?" Instead he leads with, "Kari, you cannot do that!" Well really, I just did -- and it sucks -- but I was fine. Thankfully I had an ACE bandage and there was snow so I made a little ice pack and we ace-bandaged it to my poor right knee -- and then continued on. It was beauitful up there. And BIG -- so much country. Huge.

Beehive (to the right)

That is Jim up there on that rock. As we came up over the ridge we were gifted with seeing many Rocky Mountain Goats -- I saw three -- and then they disappeared around a cliffy corner. Jim, the lover of all things goat, hiked up to this vantage point so he could see them better and ended up seeing their whole troop -- four adults and two kids. When he and Mike beckoned me I hiked up some and got to see them all from a distance -- it was awesome. They are incredibly cool animals.

Michael and me on the ridge.

Beehive from where we lunched.

Gallatin Peak.

To give you an idea of how big it is out there, that is Mike down there waving -- he is just to the left of the snowpack -- in blue. And that is Jim beside him -- to his left.

Pretty sweet.