Tree Hunting

Every year I pack the gear (ropes, saw and tarps) into the rig and head into the hi country looking for a Christmas tree. When Ivana and I were first dating she accompanied me into the 8000 foot level of Mirror Lake pass where we looked for sub alpine fir and got the rig stuck once we stopped. We sunk 2 feet down into the snow. I figured we get it out once the snow melted (sometime around the end of May) but we managed to dig, push and pull and get it out with the help of a group of snowmobilers.

She went with me once or twice more and then kids. Well once L was old enough (10 months old or so) I started dragging him out on our annual tree hunt. Around 4 years ago I found a really nice stash of White Fir at the 7000 foot level of a local pass. There are some beautiful trees back in there. As the years have gone on and as I have shown the cache of trees to a couple of friends, who it seems have shown it to a couple of friends...... well the draw is getting picked over and we are having to go further and further back up the draw to find the good trees.



This year we were over a half mile back up the draw. I may have to find a new tree stash come summer. We dragged John G and his boy Gabby up the mountain with us and cut a few trees. One for John one for us and one for a friend's family. Dragging two trees through scrub and brush with an almost 4 year old on your shoulders is WORK. I am going to have to work on his hiking. He will walk a bit but when he decides it is time for a ride he is pretty adamant about not walking.



Somehow I left the house without the camera, and so the photos from up the mountain were shot on my cell phone. The kids have fun, but sometimes aren't as careful as they need to be about not getting wet. It seems like every year they start to get cold (and whiney) just about as we get back to the car.... so it works out ok. Next year mom and J are coming for sure. (You hear that Ivana.... you are coming!)



We tied the trees to the top of John's old blazer and drove home. As always the trees are a little too tall and needed a little trimming. Gabby & L were super excited!



I cut the tree a bit shorter and jammed it in the tree stand. Then the kids attacked! They both were involved in dressing out the tree with lights and ornaments. Sometimes they actually were taking stuff off faster than putting it on, but hey that is what happens when you dress a tree with a 1 year old.





They have been pretty good about staying out of the tree.... well ok. The tree turned out nice, maybe not quite as full as last years, but still pretty. We were at Wally World last year after Christmas and they had a super sale on lights. Like $0.60 a box so we bough ten or twelve. We dressed the tree out in colored lights this year instead of white. Ivana says she liked the the white better ;)



I played around with the exposure time on the camera and got some decent tree pics. Ivana took a million pictures of the house all decorated for Christmas which you can see on her various social media sites.



Merry Christmas!