Return to Sugarloaf Mountain

We're baaaack! It's been awhile since we've hiked at Sugarloaf Mountain. Not because of the weather. It has been a rainy spring, but there have been nice weekends now and then. With my ankle surgery three months ago, it's been too risky for me to take on climbing a (small) mountain. But I finally felt up to par, and today's rain stayed away long enough for us to fit in a hike to the summit. Plus Kat and Ross were able to join us!

Julia has a new mode of transportation for hikes - the back carrier. Even though I felt up to hiking, I'm not quite ready to haul Julia. So Troy took over my job this time. Maybe I'll resume my role for the next hike.
Today's forecast for a 50% chance of rain kept the crowds away. Once we reached the top of the mountain, we pretty much had the place to ourselves. It was great hanging out at the top, checking out the view, having a family picture taken, just taking it easy.

Julia found a great little perch on a rock. She seemed to know that this wasn't exactly the best place to crawl around, so she was content to sit with me and check out the scenery.

Evelyn, meanwhile, was all about climbing rocks and looking for caterpillars. She just loves hiking and climbing and rocks and critters (and anything outdoors!), so she had a blast. Kat and Troy kept a watchful eye on her to make sure she didn't get too close to the edge of the mountain while exploring.

Like I said, Evelyn loves climbing on rocks. She found a more creative way to scale down the mountain, and it did not involve walking the trail. This time, Kat and Ross helped Evelyn navigate the steep descent.