Day-hike with the family and dogs

Pinot and Maggio enjoying a small dip, and cool-off in one of the cold streams we encountered.

Yesterday we took the whole family, dogs and my friend who is visiting from Finland, on a gorgeous, fairly strenuous and  simply stunning day-hike through Sentinel Pass in the Lake Louise area.

Short synopsis of the day:
Through Larch Valley to Sentinel Pass, over Sentinel Pass into Paradise Valley, down to Lake Annette and through the forests down to the Moraine Lake Road.

19 km, 7+ hours, more than 2 liters of water each, 2 sandwiches, multiple mandarin oranges, and a few much-appreciated sugary treats...
Tired legs but ecstatic minds.
My friends' super tech watch reported 2100 calories burned.

Going up toward the Pass.

Almost at the top of the Pass. Maggio's real name isn't Mountain Bluebird for nothing :-)

Coming down from the Pass toward Paradise Valley side - a fairly steep and extremely rocky 500 meter descent, probably not enjoyable for someone with a fear of heights. The kids and dogs were amazing - they just "go with it" and get down.

Once down the steep and rocky descent off the back of the Pass, Paradise Valley opens up and the scenery is - once again - completely surreal. 

It was still several hours to get all the way down from here and yes - all got tired - and we finished our last drops of water in the last 20 minutes of walking - but happy, content and Exhausted - we made it all the way around the circuit. Had a big dinner at home and slept a solid night's sleep.

The final photo (bottom) is again from the top of the Pass. Absolutely stunning scenery!! The hiking in "our backyard" is simply unreal. 

Our kids at 10, 13 and 14 are like Mountain Goats and seem at home wherever we take them. The dogs, having both grown up in the Rockies, too - don;t miss a step, never stumble, trip...just simply amazing hiking partners.