Erickson Epistles: July 2020

Dear Friend,

July was hands down the best month of the year. Spending the entire month above 9,000 feet we were freed from the Covid cloud in more ways that one.

Our summer theme was "Ericksons Go The Distance" in the effort to teach the kids that each mountain is climbed one step at a time. We had driven the 1,800+ miles out to CO and had plans to hike at least ten mountains. We bought everyone their own pedometer watch and decided to track our miles each day. In the seven weeks we were at Tober we walked over 1,310 miles as a family, we went on twelve hikes, three of which were over ten miles and the three big kids hiked their first 14er. Elias hiked multiple 14ers; one morning he hiked four of them in a row. He took a few days off each week to enjoy the mountains with us. I'm grateful he is such an ox was willing and able to carry Rose along with the majority of our water on every hike.

The majority of the month was spent living as hermits in paradise. We dedicated a little time each morning to learning/goals and then just enjoyed life in the mountains. We all loved the hikes and I was so impressed with the kids. Tober has a ton of activities but we also had a bucket list of activities including painting nights, sleeping under the stars, a Tober Spartan race, ropes course, fishing, fire-making lesson, culinary lessons, science experiments and more.

I loved calling my kids in for bed. Many nights they were out on the canoe and this was the view I had while they put things away.

Smith lost his shoe deep between some boulders about four miles into this hike, but luckily we were able to retrieve it.

We were able to enjoy lots of visitors! It was so wonderful to see my parents and Carter and his family for a few days.

We got together with my dear friends from high school and their kids. It was good for the soul.

John and his family also came and joined us one weekend. I don't know if my boys or girls loved having all those boys around more.

A major highlight was the weekend we went to Estes Park and stayed at the same YMCA I used to go to as a kid. It was beautiful and we had so much fun!

Elias, Summer, Boyd and Smith summited Mt. Bierstadt.

We attempted Mt. Democrat with the entire family. We didn't quite make it but it was an awesome hike.

After a lifetime of seeing the sign for St. Mary's Glacier, I finally hiked it with my family.

Another huge highlight was our long weekend in Colorado Springs. Between Garden of the Gods, native ruins and Pike's Peak, we experienced so much beauty it was a spiritual weekend.

Summer:

My favorite memory of the summer: glissading down St. Mary's Glacier

My favorite hike: Mt. Bierstadt

My favorite activity at Tober: make forts

Something new I'm glad I tried: sleeping out under the stars

The hardest thing I did: hike Mt. Logan

I'm most proud of:summiting Mt. Bierstadt

Joy:

My favorite memory of the summer: staying in the hotel at Estes Park

My favorite hike: seeing the mountain goat on Pikes Peak

My favorite activity at Tober: zipline

Something new I'm glad I tried: fishing

The hardest thing I did: I learned all my letters

I'm most proud of: how much hiking I did

Elias:

My favorite memory of the summer: finishing our Tanglewood hike and after 8 miles, the kids were running as we passed where the kids had quit on our first hike

My favorite hike: solo hike on Decalibross

My favorite activity at Tober: sleeping outside

Something new I'm glad I tried: working from Tober

The hardest thing I did: working from Tober

I'm most proud of: completing the Decalibross in three hours