Our family tradition of searching for the perfect Christmas tree inevitably turns into an epic journey. We always look for a tree on the north side of Sinks Canyon (i.e. the shady, subarctic side of the canyon). This involves hiking to
at least the halfway point on the first switchback and then diving over one of the guardrails onto a steep slope and sliding down to where the 'best trees are'. Scott: "Look, there's no tracks - no one looks for trees here now that they've put up the big retaining walls." Well, go figure. Once we finally found our tree and hauled it through deadfall and over sagebrush and boulders covered in snow, found the trail and made it back to our truck, the kids were pooped. The picture to the right was taken only halfway through our day.
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| Scott helping Ben back up onto the Loop Road switchback because we'd hopped over the wrong guardrail to start. The best trees are downhill of the second guardrail; if you are so inclined to cut a tree in the most impossible spot in the canyon. |
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Scott has Ben on his shoulders and is pulling the sled and Laura
is holding up the top of the tree. I'm carrying the saw. |
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| Back at the truck - hot cocoa reward. |
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| Merry Christmas! |
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