Greetings from Colorado and Rocky Mountain National Park,
The past few days have been nothing short of spectacular! The group has been meshing like old friends getting to go together on a long-awaited fishing trip. Having a smaller group of just seven kids has allowed for our group to mesh at a rapid pace. The guys have been reaching for their pockets throughout the past few days only to find a void of where their phone usually is. It is one of my favorite parts of these trips is watching the kids find themselves uncomfortable with the switch to “going off the grid” from technology, soon to find themselves refreshed from the lack of distractions.
Day 2: Our first breakfast was one of blueberry pancakes and bacon once the boys had a chance to sleep in after a long travel day. We jumped right into our fly fishing bootcamp that consisted of various stations like knot tying, casting, and fly selection. A majority of the group is new to fly fishing, but we were all impressed with how fast they were learning. Curious kids learn fast and this group is full of them. Once the kids were ready, we took them to a nearby creek to start their first day of fishing on the trip.
The willow-lined banks provided shade for the winding freestone river. The weather has been like the kids: bright and full of sun. We have been lucky -- clear skies provided perfect opportunities for the kids to fish dry flies on the river. Eager fish rose to the kids flies and everyone caught several cutt-bow (mix of rainbow and cutthroat), rainbow, and brown trout. The kids faces were lit up after the day on the water. One of the great things about this trip is that we have an opportunity to be one-on-one with the kids for large portions of the day. This opens up great opportunities for personalized coaching and the chance to get to know each kid better and better with each day.
Back at camp, we ended the day with a game of basketball and a game of ultimate on the grass by the lake with the Rocky Mountain range acting as our backdrop. The sunsets here have been wonderful and we are sure to never miss one. A filling dinner of pasta and meatballs was followed by s’mores under the stars by the fire. We ended that night like we did the one before with our closing ceremony and reflection.
Day 3: The next day we had an egg, sausage, and hashbrown feast to start the day. The boys loved the river we fished so much that we went back again for them to fish it. Similar success followed, as the kids started honing their fishing skills. A lunch by the water was enjoyed with the company of shaded trees and one another. Afterwards we loaded back into the van and drove to our new campsite at Green Ridge which sits on Shadow Mountain reservoir. With our tents set up, we hopped back into the van to fish a new section of the Colorado River. The orange and reddish canyon rock shot upwards after years and years of the famous Colorado River eroding away at it. Here the boys fished with guides for some larger, more picky fish. Overall it was a success as each day brings more opportunities to learn more skills fishing and connect with one another. Back at camp before our brats and peppers dinner, we held another mindfulness class by the water to allow the boys to unwinds from the epic day they just had. A fire pit revealed the glowing faces and marshmallows as the boys ate one too many s’mores before falling asleep.
Day 4: Our final day before our first backcountry started with a morning mediation. The chirping birds and lapping waves against the shoreline acted as a great invitation for the day. Soon after, many kids polar plunged to really jumpstart the day. A quick cereal breakfast allowed for our best morning of fishing yet. The kids slayed it on the river with many kids catching the biggest and most trout of the whole trip. The boys were stoked as we ate a late lunch in a shaded area to escape the hot Colorado summer sun. We spent the rest of the day prepping for our upcoming backcountry while rewarding ourselves with some nice ice cream in the town of Grand Lake.
Day 5: An early wakeup was soon followed by the quick movements of the group as we packed up camp and our bags for the next few days in the park. Our hike was a beautiful one. The trail followed the winding North Inlet river as we climbed the trail. Burned and fallen pine trees reminded us of the impact one person can have on an eco-system from the historic Granby Fire and the introduction of the invasive Asian longhorned beetle. For most, it was the boys first time backpacking. We split up into two smaller groups of three and four for camping. The relief of getting to camp is always a great one to see as the boys cheered and celebrated the 5+ mile hike that they just had accomplished. With camp set up, we got the opportunity to go and fish the meadow section of the area that gifted bright red Colorado River cutthroat trout and spawning brook trout as well. Pesto chicken pasta was our reward for the long day. The boys reactions to how delicious the food was has us laughing. Note to parents: if you want your kids to think that you're a Michelin star chef, hike them for miles with heavy packs and cook for them in the backcountry. Our evening circle was met with cold air and overhead scenery of sparkling stars and the milky way from a lack of any light pollution.
Day 6: An early alarm started our morning as we rose before the sun had. A hot oatmeal and homemade trail mix (I call it victory mix) breakfast gave us fuel for the epic day that was in front of us. We shed layers as we rose up the mountain like the sun. With lighter day packs, the boys were able to move faster despite the steep and challenging terrain. Aspen trees wave their leaves in the wind as we passed by. We stopped at a pristine alpine lake with deep aqua colored water. The snow lined mountain bowl reminded us of how beautiful nature really could be. After lunch we hiked up the steep cliff side and snapped pictures of us looking down at the lake below. After a shorter descent, we reached our golden lake. A lake with no trail, no visitors, just huge hungry bright red cutthroat. The kids all hooked up side by side by side on the biggest cutthroats of their lives. Every time I looked up a rod was bent over with a happy face holding it. After 3 hours of fishing, we packed up and did everything in reverse. The descent of our epic day felt a lot easier, particularly with a day of great fishing. At camp the boys hugged and shouted as they looked back at their immense accomplishment. Dinner was once again Michelin star tasting particularly after the backcountry no-bake cheesecake to cap off the night.
Day 7: On the last day of our backcountry, we woke up and hiked out back to the trailhead. We did this in record time, even with the sore legs from the day before. We showered, had a swim in the swim, made a gas station run, did much needed laundry, and ate a pizza dinner. The guides here are so appreciative and proud of the group and what they have been able to do thus far. When you hear from us next, we will have fished for a few days around the park and near camp. After that we will do another epic backcountry into Tonahutu Creek for four days that will be full of tough hikes, huge fish, happy faces, and kids with memories they will hold with them forever. Until next time, wish us tight lines and good times.
~ Hunter, Hutch, Riley and Jack and the gang.
