Hendrickson Lake Adventure

On Friday night Sam asks if I want to go fishing on Saturday. “Sure, sounds fun! Where do you want to go?” He replies, “well, Katy and Mike are going to Hendrickson Lake with the boys tomorrow and said we could come with. It’s kind of a tough hike in but, I think we can handle it.” I'd never been but, I figure, if Katy and Mike are bringing their 8 year, 5 year, and 6 month old boys, surely I can handle it-no sweat. We decide to go.  

Boy was I in for a surprise.

On Saturday, I excitedly prepare snacks, Emma’s food and bag, gather water, and get ready to load the car for our little adventure. We hit the road towards Parawon Canyon. Connor, my 8 year old nephew, rode with us. Connor is probably the sweetest 8 year old kid on the planet. He patiently entertained Emma in the back seat. I thanked him for helping her and he proudly exclaimed “I know how to make babies happy. I can always make my baby brother Cooper smile”. Connor, who was recently baptized, is a wonderful sibling to his two younger brothers and is such a thoughtful little guy. I remember when I babysat him as a toddler and he repeatedly thanked me for everything I did. “Thanks for making me dinner Natalie, thanks so much for coloring with me Natalie, Thanks for wiping the counters, thank you for taking care of me”. What kind of a kid says things like that??

Anyway, about an hour later, we arrived at the trailhead of the Hendrickson Lake hike.

Katy and Mike met us there with Cooper and Caleb. We got the kiddos ready to go and started up the trail. I should have known what it was going to be like from the first step. When I looked ahead of me, the trail was headed up on a steep incline. The path didn’t change much from that first step but, my pace sure did. I started out quickly and excitedly walking, ready to get to that lake and do some fishing.  After ½ a mile, I was slowing down significantly, trying to catch my breath and wiping the sweat from my brow. Sam kept saying “I think the lake is just up this next hill”. Five hills later, he’d say the same thing. It reminded me a little bit of when I was in labor and the doctor kept saying “You’re so close! Just a couple more pushes!”  We went another mile like that-It felt like we were climbing straight up and I could feel my heels starting to blister in my fishing boots. I finally had to stop. I sat down for a few minutes. “You okay?” Sam asked. I said between breaths “If I had any strength right now, I’d hit you!”

FINALLY we made it to the top of the hill. I started out in the lead and ended the hike last. (Connor later pointed out to me that I had finished in 8^th place.) I wanted to use the fact that I had recently had a baby as an excuse but, my sister-in-law Katy had her baby just two months before me and when I arrived at the lake, she already had her rod out and was fishing, looking perfectly well rested. I spread a blanket out on the tall grass and lay there with Emma for a while to catch my breath. Once cooled off, I was able to take in my surroundings. The lake was beautiful! The quaking aspens were showing the slightest hint of fall and you could see their reflection in the water below. Sam quickly caught a nice little brooke trout. We enjoyed a couple of hours of fishing and relaxation before we decided it was time to head back. (We didn’t want to do that hike in the dark!!)

                                                     this girl...She just melts my heart. 

Of course, the downhill climb was much easier! However, there were new problems. My heels were so badly blistered that it hurt to walk and I was slipping down every gravelly hill we started down. Connor was my hiking buddy on the way down as Mike and Katy were behind with the other two boys and Sam and Emma were way ahead. At one point, Connor and I took a wrong turn and hiked down a really steep hill in the wrong direction. In order to get back on the path, we either had to climb back up the dangerously steep hill to try to find the original trail, or go off the path on a slippery looking area that would connect us to the actual trail. If we were to slide on this spot, we would slide down the hillside and be in real trouble. I was worried, especially about Connor. He said, with great faith “Good thing we said a prayer before the hike. Don’t worry, we’ll be safe.” We carefully made our way on the slippery edge toward the path and made it safely, just as Connor knew we would.

We got down to the bottom and met Sam and Emma at the cars. Connor was pleased with his 3^rd place and kindly suggested that we BOTH were in 3^rd place even though I had come down the trail just behind him, probably to help me feel better about getting 8^th place on the way up. Just when we got to the bottom, the migraine started. I spent the drive home with a pounding headache, extremely car sick, and stopping every few miles to throw up on the side of the road.I was extremely happy to crawl into bed and turn out the lights as soon as we arrived home. I think that might be my one and only trip to Hendrickson Lake-no matter how beautiful it was or how good the fishing. Nevertheless, it’s a story to tell and was an experience to remember.