Mt.Meader/Basin Rim trails (pt.1) .

Friday we laid Grammie June to rest. It was a somber day full of friends and lots of family. We had time to mourn, then, to celebrate her life, Mom, Dad and I headed into nearby Evans notch. A tribute hike to Grammie. Up the Wild River onto the Eagle Link trail, across Meader ridge to mt. Meader then continued on to the Basin Rim trail to the Basin trail and back to the van two days later.
Friday night we made it a few miles into the site of the former Spruce Brook shelter, now all tent sites. The shelter actually lay in ruin, bundled up by trail crews, who are removing shelters to return our wilderness back to wilderness. YEAH! Sign at trail head said no camping Tues/Wed due to heavy helicopter traffic in area. We assume they'll be picking up the bundled shelter.
Saturday we had a bad start, I was playing around with a toad, and if I have one bit of life's advice for you, it would be....NEVER put a toad in your mouth! YUCK! SPIT! GAG! EEEEEKKKK!
For an hour I foamed at the mouth. What a disgusting taste.Mom also had her back go out, not a good start.
Thank goodness the day brought so much beauty, brooks and birches and stunning rock mountain views. We, well the folks, picked alpine cranberries, being very careful not to disturb the alpine vegetation that takes sooo long to grow.
Second night we came down the other side of mt. Meader as the sun was setting and camped part way down in the pine thickets. Our morning view was looking down on the fog bank that engulfed the Basin. Absolutely gorgeous! Slow poke back to the van (Mom's back) and when Dad wasn't carrying both packs to help Mom out, he was practicing his "flip my pack on" trick,(see video) pretty cool.
Ended up being the most extraordinary hike of the summer, a great tribute to Grammie.