On our only full day in Colorado, we set out to my favorite area of Rocky Mountain National Park. It would be Philip's second visit. I picked a trail I thought the kids could do. If they got tired, I would just tow them on the sled. The weather cooperated, at least to my taste - it was snowing! The ranger at the trailhead did not. We were told to leave the sled behind. When I asked for a reason, he said that is the policy since someone had died sledding last year. Hundreds of people get killed while driving and no one bans it. As I watched people passing by carrying backcountry skis, about to engage in an activity potentially a lot more dangerous, I thought to myself nothing beats a stupid policy, I guess I mumbled it too, and was told that I could fill out a complaint to the park's superintendent.
We left without the sled. It was snowing heavily and while Philip seemed to enjoy it, Matthew objected from the start. We passed Nymph Lake and followed the wrong trail up. It was shorter but steeper. At this point, both of the kids just wanted to go home, but I was determined to show them Dream Lake. It was great as I had come to know it. We could not even see Hallet Peak above it through the blowing and falling snow. The wind was the last straw and my kids were staring to hate me. Matthew refused to see any of it and insisted on having his hat pulled all the way down his face. So we just made it half way across the lake, turned around and returned to the car.
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