Centennial Mountains Hike {Women Only!}

So, I have an amazing friend named Lindsey.  She and I first met in Bryan, Texas, when both of our families lived there while attending Texas A&M (whoop!).  When she and Daniel moved to Rexburg, we never lost touch, and some of my best journal entries are the emails that I copied and pasted during Lindsey's multiple bouts of extended bed rest.  She needed stimulus and communication, and I loved those weeks (and weeks) of sending and receiving emails daily.

Fast forward to our own move to Idaho: I knew that we'd reconnect with Daniel and Lindsey here in the Gem State, and I am so glad that we have, because they are just about the coolest people you could meet.

Allen and I have always loved to backpack, but when Lindz learned how into it we really are, she quickly adopted me into her women-only hiking group (sorry, Allen and Daniel).  She and a group of hiking friends plan 5-6 hikes a year that they do together.  One is for families . . . but the rest are well-planned day hikes for girls only.

*Sidenote: I feel that "women who hike" should have their own collective noun name--you know, like a flock of geese, skulk of foxes, or crash of hippopotami.  I felt immediately comfortable with this handful of women whom I had never before met, because "love of hiking" is a not-quite-so-common trait among female homo sapiens.  And so I have coined what I feel is a fitting expression: a boot of hikers.  Feel free to spread the word :).

This boot of hikers met in the early morning at Lindsey's house on Saturday, June 29th, to load up and head North, where we hiked to Blair and Lillian Lakes in the Idaho/Montana Centennial mountain range.
 

One tough boot of hikers: Becca, Sharee, Lindsey, Rachel H,
Heather L, Lucy, another Rachel H, Becky, Heather H, and Debbie

We left one car at the Lillian Lake Trailhead, then drove another ten or so miles to the Blair Lake trailhead, so we could do more of a loop than an out-and-back.  The hike itself was seven miles, but we added another 2-3 by walking to the highway while waiting for the two intrepid vehicle drivers.

The weather was spectacular, the views were breathtaking, and the company couldn't have been more perfect.  I loved talking with and getting to know so many of Lindsey's awesome friends, and getting so much time with Lindsey herself (I spent the night at her house before we hiked) reminded me why I have always kept in touch with her--she is awesome!

The trail criss-crossed the Continental Divide trail during the entire hike

The perfect way to start the day!

We got to Blair Lake in no time!  There was a small group
of people camped at the lake, and I still wonder what they
thought of ten women showing up out of the blue . . .

Blair from the North side

I hung back a bit to take pictures, and I love all these line-ups
of everyone hiking and talking and enjoying the amazing views

I think the Continental Divide Trail symbol is graphic design
at its best: simple, understandable, and cool!

Everyone say "kneeeeeeeeeeeees"

Luce and Lindz

First view of Lillian Lake, where we stopped for lunch

The whole gang

We were definitely in bear country, but ten talking girls are
fairly safe from catching a bear unawares.  Still, we had three
cans of bear spray between us, and several whistles, just in case.

From Lillian Lake to the summit of the Continental
Divide was the hardest part of the trip, so we stopped
to rest once we crested the rocky saddle

God's flower garden.  Seriously, it was wildflower HEAVEN the
entire hike.  Lindsey knows her wildflowers better than I do, and
we had a friendly debate about whether "Oldman's Whiskers" or
"Prairie Smoke" was a better common name for Geum triflorum,
also known as Long-Plumed Avens (the most boring name of the three)

Please correct me if I'm wrong.  I had trouble identifying the vetch and bluebonnets
Shootingstar has been my favorite since I took Wildflowers/Biology 221 in 1998

Awesome photo!  Can you tell we had a great time?

The hike back to the trailhead was all downhill after that point

Right before we made it back to the car.  We stopped in Ashton
and got pizza at the Five-11 Main Drugstore and Soda Fountain,
which was excellent, and a great way to unwind after a long hike.

It was just about my favorite way to spend a Saturday!  I am especially grateful to Eli and Savanah for letting us stay at their house, and for Allen, who took all four of our kids plus two cousins to Rexburg Rapids for the day while I was hiking.  He's so hunky!