Hiking Table Top

While staying with my parents over the Thanksgiving Holiday we decided to take a hike. It was actually my Dad's idea since he can't stand it when we just sit around at home and do nothing. He just isn't the type of person to sit around at all. I think it has something to do with the fact that when he sits down for any amount of time he almost always ends up dozing off. So he initiated a hike for us and we called the cousins to come and go with us.

Our destination was Table Top mountain. It is an old lava flow that filled a river and then over time the edges have worn away leaving a large flat volcanic mountain that runs through their small town.

My kids always enjoy being with cousins and being outside in the lovely weather was just what was needed to burn off all those extra pumpkin pie, apple pie, and ice cream calories that we partook of the day before.

Here are all the kids at about the half way mark on the hike. We had made it through the easy flat part of the hike and were just about to start the actual climb up the mountain.

Molly and Natalie are best pals and helped each other along the trail. They kept telling each other they didn't need to be carried because they were big girls. They actually did the climb themselves. With a little hand holding and that was it. I was happy not to have to carry Molly since it makes the hike twice as hard.

The last part of the climb was rather difficult with so many rocks and a very steep incline. But the view at the top was worth the effort.

We hiked across the mesa to see if we could find Grandma's house below us but there was a hill in the way so we had to be content with just pointing out a few of the landmarks we could see and enjoy the view of the valley below.

Molly and Natalie did get carried for a bit on the way back down the hill but they had smiles the whole way.

There was some grumbling from the kids about how hard the hike was but everyone made it to the top  pretty easily and enjoyed the trip.  

Ian also informed me that this can count toward his hiking beltloop for cub scouts. Always looking for ways to make everything count double.