Last weekend was our 6th annual Eagle Valley Cross Country retreat. When I formed a new team for EVHS (and split from the combined team with BMHS), the students said that they would miss the team trip the most. I thought, "We can do that." And we did! The first two years (when we had about 16 kids come), we just camped out at the base of a trail. When the 2010 season came and 50 kids showed up for the team, I knew I had to make a change. I surprised the kids that year with a nice rental house to stay out and we haven't looked back. We do a lot of fundraising through the year and, more recently, through our home meet to afford this trip. It is well worth it! It is such a great opportunity to get to know your teammates and hangout a bit.
This year we headed to Blue River, CO (south of Breckenridge) and then we hiked Mt Democrat, Mt Lincoln, and Mt. Cameron (Mt Bross was closed due to private ownership restrictions).
Our trip is Thursday through Saturday (due to previous no contact rules on Sunday for high school sports). We roll in on Thursday, go for a trail run, and then settle into our house. Thursday night we get ready for our hike and play some "get to know you" games.
Here is the whole crew!
Friday morning we wake everyone up bright and early, pile in the buses and head out for our hike!
Hiking up Democrat. You can see all of the people on the mountain this day!
First ladies to the top!
The whole team made it up Democrat! Woot Woot!
I always feel bad that people have to share the peak with our group. No one goes up a 14er looking for 50 people at the top. They want solitude. They want to enjoy the moment. We do try to be in one area and keep our voices down. I say all of that because we met another group up there with about 13 people. They were from Janus, a financial company, that has a 14er challenge each year. They said that the whole company is challenged to hike a 14er that the company president choses each year for a fitness goal. They said that in one trip (the one that the president goes on of course) they have as many as 100 people coming up the mountain on two charter buses! I felt a lot better about our group after that. What would you do if you saw two charter buses at the 14er trailhead parking???
Headed over to Mt Cameron
Our crew at Mt Cameron. Some of our kids decided to be done with one. Other decided to run the final two. So after the first one, we all split up :)
Wildlife on the way down! He was like 15 feet from our trail and didn't move as we approached! Such a weird body type on an animal!
Three more 14ers for my summit list!
Yay Ladies!
Hiking down. Everyone made it up and down safely. No lightening. No major injuries. It was a great morning!
Friday night we established our team goals for the year and then headed into Breckenridge to do a scavenger hunt and play around. There was this awesome bike tire tower that we had to snap a pic in front of.
Saturday morning is a chill morning for us. We did a sleep in day with brunch. Then, as coaches, we meet one-on-one with every kid and talk about their season goals. It is an awesome time of conversation with these kids and it leaves me pumped for what the season will bring. Let's get this party started, EVXC 2013!
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