The hike will be to Cottonwood Pass which is a 3.5-mile hike up to over 11,000'. It starts from Horseshoe Meadows at the end of the road. For those who can do the hike it would be about 2+ hours to the pass and half the time down. So if we head up by mid morning we could be up to the Pass by some time after noon and return by mid afternoon. The hike will be a hike to the pass of those who are up to it. For those not up to it they can hang a bit in Horseshoe Meadow, where the trail starts, and then head back down the mountain or hang out for a few hours and wait for the hikes (maybe not wait). If along the way of the hike someone doesn't feel up to the climb to the Pass we will leave them on the trail [so to speak] and pick them up [so to speak] on the return down the trail.

Here's a PDF with some pictures and details of the hike. Depending on who is going, the weather, the timing, how people feel at the altitude (including me) [simple potential altitude sickness preventive] we will see what is reasonable and practical under the circumstances once we're up in the mountains. We'll plan for a half a day hike and for those who aren't up to it or who get up there and then aren't feeling it we can send on a team to go to the Pass. I don’t like too much structure in the planning but prefer a more free forming schedule but the only timing consideration is too get off the trail before too late in the afternoon as the sun sets off the mountain ridge and the mosquitoes come out in force. Plus the weather will be so much better from mid morning to late afternoon.

The essence and spirit of these trips was not the actual trail we were on but the effort, adventure and accomplishment of each trip. I think this day hike will also be a bit of an effort, adventure and accomplishment and therefore an appropriate memorial to her.