Proud Papa

[scatman]

Sorry, but I'm going to be kind of long winded for a bit. I just can't help myself you see. I spent last weekend in Portland, Oregon to attend my daughter's graduation ceremony from Lewis and Clark College. Katie has been my sidekick on numerous backpacking trips, and my weekend hikes over the years, and has shown up in many trip reports on this site over that time. Here is a time sequence leading up to her big day last Saturday.

Uintas at almost four

Grizzly Lake Trip at five

Ribbon Lake Trip at six - picture taken at Clear Lake

Rescue Creek Trip at six, a couple months from seven

Great Smoky Mountain action at seven

Shoshone Lake Canoe Trip at eight

Back to the Smokies at nine

Mount Aire at nine

More Uintas at nine

Grandeur Peak at ten

Chain of Lakes in Yellowstone at ten

The Avenues Twin Peaks at eleven

First family member to the top of the beacon on Mount Wire

Mount Van Cott

Jack's Mountain

Stirred up a rattlesnake on this one

Checking out an AT Shelter in the Smokies

Back to Grandeur

She stirred up another rattler on this one

Mount Holmes Trip in Yellowstone

The old Cougar Creek Trail on the Mount Holmes Trip

Trilobite Lake

Bushwhacking across the Millcreek Ridge at twelve

Rubik's Cube?

Trying her luck on a climbing wall in Jackson, WY

Seven Mile Hole in Yellowstone

Sunset Peak

First hike up Mount Olympus at thirteen

Summit shot

Bushwhacking up Thayne's Peak

Heading back from Queen's Laundry in Yellowstone

Enjoying time with her brother at the Bear Pit at Old Faithful

Failed Avenues Twin Peaks attempt at fourteen

Red Butte Ridge

Black Mountain

Frary Peak

Second summit of Mount Olympus

Back in the Smokies, checking out a wild boar trap

Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Sentinel Creek in Yellowstone on our Lower Geyser Basin Trip

Began keeping a journal while bakcpacking

Nasty Bushwhack to Buffalo Meadows on the same trip

At Buffalo Meadows

More Uintas fun at fifteen

Hmm ...........................

Broads Fork Twin Peaks attempt

First attempt at the north summit of Mount Olympus

Enjoying the summit view

Scrambling on our way back down

Grandeur in the winter

Olympus in the winter - first for her

One of my favorite shots - bushwhacking out of Red Butte Canyon on our attempt to reach Lookout Peak

Dragon's Tail route up Grandeur

Scramble up Mount Raymond

View from summit of Mount Raymond, looking towards Goblers Knob

Posing with a bison on our DeLacy Lakes Trip in Yellowstone

At DeLacy Lakes

At Mallard Lake on the same trip

Hmm...................

Deseret Peak at sixteen

Castle Rock attempt on Stansbury Island

Black Mountain hike

Another summit of Mount Olympus

Broads Fork Twin Peaks attempt

Winter Grandeur at seventeen

Dale Peak hike

Summit of Dale

Sunset Peak hike

Summit of Sunset

Canoe trip around Yellowstone Lake

Best seat in the house!

The Mary Mountain Trail in Yellowstone

Mount Raymond at eighteen

Broads Fork Twin Peaks, the Robinson's Variation

Mount Nebo hike

COVID times as she turned nineteen on our Pebble Creek backpacking trip in Yellowstone

On Wolverine Peak on Pebble Creek trip

Crossing Pebble Creek

View from Bliss Pass out over the Pebble Creek Drainage

Church Fork Peak

North Summit of Mount Olympus again

Lone Peak hike

Pfeifferhorn at twenty

A nasty cold day on Avenue's Twin Peaks over X-mas break at twenty one

Mount Van Cott over Christmas break

Snuggling with Juniper

So there you have it. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I didn't shed a tear when she crossed that stage at her graduation ceremony after receiving he diploma.

Congratulations Katie! I hope you take your love of wilderness and nature into your adult life. I've enjoyed every minute of all our adventures, and good luck to you on all your future endeavors.

 

[TractorDoc]

I'd be lying if I didn't say that I didn't shed a tear when she crossed that stage at her graduation ceremony

Tears are fine. What we really want to know is if you smiled.

Congratulations Katie! Your outdoor accomplishments are impressive and I hope they continue well into the future.

You have every reason to be proud Hugh. I can definitely see where a little bit of Scat has rubbed off onto Katie and Hugh Jr. . . and in this case that is a good thing.

 

[The Trout Whisperer]

Makin me shed a tear or two….what a wonderful journey y‘all helped guide her down th trail of life thus far….She’s goin on ahead with th knowledge and experiences y’all have given along with her new tools she’s learned also….good job Dad…

 

[Titans]

Super cool photos @scatman and congratulations to Katie

 

[Janice]

This is so beautiful! I'm crying now, too. (I cry way too easily - just imagining someone crying brings on the tears.) I'm so happy for her and your family to share in this milestone together, after having shared so many special adventures throughout her childhood. Have you thought about making a book (Shutterfly or whatever) using these wonderful photos? I'm guessing she treasures these experiences almost as much as proud papa does!

 

[Janice]

And I'm curious - did she major in something related to the outdoors?

 

[ImNotDedYet]

Congratulations Proud Papa! (and mama!) Not only have you raised a strong, intelligent, young woman, but instilled in her a love and respect for the natural world - one of the greatest gifts given to me by my father.

And congratulations to Katie on an incredible accomplishment!

 

[canadug]

That is SO awesome! Congats to your daughter......

All those years and wonderful adventures are something you will all always remember.

My daughter and I started adventuring in the outdoors when she was 2 and 17 years later we are still exploring.

 

[Rockskipper]

Lewis and Clark is a very prestigious school. Congrats and may her future be filled with many happy trails with no rattlers. You guys gave her the greatest gift that parents can give - the gift of good parents. (Your kids are both adorable.)

 

[scatman]

Tears are fine. What we really want to know is if you smiled.

Congratulations Katie! Your outdoor accomplishments are impressive and I hope they continue well into the future.

You have every reason to be proud Hugh. I can definitely see where a little bit of Scat has rubbed off onto Katie and Hugh Jr. . . and in this case that is a good thing.

No smiling allowed!

I hope that they have very little of the Scat influence as that can lead to trouble.

 

[scatman]

Makin me shed a tear or two….what a wonderful journey y‘all helped guide her down th trail of life thus far….She’s goin on ahead with th knowledge and experiences y’all have given along with her new tools she’s learned also….good job Dad…

Thanks for the kind words.

 

[scatman]

Super cool photos @scatman and congratulations to Katie

Thanks!

 

[scatman]

This is so beautiful! I'm crying now, too. (I cry way too easily - just imagining someone crying brings on the tears.) I'm so happy for her and your family to share in this milestone together, after having shared so many special adventures throughout her childhood. Have you thought about making a book (Shutterfly or whatever) using these wonderful photos? I'm guessing she treasures these experiences almost as much as proud papa does!

I hadn't thought of making a book of photos. I'll have to give that some consideration.

And I'm curious - did she major in something related to the outdoors?

She didn't, she majored in English with a minor in classical literature. She is an avid reader, and writer. The University of Washington in Seattle has accepted her into their graduate program in Library Science. She will be starting in the fall.

 

[scatman]

Congratulations Proud Papa! (and mama!) Not only have you raised a strong, intelligent, young woman, but instilled in her a love and respect for the natural world - one of the greatest gifts given to me by my father.

And congratulations to Katie on an incredible accomplishment!

Yep, mama is pretty proud too, and thanks for the kind words.

 

[scatman]

That is SO awesome! Congats to your daughter......

All those years and wonderful adventures are something you will all always remember.

My daughter and I started adventuring in the outdoors when she was 2 and 17 years later we are still exploring.

Thanks @canadug. It's great to hear that you are doing the same with your daughter.

 

[scatman]

Lewis and Clark is a very prestigious school. Congrats and may her future be filled with many happy trails with no rattlers. You guys gave her the greatest gift that parents can give - the gift of good parents. (Your kids are both adorable.)

Thanks Skipper.

Ha! All the credit goes to Sheila I'm afraid.

We don't have any problems with rattlers in the Scat household. Of course, that could change if someone gets bitten.

Hugh II is living in Portland and working for BASF, and Katie wants to be a librarian, so it is off to graduate school for her. I guess they will both do okay, but I still worry about them heading out into the world today.

 

[balzaccom]

Very nice. You are quickly approaching the time when she will outhike you. Been there, done that!

 

[scatman]

Very nice. You are quickly approaching the time when she will outhike you. Been there, done that!

I'm afraid that that milestone has already been reached. Unless of course, it is a really long hike, then my stamina wins out, or at least it used to.

 

[SteveR]

Something for the whole family to be proud of!

I guess they will both do okay, but I still worry about them heading out into the world today.

I hate to break it to you, but you will likely always worry. Our daughters are 39 and 42, well established with families of their own, and we still worry at times. I guess that comes with being a parent!

 

[Ugly]

Congrats to Katie!
And once in Washington I sense some more Cascadia adventures and the Olympics. That's great.