Warning: Risk of Severe Children Ahead

posted by Melissa

View from campsite D29, White River.

Turned out to be 3 adults and 4 kids on our car camping escapade to Mt. Rainier.  One of the kids chickened out at the last minute.  Something about bears, so I was thinking maybe he read my last blog post.  Actually if I had re-read it, I might have changed my mind about our hike.  Turns out we took the same exact hike where the woman saw the bear on the path!

Not half way along our drive, we stopped for coffee (adults) and bagels (kids).  Lily steps out of the van in her slippers and announced to everyone, with a giggle, that she didn't bring any shoes.  What!  No shoes?  On a hiking and camping trip?  I was already irritated with the constant drone of complaining and bickering from the rear of the vehicle.  Likely because, although I am used to it and can tune it out of my reality, we had Amy with us.  Poor Amy, she had to sit in the back amongst the whiners.  And my guess is, she doesn't have the same skill set I do to tune it all out, and stare blissfully into space.   The no shoes thing really took me over the top.

camp.

This is the thing, that is funny to an 11 year old.  Wearing slippers on a hike, into a cafe, around the campsite.  I guess a lot of the things I got irritated about with the kids were fun for them.  They kept saying to me, "We're just having fun.  Why are you so crabby?  You are the one choosing to make it not fun."  And as a Mom, I get stuck between with world of adulthood where you have to get shit done and be prepared for everything; and the other world of the child, where your main objective is to have a good time, and someone else is going to make it all better if you do something dumb like forget your shoes.  As luck would have it, Amy's flip-flops fit Lily.

Vista along the hike to Emmons Glacier.

After we made it to Mt. Rainier, to the White River Campground, we had to choose our campsite.  We scored an amazing site right by the river with views of the mountain.  Levi was complaining loudly that he didn't like that site, "It's not campy enough!  I am not sleeping there!"  Campy?  My geuss is he didn't want to sleep at a site with a view of the volcano.  His trip lately is all about natural disasters.  The entire drive to the mountain he incessantly asked Amy, unfortunately seated next to him, questions about earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and what happens to us when we die.  He has always been somewhat obsessed with these topics, and being in Baltimore when the earthquake occurred in Virginia was quite a tipping point for him.

Rainier.  

We chose the site anyway, but since the current tenants weren't packed out yet, we drove up the mountain to Sunrise Lodge.   (6400 ft. elevation)  That drive was intense.  There were parts of it where we were up so high, the edge of the road was a mere 2 feet away (maybe more, but that's how it felt) and the cliff below that edge dropped drastically.  I could barely keep my shit together.  At least they served beer at the top.

When we got back to camp, we set it all up.  I am proud to say I put up my tent all by myself.  Jamie usually does this kind of thing, but he wasn't there.  Amy and I were rockstars when it came to setting up and breaking down camp.  Not to mention cooking and fire starting.  And keeping our sanity.

Hike time!  We set out to hike Emmons Moraine trail, which started at our campground.  It was the most beautiful hike I have ever been on.  The vistas were amazing, and the trail very well maintained.  Take away all the complaining from my three kids, and it was everything I wanted hiking month to be.

I can't do it.

We had to bribe Tallulah with as much candy as she could eat after the hike, just so she would stand up and walk.  "Mama, this is the longest I have ever gone without eating.  My tummy has so many empty spots.  I can't go on."  But in the end, she did it and was extremely proud of herself.  And pleased at the follow through of candy being offered at camp.

After a night of not sleeping, we played along the river and built some cairns to add to the many that had already been built.  The adults all shared a moment of enjoying the fact that the kids were engaged and happy.  Unfortunately, it was lunch time and we had to move on.  Levi just couldn't handle the transition and the scene grew violent as he tried to beat me up because I we had to leave.  I am sure the lady passing us on the trail wondered if she should stop and help.  And perhaps if she hadn't of been there, I might have fought back a little more myself.   He continued yelling at me even after I got him in the van.  Finally a stern comment from his Grammy shut up him up.

By the time we stopped at McDonald's (yea, that's right, one last super mega processed meal before homesteading month begins) on the way home, he couldn't stop hugging me.

And with that, Hiking/Backpacking month is over.  That's a wrap people.
I hiked.  I camped.  I backpacked.  I cried.  I laughed.  I did it.

And I have my photos and my Smartwool to remember it always.

Looking forward to Urban Homesteading....
Melissa

Sneak Peek With My Homeskillet

Posted by Amy Baranski

Yes I am very excited about Urban Homesteading month. I am exploding with ideas. This time around we took two sets of photos for our monthly blog photo. In the same vein as Melissa's last post, I wanted to share a sneak peek. There will be more in September when we refresh the blog. For now, enjoy:




Staying on Track

Like Melissa said, we are still in hiking and backpacking month. My shoulder burns are healing well though. I've been using a homeopathic calendula cream, which has been soothing. My blister on my right heel is still a little bit of an issue so I've been rocking the flip-flops.

We are looking at going to Mount Rainier tomorrow, which will require a rental vehicle to tote everyone up. I have to look into that today. And even though August is running out I think we should try Mt. Si sometime in September, since it's such an accessible climb.

The Backpacking Chronicles: 2

posted by Melissa
There's Nothing That the Road Cannot Heal
(Lyric taken from Conor Oberst's song Moab)

Hiking down.

We hiked five miles out of the Eightmile Lake area, and yes, it was a hike.  Jamie seemed to think it didn't count as a hike.  Why?  Because it was downhill?  Last I checked, whether going uphill or down, if you are out in the wilderness (bear country backwoods wilderness) and you are walking, it is technically termed a hike.  Anyone else care to argue this point?

As I stated in the previous edition of "The Backpacking Chronicles" , the joy had begun to flood back into my sissy ass soul.  By the time we were in the car, driving down around steep cliffs at every curve on the gravel road to get a sausage in Leavenworth, I was thinking that the exposure therapy had really had a lasting effect.  I was not as afraid as I used to be.  Was I looking forward to another hike?  No.  All I am saying is that the drive was not as scary.

We came upon another big decision in the road.  Where should we go from here?  Camp outside of Leavenworth?  But the mosquitos.  Drive up into the Methow Valley?  Seemed far enough that the dream of no mosquitos could exist.  We all opted for the drive and  I love a good road trip.  The wind blowing, the music playing, the sun and a smile all over my face.

We quickly drove from land filled with pine trees and craggy mountain peaks, to a land that was softer and dry, with brown rolling hills.  Maybe it is because we live in such a damp place, but that dry air felt so good.  The arid land comforted my weary heart.  Or maybe it is simply that we were driving away from the mountain.

The pier we jumped off of, Lake Chelan.

We stopped along the drive at Lake Chelan.  It was nearing 4:30pm and we all knew we had to make a choice of where we were going to sleep that night.  I tried as hard as I could to telepathically send messages of sleeping at a hotel to the rest of the crew.  Apparently nobody got the memo.  Our choices boiled down to an overcrowded state park camp site, with our option being site 109.  We drove around, and it didn't exist.  It soon became the title to a horror film in which campsite 109 swallows people up into their worst nightmare.

This not seeming like a good option, we chose to drive on.  As our charmed trip would have it, we came upon a city park where we could swim for free.  Ahhhh.  Lake Chelan.  We all felt reborn in it's clear and refreshing water.  Happliy, we drove on, knowing another good decision was made.

I tried my supernatural mind powers again as we neared Twisp.  I really, really wanted to sleep in a hotel in Twisp.  No such luck.  Again we drove and drove, searching for a campsite that was supposed to be down some road in the middle of nowhere.  We never found it.  Campsite 109 jokes and comments filled the minivan.

Winthrop, WA 

We set our sites on Winthrop.  Bob knew of a campsite outside of town that was free, and he had been there, so it truly did exist.  It wasn't much further up the road, and I relieved myself of the grueling mind games that weren't working.  Yes, we were going to camp outside again, in the tiny tent.  Fine.

Plus, we got to drive through Winthrop.  "Holy F*#king Cute!" I exclaimed, as I drove through the town at about 5 miles per hour.  Can I get an HFC!  Damn that place is cute.  I didn't care that I had to sleep in a tent, I was going to be outside of this f*#king cuteness, and that made everything OK.  It also meant that perhaps tomorrow I was going to get to eat at a restaurant in this cuteness and walk around and dream about living there.

Campsite, not 109.

Yes, a road trip can heal a lot of things.  You drive away from your pain, and again like birth, the further away you get, the less traumatic the memory becomes.  You start thinking of the wildflowers you somehow collected in your memory, when at the time, you didn't think you cared to notice them.  You remember the feeling of being finished, and the sense of accomplishment, finding out that you had it in you to do something you didn't think you ever could.

We set up camp along the Methow River, ate our freeze-dried packets of food, and sat around the campfire already reminiscing on the fond memories we were creating on this trip.  There were a few mosquitos, but nothing like Lake Caroline.  There were just enough to remind us of how lucky we were to be here, and not there.

"Washed under the blacktop, gone beneath my wheels
There's nothing that the road cannot heal."
-Conor Oberst.

Peace,
Melissa

Warning: Risk of severe injury ahead

Posted by Amy Baranski

I adore hiking and backpacking; aside from swimming they are my all-time favorite forms of exercise. While these two activities are not new to me I'm excited about this month. Practically speaking, backpacking and hiking prove difficult to attempt on a regular basis as I don't own a car (and never have). I wish there was a shuttle or carpool service for people who want to escape the city and go hiking. And it should be called My Sherpa. (Internet searching to commence shortly.)

Other than transportation, time also becomes an obstacle. Finding a suitable trail and ensuring I have the correct map and the essential gear to go hiking seem to require lots of time. As my mother-in-law says: "work expands to the time allotted." So perhaps I should approach this as speed-hiking month!

Given my other life priorities for this month it's likely I'll hike only twice, maybe three times. This weekend will hopefully result as one of those times. I'm renting a car and driving to Oregon to celebrate one of my mother's milestone birthdays. I'm considering hiking the the Columbia River Gorge, a childhood haunt, on Sunday or stopping off at Mount Saint Helen's, or Paradise on Mount Rainer. Not sure yet. Either way it will only be hiking, and not backpacking. Although I could weight a bag and carry it, just for fun.

Permit Zone Map Provided by recreation.gov.

In two weekends we (Melissa, Jamie, Bob and I) head out to The Enchantments. While we did not pull the Core Enchantments permit we are permitted to camp in the 8 mile/Lake Caroline Zone. (The new permit reservation system was very confusing).

I've been to Leavenworth, but I've never done the Enchantments. I so am thrilled to be in that wilderness area. In fact, my husband and I have decided, weather and conditions permitting, to attempt to summit Mount Cashmere. If completed, this will be my highest summit. My two records are 4,167 feet and 6,102 feet. We talked to the ranger the other day and Windy Pass is clear, which is somewhere around 7,200 feet. Cashmere peaks at 8,501 feet elevation. Seems like I go up by 2,000 feet elevation each time. So in 2-4 years I'll take on Rainier (more on that later).

From what I can tell, the rating for Cashmere ranks at technically moderate. Does this mean I need a helmet and rope? Geez I hope not. From a post on Summit.org it sounds like if you have good route finding skills the scramble is mostly Class 2 with some Class 3 sections. Which, according to the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) is defined as:

"Steeper scrambling with increased exposure and a greater chance of severe injury, but falls are not always fatal."

Just don't fall.

Hiking: Take 1

posted by Melissa

Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake

After a gorgeous weekend on the Oregon coast with friends, Jamie and I set our sights upon Mount St. Helens.  Neither of us had been there before, and it was a clear day for viewing.  The sun was out, and so I thought a hike was in order.  Especially seeing as it was already a week into hiking & backpacking month. One of my picks. (I often go back and wonder why...truly wonder why I pick some of the things I do.  More on that to follow, likely all month long.)

Mount St. Helens was majestic and impressively large.  The hour long drive off of I-5 takes you closer and closer, and night I add higher and higher.  The drive out there had my hands shaking on the steering wheel.  I would get a shudder of nervousness through my body at every edge and bridge.  "Don't look" became my motto.

After getting some great views of the once intact mountain that is now forever in everyone's mind as we try to imagine what it was like for it to blow, Jamie and I set off for the hike.  The real reason we drove all this way.  (Truth be told, mine may have been more to walk on the sidewalk up to the viewing platform and snap a few shots of the volcano, but anyway.)  We pulled off into S. Coldwater Creek trailhead and set off on the dusty, dry path.

It was sunny and dry, wildflowers were out and you could see mountain after mountain in the distance.  It was quite lovely, visually.  Then I quickly started imagining my fear inspired what-if scenarios.  I started to speak to Jamie, up head.

"What if we see an animal?" I started off with broad strokes of trepidation, it could be any animal.

Just then two large birds startle and emerge like a shot from a low tree just to my right.  Jesus christ.  My heart was racing, but I thought that maybe I got out that silly fear, and we forged ahead.  Then the sunny warmth, and my lack of fear both met their demise.  The path lead into a thick, dark covering of trees.  Bugs were everywhere.  I swallowed my re-emerging dread and kept walking.

Not ten minutes later a snake slithered dangerously close to my foot.