A Cold Starry Night Got Me To Thinking (A Side Note Into My History)...

Warner Mountains, near Alturas, CA.

When I return to Seattle from Anchorage, at the airport, I stop at a  little bookstore and grab a "book for the road," sort of speak. This past time I got Clair Fejes's memoir, "Cold Starry Night". It's about an artist who moved from New York to Fairbanks in 1946 to homestead with her husband. Mostly though, it's about a woman who left a major city with an already developed knowledge about art and culture to a remote and newly constructed town for the gold rush so her husband could strike it rich as a miner. Only, I'm gathering that never happened. Instead, she went from a social lively existence to extreme isolation and fear. She had never shot a gun, went fishing, and her idea of nature was the town park!
The concept of the story makes me think about what it must have felt like for this woman to make such a crazy transition in those years to  a place dominated by men and where the temperature dropped to an average of 60 below in the winter. A transition from a house to a shack with moss as insulation! Again, at 60 below! And a wood stove that is used for cooking and heating at the same time! Remember those? Probably not. We had one when I was a kid on Whitlock Rd in Mariposa, CA in our green cabin. It was cool. We also had insulation!
Claire reports that when she arrived in Fairbanks, AK in 1946 the population neared 3000 people. And that it had dropped from around 5000 when the "rush" started to slow. And so that also got me to thinking...
Basically, this lady moved from New York, to Alturas, CA times 60 below!
When we got to Alturas, we hadn't expected a winter that would drop to 20 below. We were from the mountains, and we knew mountain life, and we thought we would move up there and continue what we already knew. But by the end of summer, the first time around, we knew we were in for a LONG winter! And long is was. In Mariposa, the snow would drop a foot or more. We would leave our car at the top of the driveway on Tip Top Rd. and hike down to our house through the woods. And a few weeks later the snow would have completely melted off. And we'd wait and repeat the cycle over and over again, until the season changed. In Alturas, or rather Likely, CA, an even smaller town twenty minutes out of Alturas, the snow fell that first year, and stayed the entire season, and more snow fell on it! And it was cold as hell! Reaching 20 below some days. Our truck wouldn't start, we got low on wood, and didn't have family around to turn to. Nor did we know anybody to turn to if we should need a hand. We moved back to Mariposa real quick! I read about how the the town folk in Fairbanks helped Clarie and her husband right away, as they knew she and her husband were going to be in grave danger by winter with no way to escape. And man, I just thought, would if we couldn't leave! Crazy!!
When we returned to Alturas the second time. We were more than ready. And we had brought my mom's sister and kids along with us this time, and made them stay there too! That time around we had family to turn to, and we made friends to lean on. I turned to the Hasting's and the Campbell's who were native to the area and learned a great deal about Modoc and about how to be a decent person in general. And as soon as the spring came, I would go out to Jess Valley with Danny and my mom and we'd ride horses and hike around the lake. It was a pretty cool existence. Growing up in the mountains for me, was not so much fun as it was normal. Thank the good God we hadn't tried to move to LA from Mariposa! Or to Fairbanks from New York, good God!
Anyway, I'm having a great time reading this book and liking this woman's story to my own. I guess everything has changed from 1946 to now. Except the simple life, it is still the same, only it has insulation!


~ "I went out there with nothing to lose but danged if I didn't lose that!"

Unknown

Winter Backpacking to Mt. Rainier's Dead Horse Creek

View of Mt. Rainier from Dead Horse Creek

Snowshoe Backpacking in Mt. Rainier Park is an accomplishment that anyone can admire. Naturally I had to test my ability to not only survive cold conditions, but attempt to stay warm while doing so. My first thought in planning was to take a few minutes to research what other backpackers were suggesting on the internet. In turn, I made a list of a few things that I agreed I should have. Extra things such as a second full body sleeping pad, extra batteries, and snow boots.  I normally try to pack as light as possible, but on this trip, I quickly abandoned my thoughts of light travels for hopeful thoughts of worm and dry nights. I also agreed to go with  a team of roughly 40 other hikers. I hoped that this would give me some peace of mind about not being familiar with the area being hiked. I had a  little over a month to put everything together or be forced bail out.
My first purchases were from Amazon and consisted of a double layer full face fleece beanie, insulated slippers, and a back up stove burner. I borrowed a full body sleeping pad from Joey, my hiking buddy on this trip. I also arranged to rent some equipment at Whittaker Mountaineering. Whittaker is a mountaineering expedition shop in Ashford,WA. They put together expeditions from as close as Rainier to as far as Everest. Check them out if you plan to spend any time in the park. With a variety of services to offer, you can't go wrong choosing them.
On the day of the hike I slipped into my base layer consisting of synthetic "dry" long john top and bottom. Then put on my snowboarding  pants and a long sleeve cotton-less shirt. I tossed my coat in the back seat of my car, with the intention of strapping it to my bag at the trailhead, but ended up putting it on instead.

We made a quick stop at the Longmire Ranger Station to fill out permit information for my car and register where and how long we would be camping in the park. Then we were off to meet up with our group at the Dead Horse Creek Trailhead. As it turned out less than 20 packers showed up to do the hike. And many hikers were leaving a day early due to the Seattle Seahawks  being in the Super Bowl. I too, would be leaving a day earlier then I originally planned in order to watch the game.

A walk through the trees.

A hiker packing down snow around his tent.

A view of camp from the trail.

At the start of  the hike we quickly found ourselves questioning if we were on the right trail. Luckily Joey had done this trek the year before and pointed out right away that nothing looked the same to him. Although, I was wondering how he could know this? The only things we could see were snow, trees and clouds. We turned around and went back to the trailhead and started over again. This time we found the correct trail in a small fork to the right about 50 yards in from the trailhead. I hiked with Joey and two others while lead hikers plowed the path 50 feet ahead of us and the rest fell about 25 feet behind us. Thankfully, the hike was easy. In fact it only lasted about 30 minutes  before we were at our destination. That's when the real work began. Packing down snow and building trails in and around the tents is something that has to be done, preferably before dark. We also built a community area. It took me about an hour to pack down the snow so I wouldn't sink down to my knees when I stepped out of my tent or attempted to walk around it. Then I packed down a trail to my buddy Joey, in case either of us needed anything and lastly, I packed down snow to the Community area trail. Then I set up my tent and continued to pack down useful trails around the rest of the camp, like a trail to a tree to pee at. Something I would not want to be doing in the middle of the night. And a trail to my food. Some backpackers brought shovels with them and used them to dig out trails and campsites. They finished a lot faster then those who forfeited the luxury of having a shovel in camp, like me. And their camps had an all around more advanced structure than those of us who were using our feet. Next time I'll have a shovel strapped to my backpack.

My sleeping system

My insulated booties were the best investment!

I had thought long and hard about my sleeping system, and I decided on it being the bunk system. I placed down a thin sheet of heat lining between the tent and my first thermo full body sleeping pad to trap the heat inside the tent. On top of that I put my second midsize thermo pad. And finally, on top of it, I placed my sleeping bag. (Note: If I had the chance to do this again. I would bring duct tape and wrap the pads and heat liner together. They slipped all over the place each time I moved.) Unfortunately the full body sleeping pad that I borrowed leaked, and I was left with just one midsize pad for the night with a heat liner. It was an ugly event! The weather forecast for that weekend boasted about temperatures in the teens to twenties with a clear sky. That meant that the snow would still be dry and that I would be fine in a 20 degree sleeping bag. But as it turned out, that night it was snowing and the temperature had reached -8 when I went to bed at 9. Already two really big mistakes! First, not bringing a 0 degree sleeping bag like I had been told. And second, trusting another hiker with equipment that he/she would not be using.
Once I finally got my tent up, I added to my layer of clothing. I put on an extra pair of long johns and a sweater under my snowboarding clothes plus an added pair of wool socks and switched out to a dry pair of gloves. I ended up wishing that I would have invested a few dollars and brought up half a dozen hand and feet warmers and three more pairs of  gloves as both of mine were wet within an hour of putting up my tent. And one pair was even waterproof!
Finally I was able to relax and make myself a really hot meal and some cocoa! I didn't realize however, how long it would take to not only melt snow but boil it! I was still sitting there waiting a half an hour later! But it was worth the effort and the time spent getting cold while waiting. I quickly ditched the cocoa and went with a Bourbon Cider instead.

The start of the "Bar".

After dinner I went into the community area to hang out with Joey. I was impressed to find that the guys had brought up loads of beer and made a kitchen, bar and seating area. And to top off all that, by the end of the night, they had also strung Christmas lights all around the bar and had them lit by battery. They made steps leading into the bar and carved out seats in the snow. These guys were really freaking awesome! Sorry, none of my night pictures turned out because I have a really crappy point and shoot camera that I take backpacking. I really need to replace it. It turns off if it gets cold, so I was really lucky to get these.

Socializing in the "Bar".

Sunset on Mt. Rainier

Once I had lost all feeling in my feet, I decided to go back to my tent and slip on my insulated booties. This is also when I found out that my bottom pad was leaking as it was completely deflated. I blew it up again and hoped that it would get me at least halfway though the night. Then decided to make myself a hot cup of cocoa to defrost with. I was told in the bar area that snow will boil faster if you place a lid under the gas can. I tried this method out and it worked. I got to drink a hot cup of cocoa 25 minutes later! After that I slipped in my sleeping bag with every last bit of clothing that I had on, plus my booties. Minus my snowboarding gloves as they were very wet by this point. Joey had gave me one hand warmer for my bag. I placed it as close to the middle of my back as I could. And then set up to read some Robert Frost.

Boiling coco at four in the morning.

By 4 o'clock in the morning I was shivering beyond control. I had to get up and move around. So I unzipped by bag, blew up my deflated sleeping pad again, and slid my feet into frozen solid boots. Then put on my frozen solid waterproof snowboarding gloves. By this time in the morning, with each breath I took, the condensation turned into ice crystals and fell down onto my lap. The entire inside of my tent was covered in ice and frozen stiff. I have never seen anything like this before. It was fascinating! And a bit scary. I could see why it is so easy to die in these types of conditions. The snow was crunchy under my steps and it was still falling. The outside of my tent was covered in several inches of fresh snow. I stood there going back and forth with myself about knocking it off. Thinking, I should leave it, it's  insulating the inside of my tent, if that's possible... Then, shake it off, I'm not sure the poles will be able to hold the weight of the snow. I shook it off. It was cold as f#$* anyway! I then lit my stove to boil snow and walked up and down the camp over and over again. I drank my cocoa while walking, and then walked up and down the camp some more. At around 6 o'clock I climbed back into my tent, blew puffs into the sleeping pad and climbed back into my sleeping bag. By 7 AM I was up reading my book and boiling snow for breakfast. And I have to say, I have never been so stinking pleased to have to leave. In fact, I was in the best spirits! I couldn't wait to be getting the hell out of there.
I'll do this trek again, but not until I have every last thing I need to stay warm. Including a portable heater!
With that being said, I did have a lot of fun and the views were beautiful. There were a lot of foxes around at night, so bring those bear vaults!

View of Rainier the next morning!

The south view

Osprey Kestrek 48 Pack Review

My review of this bag is an honest one. I didn't get this backpack for free as a test to review. I bought it with my own money based on other peoples reviews of it. This is what I think of this bag...

Right off the bat I have to say that I'm not a fan of the lid not coming off. On one spring trip I stuffed it extra high then had to remove items because I couldn't close the top. I took out a sweater, one I wish I had later on. If the lid adjusted, I would have been warm, period.

My standard size fit is a Med/Large, but this bag is too large around the waist. I'm returning it for the Small/Med bag and adjusting the spine to fit my shoulders and waist.
I like the side pockets as my tent poles and rodent sack fit perfectly.
The side mesh pockets are also nice. I hold quick grab food there to eat during the hike.
The wide mesh pocket was important for me, I wanted to be able to gab quick clothing out of here. It has worked out perfectly for this.
The pole straps are fantastic. The compression straps work perfectly. And it has a lot of tie points.
It has a ventilated back which is great for the summer months!
The water pocket is long, and holds my 3 liter water bladder perfectly. However, despite reviews saying the water compartment is located outside the main compartment, I disagree with them. You slide your water into a compartment which seemingly is located just behind the main compartment, but when you open the bag and look inside, the water sack is right there, located INSIDE the main compartment! Unfortunately with this bag, water spills are still a scary factor to think about when purchasing. I counteracted possible spills by purchasing two Sea To Summit waterproof cinch sacks, one for my sleeping bag and one for my clothes.
The bag is light, comfortable, and compresses nicely.
My only major complaint about this bag is that I have to tighten down my shoulder and waist straps every so often during the hike, as they give way making it loose and uncomfortable at times.
 Out of 5 starts, I give this bag 3.5. I wanted to love this bag. But as it turns out I just like it. I'm keeping it, but only until something better comes along.

Spectacle Lake By Way Of Pete Lake Trail

Me on the vista of Spectacle Lake Trail

 I will start this off by stating this trek is not for the lighthearted, especially in early season packing such as June in the Northwest. Matter of fact, I have five blisters on my feet confirming for me that, in fact, this is likely the hardest trek I have done to date. With that being said, let's get to it!

 Trail rout, Pete Lake to Spectacle Lake via Cooper River

After a quick travel through Roslyn, WA, a town 80 miles east of Seattle, made up from years of coal-mining from the late 1800's, (Roslyn played a role in Washington State History by supplying fuel to the Northern Pacific Railroad trains during the construction of the rail line through the Cascade Mountains. It is the perfect place to stop and eat after a long adventure in the Cascade Mountains.) we headed straight to the Pete Lake Trailhead with our sights set on backpacking to Pete lake before dark.

The Pete Lake Trail is essentially an extension of the Cooper River Trail and is located just past the Owhi Campground. The trail begins with deep forest and quickly adds attractive views of the river, lush foliage and wildflowers. With a lack of vistas and only one large log crossing the trail is easy enough for families with children to trek. 
We settled in at Pete Lake just before dusk with just enough light to fix a quick meal and watch a magical sunset drop behind Big Summit Chief Mountain while a boy fished for what is said to be, "pan-sized rainbow trout" that flourish in this lake.

Pete Lake & Big Summit Chief Mountain at sunset

Due to the abundance of people visiting Pete Lake, the wildlife is happy to come snatch up your left out goodies. It's important to bring a bear bag if you plan to keep your food throughout the night. We even had a black tailed dear walk right into our camp and have a look around with what appeared to be little worry about our presence.

Shaun fording the second half of Lemah Creek

The next morning we were quick to rise and start our journey to Spectacle Lake. The trail takes you around the lake and along the Lemah Creek onto a Lemah Creek fording. The two part creek ford is fairly high in the early months of the summer, with some parts of the creek nearing our waist. I highly recommend caring trekking poles and adequate footwear. A footbridge was constructed along the PCT a mile north of this ford as an alternate crossing route without fording, but it has been washed out and reports indicate it has not been rebuilt. Once past the ford and after drying off the best we could, we continued northwest along the trail to the PCT junction and up the first series of switchbacks.

Passing through the rebirth of the Lemah Fire

The Lemah Fire, which was caused by a lightning strike in 2009, left the mountain with roughly 600 acres of burnt wilderness. In 2013 the mountain has reclaimed the forest with thick, sometimes waist high, vegetation and beautiful wildflowers. Tracks of wildlife along the trail indicate that deer, birds, rabbits, bobcats, coyotes, and yes, cougars roam the mountain side. We saw both fresh and old scat (cat poo) on many different parts of the trail. I was relieved to have my comrade with me on this part of the trail in particular. After a series of switchbacks and little shade, I was happy to be passing a creek once again.

Spectacle Falls bridge crossing

                                                                                     


The waterfalls are plentiful along this journey.
Some falls are small and hardly noticeable, others raging and sprouting what appears to be right out of the ground. But the one worth mentioning is Spectacle Falls. After crossing a tight squeeze of a waterfall, one which drenched us yet again, we reached the mother load of all falls. Luckily, this fall had a sturdy bridge for us to cross over. We were also fortunate because just beyond the falls, the trail had collapsed stopping horses from passing, turning around all those easy goers and giving us Spectacle Lake to ourselves!

Once past Spectacle Falls, we set out for our second set of switchbacks up a slippery slope of snow covered trail. Much time was spent here trying and remain on our feet as we climbed over snow to find more trail. Sometimes having to maneuver climbing over or ducking under large fallen trees, only to have to climb over snow again. This process went on until we got to the vista, which made everything worth the effort.  A panoramic view of everything that we had just done and more, plus a spectacle of a lake patiently waiting for our arrival below!

Snow covered trail can lead to serious injury.

Snow covered trail with tree hopping. Holy beeep!

A glimpse into some of the payoff...

After a short stop on the vista we headed down to the lake, stopping first at the small lake for a snack and some much needed leisure. Shaun took a hand at fishing while I pondered over some Robert Frost poetry. Then we went on about exploring the area. We decided to set up camp pretty much right at the center of the inland allowing us access to both sides of the horseshoe style lake that is a spectacle indeed. One side giving us an awesome beach access to the water, the other showing us the awesomeness of nature with all it's raging waterfalls, crystal clear water, and enormous rock mountains for a backdrop.

Spectacle Lake from the vista

The area in early summer is bogged down by mosquito's, especially where there is stagnant snow runoff. Between the two of us, we brought enough spray to fight off the little demons while we set up camp and prepared our meals. Bringing anything less then 95% deet repellent, regardless of it's harm, will be harmful in contrast with the constant swarming, bites and itching you will face. Unless you are bagged in a net from head to toe, without deet, you will surely be miserable. Bring light long sleeve clothing and spray away! It's the only way, TRUST ME! 

Spectacle Lake from camp

                                           

Fried Spam & Mashed Potatoes for dinner

Cooking in the back country can be worrisome for those just getting started. Additionally, the first thing picked up seems to be some sort of Top Romen. Although Top Romen is good to have in your bag, it will not give you the fuel that you need to replenish your energy and rebuild muscle. Instead, think about protein, carbs and hydration. Pack based on those supplies and what you like to eat and drink at home. For me, there is nothing like eating an awesome tasting dinner out in the back country. I carry extra food weight because I like food, and I want it to taste good, even in the back country. For dinner I had fried spam and mashed potatoes along with hot rum cider. I sat next to wildflowers and watched the sun set on the rocks as I ate and laughed with Shaun about our adventure and my "turkey" spotting. Which, as it turns out, clearly was not a turkey at all. Not even close.

 By the time dinner was done and dishes had been washed, the sun was starting to duck behind the ridge. Based on the warmth of the night before, we decided to leave the rain fly off of the tent so we could star gaze. But after a days hike like the one we had and full bellies, we were asleep by the second star sighting. However, we both woke up on separate occasions and took a good look at the blanket of stars and moon that had covered us that night. The temperature was perfect, neither hot nor cold. The next morning I woke to the singing of about 50 yellow bellied birds hanging out in our camp sorting through our stuff. They all gathered and flew across the lake when they spotted me reaching for my camera. It was the perfect start to a brand new day. Unfortunately, the mosquito's were also there, waiting ever patiently for us to leave the tent. F'ers!

We packed up camp and started the long trek back to the civilization. Backtracking through everything we had done the day before. Taking time to check out the little things that we had passed up or missed on the way up. We decided to take an alternate route back to the car instead of the continuing on with the Cooper River Trail. As  it turns out, the trail is for mountain bikers as they are not allowed inside the wilderness boundary. The alternate route is at the boundary line and makes for some awesome riding if you are into that sort of thing! On the map this trail is marked in back and is labeled Pete Lake Trail. Don't get confused by this while hiking, your car is parked along the Cooper River Trail. I give this trek an A. And plan to go back again at some point.

Shaun, my comrade, on the vista of Spectacle Lake Trail

Ozette Triangle, Washington State

My friend Shaun and I took up the highly rare nice weather weekend to backpack the Ozette Triangle as a preseason opener.  I managed to get a three day weekend so we could drive to the trailhead and car camp the night before the trek. We camped at the Ozette Lake State Park. Shaun had taken the lead and got our wilderness pass and took charge in renting our bear vault for the trip, as the Olympic Wilderness requires that you carry one, not so much for bears but for the raccoon population at the campsites. Crossing the ferry was a breeze, there was hardly any traffic leaving Seattle at one in the afternoon.

Ferry ride to Bainbridge Island

After a five hour drive from Seattle and a little confusion on Ozette Lake Rd. we reached our destination. Setting up at Camp 6, we arrived with enough daylight to start a fire and cook dinner. While splitting a six pack of Coors the sun disappeared beneath the mountains behind us, bringing an end to our day.

Camping at Ozette Lake

Lake Ozette is a wonderful place to kayak, fish and just flat out relax. Due to the 22 mile long road following the Hoko River to reach the camp, and the five mile and hour speed limit on the water, you don't get the distraction of fast motor boats zipping by, or loud parties past the quite hour. Call in advance to reserve a campsite, as these spots fill up fast. If you are not able to secure a campsite at the park, Lost Resort is less then a mile from the lake and have a rule against turning away campers. Also, stop at the resort's general store to pick up a bundle of firewood for $5.00. The Ozette State Park works on the honor system and requests that you drop cash in the box for your camping spot.

Shaun hard at work

The next morning we were quick to rise and get our feet on the trail. Concerned with the tides on the coastal part of the trail, Shaun had downloaded and printed a tide chart for us to reference. Low tide was to be at 3 PM. Using the "Green Trails Map, Ozette, Wa No. 130S" as our guide, we began hiking southwest from the Ozette Lake Trailhead toward Sandy Point, our first destination. At Sandy Point we would slowly head north taking our time to stop and look in tide pools for starfish and sea urchins as we would be arriving too early to cross the tides safely. Once the tides were low enough to cross, we'd continue north along the beach to or camping destination, Cape Alava.

Ozette Triangle Trail

 We walked out of the forest and onto the rocky beach within two hours of starting our hike. Not being a native of Washington state, the view of the Washington coast was my first ever. It was incredible. More gorgeous then what I saw in pictures. The smell was fresh and the breeze comforted me. The whole experience gave me a familiar feeling that is hard to depict, but is the sole reason of why I have to backpack. It transforms me into what feels like a heart of this lucid creature we know as nature. And I am in love with all that I can see, every piece of this being all around me. So much in love that, at times, I will cry over the beauty of it or develop a momentary obsession about the well being of all these little things that make up one huge creature of which I am the heart of. And then it's gone. And I am me again.This is the best description I can give you. And if it hasn't happened to you, you'll probably think that I'm slightly crazy.

Sandy Point, Washington Coast

Trail guide post

We were surprised to find that the tide was already incredible low and we could continue on or journey with only wanted delay. I couldn't put away my camera, the atmosphere was so amazing. I was trying my hardest to capture the memory as we made it. After stopping at the shore rock we continued north toward Cape Alava, paying close attention not to miss the trail signs along the way. We passed many ship artifacts and I collected a few shells to bring home to my wife as she couldn't be a part of this trip.

The beach proved to be the hardest part of the hike. It is a challenge walking across miles of loose beach gravel and ducking under or climbing over fallen trees, all while trying to check out tide pools and taking pictures. But I could completely understand why folks approximately three hundred years ago would hike to "Wedding Rock" and carve petroglyphs into rock with bone, antler, and metal. I could only imagine how happy these couples must have felt being blessed by such a beautiful place. Apparently there are 44 ancient petroglyphs at the site. I only saw two.

Wedding Rock Petroglyphs approximately three hundred years old

 Continuing north, we continued to stop and chat with fellow hikers as well as take pictures of folks playing on the rocks at various places. We also made sure to refill our water supply and filter it right away. I highly advise that anybody doing this trek, bring a filtering source as the streams with fresh water are incredibly low and looks down right dirty.

It was well before dinner when we made it to Cape Alava. We arrived well before others started rolling in so we had a open choice of the campsite we wanted. We chose the second site in which was covered in the shade we needed for the day due to the heat, and had a easy and quick access back down to the beach, not to mention the view. Both Shaun and I enjoyed a little lunch and napped. A perfect weather day is rare in Washington, but we were having it, and it was awesome!

North of our camp the beach turned from gravel beach to sand making the walk easier and I was able to walk barefoot in the rising tide water. 

Campers were setting up along the beach and taking walks along the shore. Shaun was able to capture a few pictures of some sea urchins that I was unable to find. All around, he's a better fisher than me so it was quite appropriate that he be the one to find the sea urchins while I feverishly searched for them. I made it back to camp in time to eat a tasty dinner that Shaun had prepared and looked forward to sipping his concoction of cider and whiskey while watching the sun set on such a splendid beach.

Sea urchins courtesy of Shaun Moore

Me relaxing in camp

Shaun making Whiskey Cider

Anticipating the sunset left me feeling anxious. I couldn't wait to experience it yet at the same time, I knew seeing it would also mean our trip was just about over. Shaun had collected and compiled a intricate fire starter consisting of different forms of drift wood and dead seaweed. We would later find out that dead and dry seaweed doesn't burn. This forced us into a frantic search for more kindling to keep the fire burning. We had taken our first partake of what I'm sure will soon become our evening ritual of Whiskey Cider and we were both pretty happy. We were amazed to see how high the tide had came up on the shore at twilight. The Island that you could once walk to was now surrounded by water. Anyone that was still on that island would be spending the night on it.
I held my breath as the sun touched the water, in awe of the illuminated sky. An orange hue had cast over Shaun's face and stayed there for then next ten minutes. I took as many pictures as I could knowing that it would never be able to capture the experience of actually being there.

Sunset at Cape Alava

The Simplicity Of Backpacking Can Become Really Complicated!

I've been putting together my pack for the season. I've finished removing the things I didn't use last season and I have added a few things. A new addition to my backpack is my down sleeping bag. Backpacking in the Northwest where there is always a threat of rain, I went back and forth on whether or not I should get a down sleeping bag. Because, as you should know, you're ducked if your down bag gets wet! I chose to go with one after all because the weight and size of a down sleeping bag takes up quite a bit less room in my backpack. It was no longer beneficial for me to carry such a heavy and large sleeping bag when I had reduced the size and weight of my pack by replacing my backpack and sleeping pad. I will give you a break down of my system in just a minute. But first I'd like to discuss my philosophy in backpacking. It's a pretty easy concept. For me, the joy of backpacking comes from within. It can't be purchased. Meaning, if you can't afford the latest things on the market, it's okay. Instead hit your local thrift stores and pick up things that will do just as good, if not better in some situations. Hike for the of love for nature. And if you have to, go naked!

Our original "thrift store" set up. 

When Jennie and I first started this together, I didn't have a tent. I had a sleeping bag that I got as a birthday gift and a hand me down backpack from a friend who had moved up the merchandise line. When I was on a trail I would borrow a tent or sleep in a friends. My clothing consisted of cotton and converse. My water bottle was a 40 oz. Gatorade bottle and some iodine tables. My mess kit was the only thing I had actually purchased, and at the time, it cost me $12 at Big 5. It consisted of a pan, pot and cup. And Jennie didn't have a single item. Not one. We shopped our local thrift stores and over a short period of time we found a 20 degree synthetic mummy sleeping bag for $5. A backpackers tent for $10. And  let me tell you, later on, while were trying to figure out how to put this tent together, we quickly realized what an awesome find it actually was. The thing had only two small poles and all together it was barely over two pounds! The thing was just down right fantastic! We used it for two years! Giving it to another fellow backpacker only because we needed to invest in a tent that was waterproof for the Washington area. We then went in on some used hiking boots, sweaters, and hiking pants. We ended up having to purchase as additional backpack from Amazon for $40 because we couldn't afford a new one in our area. And the used ones in our area turned out to be obsolete. We also purchased a new rocket style stove, again from Big 5 for $20 and it included a gas can. I still use this stove today. I prefer it over the Rocket because although the Rocket is slightly lighter, mine feels more sturdy and it's arms are slightly longer and holds a good size pot easily.  If you were to total all our old gear expenses, you would likely find that a monthly fast food expense is more costly.

So, if you haven't figured it out, we're not interested in getting the next big thing on the market. We're interested in getting the next best thing suited for our needs. Whether or not the product is used, old or slightly heavy, matters not! We like to spend more time on the trail and less time working to buy products. With that being said, here's the low down on our equipment.

Everything that goes in my bag, excluding Badboy, the cat.

Stix Gear:

• Osprey Kestrel 48 Pack, Med/Lar
• Kelty Cosmic 20 Degree Down, Short
• REI Quarter Dome T2 Tent & Footprint
• Thermarest Prolite Short 
• Platypus Big Zip SL 3.0L
• Burton Stove
• Open Country 1-Quart Non-stick Billy Pot w/ Lid + Snow Peak Titanium Spork & Coleman Aluminum Cup
• First Aid Kit & Multi Tool Pocket Knife
• Headlamp

I use Sea To Summit dry sacks for my sleeping bag and PJ's. I don't pack clothes other then a hooded fleece sweater, extra underwear and socks that go in with my PJ's. The clothes I hike in, I wear the entire time. I do have several different types of PJ's to choose from at home before the trip, and based on the weather forecast I pack suitably. If the weather is hot, I hike in shorts, but pack with my PJ's a light pair of pants for the evening. I wear a pair of  New Balance Gore Tex Trail Shoes that I got from Ross. Which by the way, I'm sold on and will purchase again and at full price if I have to.

Jennie will post her gear list later.