Last day in the Wollawas

I woke up at 7 and boiled some water for tea and warm powdered goats milk. I ate my breakfast and packed up camp. I filled my camel back and two Nalgenes and was on the trail by 8.
I decided to hike down West Lostine river, and that meant that I would need to climb up over a pass. I made it to the ridge at 8:40 and was down to the other side by 9:15. I walked along the bank of Miniam lake and was impressed by the size and beauty. I passed a few hikers that all made mention that I had made it an early start. The silence of the trees and the singing of the birds entertained me for most of my journey. As I approached the end of the lake, a couple that had just finished bathing were dressing and caught slightly off guard by me, the silent single hiker. I would not have noticed except that they audibly reacted to me. They were fully clothed, but just barely.

I then decided that I wanted to hike at a pretty fast clip, just to see how fast I could hike. I moved my sleeping pad to a more strategic location on my pack and started moving. I made it to copper creek trail and saw a family there at 10:33 and was at my car by 11:25. I was alone in the parking lot and actually found a beer in my trunk that I had forgot about. The best part is that it had stayed cold from the chill of the night before and not having direct sunlight on it. A COLD BEER! I changed clothes and snacked a bit as I cleaned my car. A few forest service workers came along and asked me about my trip. It was nice to have a conversation. I drove into Joseph to wait for my friend to come out of the wilderness.

I walked around downtown and looked at the little shops. I then drove over by Wollawa lake and found a public park/swimming area. At the park there were many families, sunbathers, a woman playing her guitar softly on a picnic blanket, and a group of high school kids swimming with inflated innertubes. I soaked my feet for a good thirty minutes and then went back to town. I then sat outside the bowling alley and watched a movie on my laptop as I borrowed their wi-fi network in the shade of their building. I then found a small bakery and ate a cookie and found that they had live music in the evening.

I went back and forth between town, the lake, Chief Joseph's grave, and snoozing for most of the afternoon. As the sun began to go down, I decided to go to the lake and enjoy it at dusk. I played my guitar in the stillness and had one audience member. An old man took a folding chair into the water and listened to me as he drank a beer.

I then went back to town and listened to the live music from 8-10. At ten I drove by where I picked up the book and my friend Talia was there. They were finishing up a bbq. I was given a plate of food and I shared with all present my dino bones and other rocks from my travels. As I went to leave, they invited me to stay in the bunkhouse. It was nice to have a mattress for the first time in over 25 days. I hung out with the forest service workers and it was like being amongst my brethren. I wish I could have spent more time there.

I woke up early and started by drive back home. I stopped in Portland to visit my friends and have food. I finally got home at around 6 pm for the first time since June 28. What a great vacation.

Backcountry Poetry

Morning Hike

Watching the sun paint the peaks in sunlight on an early morning hike. Trying not to be in teh direct beams yourself. It acts as almost a spotlight, illuminating the beauty of the moment. Finally it pours upon you, but it is okay, the amazing show is over and now that the house lights are up, you see you are among flowers , surrounded by trees and amid beautiful rocks.

Backpacking thoughts

There is a time while backpacking that the listlessness and the excited nervous enegy is over. you pack feels like an infinite weight, sweat is everywhere letting you know of any cut, scratch , welt, and abrasion, stinging its hello.
At that moment you wonder if you packed two Christmas hams or any other food you could magically eat and make the pack light again. no dice. Would you trade that moment? Not I.

Mosquitoes

The meadows in a glaciated valley are so quiet and so pure. The green is what suburbanites dream their lawn will look like, but they will never achieve it. The squeaking of ground squirrels lets you know you are not alone, even though you have not seen a human for a few hours. All at once you realize you have sat down and removed your pack to rest. you sit and drink in the surroundings. you sit on a rock and lean your pack against it. Maybe if you eat, the load will lessen. flies and mosquitoes buzz around you not biting, but checking you out. Two or three finally bite to keep you awake and you are up and on your way.

Eagle Cap Day 2

8-3-10

I woke up at 7:00 to an alarm but stayed in the tent until 8pm. I at a breakfast of granola and powdered goats milk. I consolidated my bag, filled water, and was on the trail by 8:37. As I approached the ridge, there was a group of high school kids with one advisor sliding in a snow field. I hike past them and watched them hike up and slide down a few times as I took breaks on the steep slope. Once I hit the ridge at 9:15, I figured it would be easy sailing. It was gorgeous. I had a great view of the valley I hiked the day before and I was able to see all glacial features that I cover in my classroom. I really wished at that moment that some of my students were there to see. I hit the summit at 10:00. I stayed on top, and read my book, ate some snacks and watched some birds until 11. I then took a long break on the ridge looking south. As I continued down, I then found another group coming up the trail. They asked me a few questions and it turned out they were a high school group and they had me do a quick geologic interp for the group. It was nice.

I made it home by noon nad then I tried to get some sun and do a crossword puzzle. I finished my book as well. After I had overheated I crawled into my tent and slept until 3 then I decided to explore the meadow at upper lake. I walked to a waterfall and then layed in a bit of grass in the meadow. I looked around and found that there were shooting stars everywhere. The flowers are one of my favorites. I then put my feet in the lake and looked at the clouds. I hadn't played "what does that cloud look like" in a long time, but I really enjoyed it.

At 4:00 I went back to camp and took another nap. I slept until 7. I woke up and ate dinner. I had aquired two neighbors and one chose my same grove of trees. I watched the sky turn colors and just enjoyed being in the backcountry. I then stowed my pack and almost lit a fire to pass the time, but instead decided to write some poetic thoughts. I then went into my tent and slowly fell asleep.

Eagle Cap Wilderness Day 1

On August 1st, I drove from Boise to Joseph and arrived around 4pm. I found the hurricane trailhead, suggested to me by my friend who was the ranger and also found a campground nearby. I debated hiking in, but I had no map. I decided to wait until 8 am and visit the ranger station and then hike into the mountains. I went back to Joseph and tried to find Wi-fi. I found it outside the bowling alley. Why the lanes have it, I wasn't sure. Just as I was ready to leave, I decided to call my friend one more time. She answered and told me that she had just returned from the wilderness. We met up in Joseph for a drink and dinner. After catching up, she told me that she would recommend a different trail. She said that if I hiked up the hurricane creek trail early for about 3 miles, there are great sites, and then I can drive to the Two pan trailhead and hike into the lakes Basin.
She told me to follow her back to her place and grab a map and book. We went to a local grocery and I bought two disposable film cameras. She led me to the Forest Service bunkhouse and told me that when I get out of the wilderness, I can come back and drop off the book.
I drove to the hurricane campground and then set up my tent and pack by headlamp.

I woke up at 6 and got to the trailhead by 6:50. For whatever reason I felt like running. I ran the first mile of the trail and then any uphill section after that. I made it to Slick Rock by 7:42 and then back by 8:35.

I drove through Enterprise on my way to Two pan trailhead, and got duct tape and jolly ranchers. The road construction slowed me down, but I started walking by 11:20 and stopped at 12:00 for lunch. I made it to Lakes Basin by 2:50 and realized I had forgot ropes. I finally set my pack down at 3:00. I set up at upper lakes and watched a group swim in a waterfall as I snacked on trailmix and jerky.

I took a nap from 4-6 then walked around Upper and Mirror Lake. I chose well. Mirror Lake was like a city. There were tents every 10 feet, and i had a grove of trees at upper lake to myself.

I finally cooked dinner at 7:15, but made too much. I had been laughing about fires in the backcountry, but actually made a fire to burn my leftovers. It helped with the mosquitos as well. I read my book and then went to bed at 9:00.