SEPTEMBER BACKPACKING

 

Sitting down drinking tea after a backpacking trip is relaxing.  The tent is cleaned and hung to dry, the sleeping bags are flaked out airing, and the pots are cleaned.    Leigh has taken one other backpacking trip this summer with friends, but this was my first, and likely last, of the year (although we're now thinking of 'just one more').  

We’ve been camping 3 weeks in a row.  First to Olympic National Park where Leigh and Becky did their 20 mile, 4000’ foot of elevation gain, one day hike.  5 days in the trailer, no hookups and we were quite comfortable.  Then to Grayland State Park.  2 days in the trailer, full hook up.  What luxury!  Then this weekend’s one night backpack to ‘Sheep Lake’, a picturesque alpine lake near Mount Rainier.

Backpacking tends to put things in perspective.  My pack weighs in around 25 pounds, Leigh’s a tad over 20.  Everything we need for a couple of days in about 46 pounds – that includes tent, sleeping bag, water, food, cooking gear and enough warm clothing to be comfortable to just below freezing.

And our kit was a bit larger than the through hiker we bumped into.  Walking on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) you bump into interesting people.  This guy was from San Diego and had started months earlier at the Mexican border.  When we met him he could almost smell the barn with the Canadian border so close.  He did, in fact, border on smelling like a barn, but that's part of being a thru hiker.  I asked him about 're-entry' and he had been giving that thought -- what it's like to hike solo for more than 2,500 miles then go back to a desk job.

Our hike was modest.  Just under 2 miles and about 400 feet of elevation gain.  This would normally be easy, but we started out about 5500 feet and I could feel a little of the effect of altitude. Still a relatively easy hike. Once there we picked out our campsite and Leigh wanted to hike over Sourdough gap at about 6300 feet and drop down into Crystal Lake where Andy and her camped one night years ago.

Sheep Lake is a nice little jewel of a lake.  Lots of trout as well.

Leigh and I relaxing

Leigh on the way to Sourdough Gap

The view from the gap.

Leigh with Crystal Lake in the distance.

Our campsite.  Protected, but the wind howled at night and the temperature dropped below freezing.  It was cold, but the bags we brought were up to the challenge as we were pretty comfortable.

Sheep lake, a morning view after a rather cold night.

The only selfie of the trip.  It was cold in the morning!!!

Hiking back down.  Off to Ellensburg for a well earned burger and a beer!!