A few mistakes to which I will admit (and the resulting consequences):
1. Underestimating driving time - The Forest Ranger told me to allow about ONE hour...it took us TWO. We didn't arrive at the trailhead until after 8:30 pm. Fortunately we found an awesome campsite. Unfortunately it was the final resting place for this deer. Max and Emma could not comprehend why we continued to a different campsite.
2. Putting off buying new boots - It's been almost two years since my backpacking boots died on the Timberline Trail. Mourning the loss of their solid ankle support, I have been unable to follow through with buying new boots. My current pair's rigid sole and non-existent ankle support deserve to be dropped into a bottomless crevasse on Mount Hood for the pain and discomfort they inflict upon my feet and joints. Furthermore, the traction is terrible and I slipped several times on slick rocks while crossing creeks.
3. Neglecting to bring a topographical map - Due diligence for me involves calling ahead to the Ranger Station to confirm road conditions and trail access. For this particular adventure, I mistakenly believed that a printout of the online trail guide would work. The route looked straightforward...NOT! Had I brought a better map, we would have located the correct trail a mere 1/2 mile past the turnoff we took!
Experience is the ultimate teacher and the worthwhile lessons learned are:
- "too much research" is impossible
- quality equipment is essential
- routes are rarely straightforward
But these trials and tribulations do make great backpacking memories!
No comments:
Post a Comment