did you fall in?

Tom and I spent the weekend backpacking at Ramsey's Draft Wilderness Area in the George Washington National Forest.  We went with our friend Keith from the club whom we have backpack with before and is very experienced.  John from Blue Ridge Mountain Sports gave me inspiration and advice for the trip after others had told me it was too difficult and easy to get lost.

The first day of the trip was much different than your average hike.  We followed the river and crossed it many times.  The area is designated "Wilderness" so no trail blazes are allowed, and no trail maintenance is performed.  That means if a 4-foot-diameter tree falls across the path, you have to climb over/under it, or hike around it, which is not easy on a steep slope with a 30-pound pack.  In a few spots we lost the trail, but quickly found it again.  As long as we took our time we were ok.  We had to trust our instincts-if you feel like you are off the trail, you probably are, so stop and look around. 

From Ramsey's Draft

The river crossings were not too bad in most places, but in one spot the rocks were slippery and I fell in, soaking both boots.  I stopped and rung out my socks and kept going without too much trouble.

The area along the river once had many giant hemlocks, but they were all recently killed by disease.  Hence the reason for many of the roadblocks.  One fell across a particularly deep and fast portion of river and made an excellent bridge.

There were a lot of saplings on the trail whipping in our face as we walked through them.  It made us very appreciative of the regular trail maintenance performed by groups like the PATC.

The final push up Ramsey's Draft to Hiner Spring was difficult and steep. By the end of the first day our feet and backs were very tired but we felt well accomplished.  We hiked only 7 miles in 5 hours, but we did not get lost and no one got hurt.  The camp site was lovely with plenty of flat spots and camp fire wood.  The spring was nearby and we had plenty of time to set up and cook dinner before dark.  Just after dark, several deer came and visited us within 20 feet of the campfire.  We went to sleep around 7:30pm.

My best guess to the overnight low was 40 degrees--not bad for November.  My feet got a little cold (with dry socks) I think because they were on the ground off my sleeping pad (the spot was sloped down slightly and I kept sliding).   Otherwise we were warm in our tents and slept well.   

The second day was much more like a standard Shenandoah mountain hike.  It was longer - 9 miles - but mostly down hill on well marked trails.  The weather was 70 and sunny with a slight breeze.  We saw many old pines and oaks and hiked in leaves knee-deep in places.  Many of the ridge paths were slanted, making us appreciate trail maintenance again.  We averaged 2 mph with stops, a pretty good pace with packs.

From Ramsey's Draft

Overall I had a great time hiking and camping this weekend.  My body hurt less than last time (see Dolly Sods) and I had an easier time keeping up with Tom and Keith.  While hiking I asked myself "why do you like backpack so much when it hurts so much?"  They answer is that I enjoy the adventure getting there, sleeping in the wilderness, and knowing that I have everything I need to survive for two days on my back, and spending quality time with my hubby and friends.  So the goal is to keep getting into shape to make getting there more enjoyable.

From Ramsey's Draft

Birds seen on the trip: downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, junco, nuthatch, titmouse.

Craters of the Moon and Arco, Idaho.

Day 9

While cooking breakfast at the campsite, a young coyote visited us. He just walked through the campsite sniffing the air, and just kept walking. Sorry, no pictures.

From Craters of the Moon NM

We hiked several more trails around the park among the lava flows, including large mounds and craters. I had fun reading the interpretative guide out loud to the guys while we walked from site to site. At least they seemed interested.

From Arco

By noon, things were really cooking, so we decided to make a beer run in Arco. The submarine sail was intriguing and we stopped to take a look. There were torpedos and other war memorials there, along with a retired guy who talked about his work on nuclear sub engine testing at Electric Boat.

Back at camp, we cooked an awesome dinner of chicken fajitas among night hawks flying overhead.

We took down our tent because there was no tree shade at the campsite, and decided to sleep under the stars on a tarp in our sleeping bags. Not too cold, but the moon was sooo bright, I had to cover my eyes with a tee shirt to get to sleep. And no dew in the morning either, it is the desert after all. I slept great, but Tom did not because he was worried about the moths landing on his face.

Craters of the Moon

Day 8 - Friday July 31, 2009, continued.

Craters of the Moon National Monument was only a three hour drive west of Yellowstone and well worth the trip. I was happy to get some desert air before leaving the west. It was such a contrast in environment that it helped round out the entire trip. And it was nice to get away from the crowds.

From Craters of the Moon NM

The park is unique landscape of lava flows that occurred 15,000 to 2,000 years ago, a now dormant thermal feature before it "moved" on to the Yellowstone region.

From Craters of the Moon NM

Soon after arriving, we explored lava tubes, which are caves formed by lava flows. Some were three stories tall, and others were small and deep with ice and mineral deposits. Pete made sure we were well prepared, and told us to pack head lamps, helmets, and jeans. This made it much safer, because the rock was very sharp. These were "wild" caves: no paved floors or built-in lighting.

From Craters of the Moon NM

We stayed in tents at the park campground on the edge of the lava flow. Quite possibly the weirdest place I have ever slept.

From Craters of the Moon NM

West, Phase 2 - Yellowstone

Day 5

Previous night was cold (lower 40s) and we had a heavy dew. We packed up our wet tents and headed to Yellowstone via Rockefeller Parkway. Lost of construction and considerable delays. The road is completely removed in some portions, down to the dirt. I am guessing the were re-grading the road (removing peaks and valleys). Recent wildfires made for a clear view from the car. Many standing and fallen dead trees in a sea of new pines and grasses was a unique environment to see.

From Grand Tetons NP

The group set up camp at Grant Village near Thumb Bay and went straight to Old Faithful. We could not find a parking spot so we headed north so visit the other geyser basins. Everything was beautiful and felt like a different world. Spasm Gyser was just starting to erupt we go there (lucky!) - huge, wide, and we could get very close, feel the seam and spitting spray. My favorite was the Grand Prismatic Poll - the largest and deepest, with a lot of bacteria mats in every direction.

From Yellowstone NP

Then we head backed to Old Faithful which erupted within 10 minutes of arrival (lucky again!). I was not as impressed with it as I was of Spasm Geyser because we could not get as close and it was over in just a few minutes (Spasm was still erupting when we left). But it was nice to sit in the bleachers and talk with others while we waited. A guy was telling us about his troubles with his RV (I am glad we did not have to deal with one).

From Yellowstone NP

After the eruption we visited the Old Faithful Inn, a beautiful old log lodge. We did not have much time to look around, but we did make dinner reservations for the next day.

Day 3

A full day of hiking the Hermitage Point Trail around Colter Bay and Jackson Lake. About nine miles, very little elevation change. We see and/or heard blue herons, geese, ducks, osprey, bald eagles, cormorants, sea gulls, Clarks' nutcracker, juncos, kinglets, and a beaver or muskrat. Lots of chickmonks and ground squirells. Amaizing scenery of the bay, boats, lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, forest, meadows, wildflowers, and the Grand Teton Montains. The air is clear, the sky is blue with a few fluffy white clouds. Some of the peaks still have snow on them.

The trail is not crowded, but we see plenty of motor boats so we don't even get a hint of back country feel. At least this sculler made for a nice picture.

From Grand Tetons NP

The campground is nice but a little noisy. Motorcycles head in and out at all hours. We get rain almost every evening and the temperatures dip into the 30s every night, but we are prepared. Tom and I have a leak-free tent, warm sleeping bags, and earplugs. It's a nice respite from the sweltering heat and humidity back east.

Day 2
Some of our group arrives late due to delayed flights. Most have been up since 4am eastern, and some have not slept at all. I am just grateful that Tom and I were able to take an extra day from work to arrive the day before and meet the group refreshed and ready to go. Jere stays behind to meet Joe and the other late ones. The rest of us climb into the other two rental vehicles and head the our campsite at Coulter Village in Grand Teton NP. Along the way we stop for groceries.

Our first view of the Tetons. From Grand Tetons NP

After talking to my parents on the phone, I decide to attempt to fix my camera. So I borrow a needle-nose plyer multi-tool from Clement and while waiting for lunch, I bend it back. Not too hard. And the exposure seems correct. Crisis averted.

West, Phase 1 - Grand Tetons

We traveled with a nice group of 12 people from the Outdoor Adventure Social Club of Charlottesville. Pete was our leader and did a great job planning. We visited Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho.

Day 1 - Friday July 24, 2009
Drive to Richmond. Fly to Salt Lake City via Houston. No delays, but does not matter too much because we arrive a day early before the rest of the group. Spend the night in a nice hotel.

While taking pictures out the window of the plane, I discover that my camera is not working. I must have put my new heavy lens on wrong because the aperture lever on the body is not working. I try to bend it back by hand but nothing is working. I don't have a multi-tool with pliers, but even if I did I am too afraid to attempt self-repair that I might inflict irreparable damage. I am thinking that I need to send it back to Nikon, which would mean I have 10 pounds of dead weight to carry around for 10 days of travel. Luckily I have a back-up point-and-shoot camera, but it is just not the same.

Montebello Camping

We had a great time camping with the outdoor club last weekend in the Jefferson National Forest, about an hour south of here near Crabtree Falls. It was a nice private campground with lots of amenities, so we weren't roughing it at all. The occasion was the club's 5-year anniversary and there were about 100 people coming and going from the club throughout the weekend. There was live music, good food, and lots of activities throughout the day.

Tom went hiking for a few hours on Saturday with a group while I did classes on map reading skills and native skills. I also took a quick dip in the cold lake and had a nice shower.

Tom and I did some fishing together on Friday evening after we set up our tent. Tom dug up some worms and let me use them, and I caught a nice little fish but set it free.

The walk from the tent to the pavilion where all the activities were held was uphill, so that made for a difficult time on my back. Plus it was hot (90's !), but nice at night. Saturday night I passed out early on my hammock. Tom woke me up looking for me in the dark, so I went back to the tent which was a lot less comfortable. I don't mind sleeping in the open but the sun wakes you up very early.

Overall we had a great weekend and arrived back with enough time to unpack and get the house ready for guests this week!

Pictures coming soon.

Day 3, Continued.

Before dinner the group and I decided to explore the island (we were waiting for Tim from Crystal Seas to deliver cooking supplies). It was a beautiful walk along the beach at low tide, so there were lots of things to see. We saw sandpipers and plovers, a nesting osprey, little jelly animals in the sand, lots of pretty shells, and horseshoe crab molted exoskeletons.

The sand here is very fine and white, made of limestone. I am used to the coarse sand in the Chesapeake Bay made of quartz. There aren't many rocks either, just shells and pieces of coral.

After about 3/4 mile along Tiger Key I decided to turn back (after all, it had been a long day), but Rick and some of the kids decided to keep going. I did not know it at the time, but they were determined to walk around the island. First thick brush, then mangroves, then swimming. Dave, one of our guides, got worried when Rick called with his cell phone and requested us to bring the kayaks around before his signal cut out. About an hour later, coming around the back side of the island, we saw several heads bobbing in the water and a canoe. A group of boy scouts camping on Picnic Key saw Rick and picked him up so he could go back and pick up his abandoned camera equipment. The kids decided to swim because it was easier than wading. Luckily everyone made is back safely with only a few scratches.

Trees, Birds and other animals seen while paddling:

• Red Mangroves
• Sea Grape
  
• Little Blue Heron
• Royal Tern
• Swallow-tailed Kite
• Osprey
• Dolphins
  

On Tiger Key:

• Semipalmated Plover
• Sanderling Sandpiper (?)
• Dunlin Sandpiper (?)
• Osprey