Family Backpacking Trip #2

(Last year we went on our first family backpacking trip. It was just a one nighter and the kids were ages 6, 4, and almost 2. We went with my parents and a nephew who was 5. It was a couple miles in and a couple miles out.)

NOTE: pictures are more or less in chronological order and may or may not relate to text which is near it. I'm not sure I like the publishing features of Blogger, or I don't know how to use them. So, I guess this is a game - match the captions to the pictures!
- weigh in
- trail head
- on the trail still looking clean and happy
- skinny dipping in glacier pond near summit
- family photo on summit
- S. Sister from base camp at Moraine Lake

This year we had bigger things in mind. We just got home from spending 2 nights at Moraine Lake at the base of South Sister in the Cascade Mountain range in central Oregon.

This time everyone was a year older and my sister was able to come along with her son (the nephew). Again, it was a short hike in, about 2.5 miles. The boys had their own backpacking packs and carried their own sleeping gear, clothes, food, and water. Myles actually borrowed the same pack that my youngest brother used 21? years ago when he was about the same age for his first backpacking trip, which my mother held on to for some unknown reason. Cedar was too big for the kid carrier pack this year so we brought the jogger and it actually worked out great. Though, carrying 40 lbs. and pushing 40 lbs. was difficult at times. Highlights of the first day were sliding down and playing on snow patches, splashing around in the lake and creek, and cheesy potato soup with slices of hot dog. Why my mom thought to bring and add barbecued hot dogs to the soup is beyond me, but it was surprisingly tasty and a real hit with the kids. Unfortunately, the kids didn't want anything to do with the macaroni and cheese that was prepared for them. It's a good thing the adults weren't picky eaters.

The next day we went on a very popular, yet challenging hike. Ethan, Myles, and Kim strapped on day packs and I strapped on Cedar. I actually improvised carrying her with 2 neon green strips of rubber exercise bands that I used to strap my sleeping bag to my pack. Thanks to my sister, Cedar had a reasonably comfortable ride; a ride that lasted approximately half the day. Yes, literally. Well, 9:30 am to 9:30 pm is, yep, as in 12 hours. The terrain was too steep and loose for most of the way for Cedar to walk so she just stayed on my back. Thankfully my sister took a turn on the way up so I could take a break.

So, in our minds we were flexible with what would become of the day hike because we were hiking with kids. In our hearts we were determined to summit (10, 300 ft) and get a family picture and the bragging rights that go along with having 3 generations age 62 down to almost 3 on top of a mountain where we gained 4,000 feet in 3.7 miles. I don't think we broke any records and it wasn't Everest or even McKinley, but it was challenging, even a little dangerous, and I'm looking forward to more backpacking with my family. Maybe in 30 years Kim and I will be backpacking with our grandchildren.

Highlights of day 3: walking back over the log bridge and Dairy Queen in Madras on the way home.