Our first backpacking adventure

Well, we finally did it. We went backpacking after a long time talking and dreaming about it. With a scheduled trip for the Memorial Day weekend already planned, we set out to pick up all the gear we needed while being parked in the metro area. We ran all over Boulder, Longmont, and Fort Collins between REI, Jax, and Sierra Trading Post, along with a dozen or so packages from Amazon (special thanks to the Longmont Moose Lodge for allowing us to ship so many things to their door), and after 10 days or so we had all that we needed to get out on the trail… but Memorial Day weekend was still more than a week away… so we changed our plans (we do this a lot), and took off this past Saturday afternoon instead.

An hour’s drive up the Rocky Mountains, just outside the Rocky Mountain National Park boundary, is the North Fork trail that I have traversed many times in recent years; first when I backpacked into the National Park to Lost Lake,  and most recently on a day-hike in 2014 with Moose. I knew the area well, knew of multiple camping sites sprinkled around, and knew the distance would all be suitable for a first backpacking trip to test the gear and ourselves.

After parking the truck at the trailhead and donning the heavy packs, the four of us started the 3 mile hike into the national forest. Unfortunately, thanks to the 2013 floods, the first mile of the trail, as it follows the North Fork Big Thompson River, had been washed out. The work-around was an immediate 600 foot climb over a hill then back down the other side where we met back up with the original trail. I’ve done the climb before, and it is no fun, and much less fun with weight on your back. The afternoon heat did not help, and Kerri and I both struggled, stopping multiple times, but finally made it past the biggest hurdle on the trail. We celebrated at the top with a family photo to commemorate the trip.

With another 2.5 miles still to go, we continued, but the first half mile and climb took it’s toll on us. The trail continued up hill, though at a slightly less deadly angle. We huffed and puffed, and took many rests, while ever so slowly creeping up on the area with the established dispersed camping locations, making it with abundant time left in the afternoon to setup camp and relax.

We had planned to test-erect our tent on flat, dry ground before going on our first backpacking trip, but with the compressed timing it was scrapped from the to-do list. Since we had more than enough time in the day, we took our time, thinking out placement, angle, and area preparation to the max. We followed the instructions, with only a couple ‘WTF’ moments, but the tent took form easy enough. It was only then that we realized that our assumption of a single-door at the head of the tent, facing the direction we chose, was not the reality. Instead, our tent has two doors – one on each side, not the head – and neither were facing the direction we initially planned. Well, now we know…

Meal preparation, dining, relaxing, and a few sips of whiskey all came in quick succession. Some hot chocolate capped the night as we prepared to call it a day.

Next thing we knew the sun was in full set and we were dead tired. The dogs, who had been off-leash and running around like the crazies they are, were done in as well. Even before sunset Moose had been begging to lay down on my lap or go in the tent for the night. So, we got the dogs settled in to their respective places (not in the tent, but under the rain-cover) and bags, then did the same ourselves… only to then realize that we both needed to pee – argh! Dress again, pee, undress, get in bags… OK, no ready for bed.

Day-2 was exploring around the area on foot, a bit of lounging and reading books, a quick nap, then off to gather water and reclaim my beer from the river a few hundred yards away for a big dinner with a – quite literally – Rocky Mountain cold Coor’s Light. A wannabe mountain man, like myself, could not ask for a better life in my opinion.

The following morning we loaded up on coffee and breakfast before starting the long process of cleaning, drying, and packing everything up for the hike back to the truck. It was Noon before we got moving, but we both agreed that the hike back was much easier on us. Not only was it slightly downhill  the majority of the way, the weather was much cooler.

Still, we had to climb that 600 foot hill again at the end of our hike, and we were both very worried about that. As it turned out, it was much easier the second time around. Not only were our muscles warmed up after 2 miles of hiking to get the the hill, our lungs were more acclimated to the altitude after two days at 8200 ft elevation. In the end we had no problems getting back over the hill. We were still very chipper when we loaded up into the truck and drove back towards the Airstream waiting for us back on flat ground.

For those that have read this far, I leave you with a few remaining images…

Goodnight!