Backpacking Segment 1 of the Colorado Trail

Ready to start!

The Colorado Trail is a 486 mile long trail that reaches from the southwest side of the Denver area all the way down to Durango.  We have made it a family goal to section hike the entire trail.  Until our most recent trip, we had completed Segments 2-4.  But with the warm weather and the confidence of a snow-free trail, we were able to do a great overnight of Segment 1.

Cooling off...

Segment 1 starts out very flat, traveling down the Waterton Canyon.  The first 6 miles are busy with dayhikers and cyclists.  Ninety degree temperatures beat down on us as we traveled through the canyon along the South Platte River.  Fortunately we were able to cool off in the icy water once along the way.  As the trail is very wide (Denver Water vehicles travel the same path), the large number of people along the route were not a detriment to our hike.  In fact everyone was very friendly and were eager to encourage our boys (ages 6 and 7) as we hiked.

The Waterton Canyon is a great place for wildlife viewing.  We did get to see about six bighorn sheep as we neared the dam.  Bears also have been seen in the area.  In fact, the Waterton Canyon Trail was closed for part of the summer of 2015 due to bear activity.  Understanding this, I carried bear spray for the trip -- something I have never done before.

Soon after we passed the dam, the trail begins a single track route and the number of people on the trail diminishes.  There is a steady uphill into the forest at this point.  We intended to camp at about mile 8, near bear Creek.  Importantly, there is no camping on the trail until about mile seven.  An easy uphill led us to several campsites near Bear Creek.  We arrived early afternoon, set up the shelter and napped (parents) or played ball (kids).

After an easy dinner and dessert of marshmallows roasted over our backpacking stove (fire danger was high, so we did not have a campfire), we cleaned up and got ready for a roaring game of Uno.  And then we heard a neighbor camper yelling to us...  "Hey guys, there's a bear across the creek!"

Now, there was a time, before I had kids, when I would have been thrilled to see a bear.  But having kids changes everything.  So it was with some dread that I looked up the creek, and then I saw it...  And it was looking at me.  It looked huge!

Okay so that is not really the bear we saw. It looked more like this.

The real bear....  about 50 yards away

 And when it turned to the side, the bear that seemed so huge at first, looked smaller.  I grabbed the bear spray, since I had not shared with my husband the secrets of operating my weapon.  And Matt grabbed the camera.  We watched the bear lumber along the opposite side of the creek, willing it to stay on the far side of the creek from us.  It walked along, stopped and sniffed the air for about ten seconds.  I think it was trying to figure out what we had eaten in our Backpacker's Pantry dinners.  It must not have liked the smell of our (too spicy) Chana Masala because it moved on, and soon was out of sight.

All was well, no bear attacks during the night.  And no one swiped our food bags either.  I woke in the morning with the realization that we had a rather unremarkable night of sleep.

After breakfast and breaking camp, we had a rigorous eight-mile hike ahead.  We would gain and lose about 1600 feet in elevation over the course of the day.  While the temperatures will still hot,the shade of this forested section of trail made hiking more tolerable.  The path had a few minor stream crossings before the big ascent up to a an easy ridge and some incredible views of the surrounding area (including Segment 2 we hiked earlier this year).

After breaking for lunch and taking in the views, we descended rather quickly.  We traversed a meadow with a couple campsites and headed toward the trailhead.  In all this was a fulfilling, beautiful hike.

We will see you on the trail!

- Mama Bear

Homemade Backpacking Gear... For Kids

It has been a warm winter here in Colorado.   Which means not a lot of skiing...  Which means more time to think about backpacking.  As we anticipate the upcoming backpacking season, I assessed the boys' gear.  Specialty backpacking gear for kids is less than abundant.  And this has had me thinking about making it myself.

Really, I had been pondering making  our own gear for quite a while.  I have seen other people's YouTube videos showing backpacking gear they had made.  I read books about through-hikers describing their very specialized homemade gear.  But I kept putting it off.  Fears related to ill-fated sewing projects from my youth crept up as I considered purchasing, of all things, a SEWING MACHINE!!!  And then, I did it!  I took the plunge and bought a basic $80 sewing machine online.

My first project -- gaiters.  The purpose of the gaiters is to keep pebbles and thorns out of the boys' shoes.  They were to be made of spandex, lightweight and simple.  As well, they were a good starter project given their small size and relatively inexpensive material.  They basically are copies of my husband's gaiters.

The Finished Product

Well, I conquered a big hurdle when I bought the sewing machine.  But then I had to go to Jo-Ann Fabric.  Fortunately I went on a weekday when it wasn't so crowded. That place is huge!  I emerged about an hour later with lightweight polyester thread for most of the project and heavier weight Guttermann Sew-All thread for the reinforcements (as well as extra needles, fabric pencils, etc).  I must have exhibited confidence (I don't know how) as I wandered the store because women asked me questions about their own projects!

Back at the house I measured the boys and made several prototypes (after watching several YouTube videos on how to thread my machine).  And about a week after my sewing machine purchase,

I emerged from my craft table with not one, not two, but three pairs of gaiters!  Not bad for a first backpacking sewing project...  I might be hooked!

We will see you on the trail!

-Mama Bear

Wildflower Hikes at Crested Butte

Mid-July marked the one year anniversary of our move to Colorado.  And the longer we live here, the longer our Colorado "Bucket List" gets too.  Last winter we took a ski vacation to Crested Butte.  We discovered then that Crested Butte is the "Wildflower Capital of Colorado."  And thus, wildflower hikes were added to our bucket list.  Mid-July found us driving across mountain passes with wildflowers on our mind.

This summer was the end to the drought in Colorado.  And with all that rain brought endless fields of flowers.  Our first hike was Woods Walk.  This was an easy stroll a couple miles just at the edge of town.  We first ducked into an aspen grove with interspersed meadows, decorated in lavendar, white, and yellow.   And, wouldn't you know it?  All that rain also turned our wildflower hike into a mushroom hike, too.

After emerging from the moods we crossed a meadow to Peanut Lake.  Our trek across the meadow was decorated with wildflowers below and spectacular views of Mount Crested Butte to the east.  In all, this was an easy, casual stroll with plenty of time to stop and smell the wildflowers.

Day two was a similar early day stroll through aspen groves and meadows adorned in nature's beauty.  Did I mention, these were some of the biggest aspens I have ever seen???  And in the background, the peak of Mount Crested Butte.

That is one HUGE aspen!

This "Wildflower Weekend" did not disappoint!

We will see you on the trail.

- Mama Bear

Introducing the West Side of the Park

Ah, the start of autumn.  Somehow our last backpacking trip of the summer turned into a fantastic showcase of the best of the fall colors and our discovery of a fantastic area of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Awesome cloud inversion

Before I delve into details of the backpacking trip itself, I must describe for you the beauty we passed while driving to the park.  Rocky Mountain National  Park has two main entrances.  The east side of the park, at Estes Park, is the area we had frequented most.  It is rather easily accessible from the front range, and I would guess, is the area most visited by tourists.  The west side, near Grand Lake, requires about one hour more drive time.  That drive took us right into the mountains, dark lush green, with golden aspens intermingled.  As we were ascending, we were blessed with a great view of a cloud inversion...  a perfect prelude to a colorful Colorado autumn!  We crossed up over Berthoud Pass, then eventually down into Grand Lake where we found our trailhead.

The East Inlet Trailhead is a great spot for both hikers and backpackers.  Not far into the hike is Adams Falls.  It is an impressive waterfall, that is easily seen from the adjacent overlook.  It was a perfect energizer for our hike ahead.

A game of Uno for evening entertainment

Our first campsite was not too far off the trailhead.  Only 1.5 miles in.  But wow!  We had never stayed at such a beautiful campsite.  This was at East Meadow campsite.  We were the only party there.  We pitched our tent perfectly, so we were perched above a meadow, with a gentle river flowing through.  The boys were able to splash in the water a bit while we did the usual camp chores like filtering water and such.  We had a dinner of lasagna and vegetables.  This was followed by apple cobbler.  Perfect to warm us up before getting into our sleeping bags for the night.  The weather report called for 29 degree temperatures, so we had to prepare well with warm bellies.

Yum!

With hats, long johns, wool socks, sleeping bag liners, and the four of us snuggled into the tent, we did quite well.  We woke around 6:30 to a frost-covered tent.  It was 22 degrees!  Immediately Matt got up and made coffee and cocoa.  Instead of the expected hot breakfast, we opted for homemade breakfast bars.  These worked quite well (recipe to be posted soon).  They delicious and filling.  And for the boys, they were easy to eat.  Added bonus, no dishes to clean.

Hot cocoa!

After packing up camp, we moved down the trail to our next campsite.  And who should we happen to see about twenty feet off the trail?  Why it is a bull moose, accompanied by his two moose cows.  We circled the wagons (Matt in front, two boys, then Robin), understanding that moose are the most dangerous animal in the park.  Respectfully, we backed away, but kept an eye on them at the same time.  The one moose cow stood up to look at us.  I guess she found us boring because she sat back down.  And the bull moose?  He definitely saw us but did not seemed threatened by us (fortunately!) and let us pass by.

One of three...

After setting up camp (also a beautiful spot, next to a less serene but still gorgeous river), we started on a day hike to Lone Pine Lake.  Now for some reason, Matt and I thought we could get there in time for lunch.  We thought it would be an easy hike.  Well, it turned out to be three miles one way, with 1200 feet of elevation gain.  We were tired but in good spirits when we reached the lake,  The hike back was a bit easier since it was downhill.  And a plethora of wild raspberries boosted our spirits.  And Jack?  Well, he was born to hike.  He probably could have gone a few more miles.  He wanted to run (for the fun of it) all the way back to camp.

A dinner of chili followed by chocolate oreo pudding readied us for a good night's sleep.  The temperature was cool but not cold like the night before.  We woke well-rested.  The hike out was lovely, and left us looking forward to our next adventure.

We will see you on the trail!  Also, be sure to watch our YouTube video:  Backpacking with Kids East Inlet RMNP

Mama Bear

Beautiful East Meadow

Anticipation...

So one of the great things about backpacking is the anticipation.  We have a trip coming up at Rocky Mountain National Park.  Just in time for the elk rut.  If you are unfamiliar, this is basically the term for the elk mating season...  where the head honcho elk bugles to communicate to his harem.  Or, in other cases, where the bull elk bugles to the other bull elk to keep away.  I have heard the bugling before, but I am looking forward to sharing that experience with the boys over the course of the weekend.

Matt and I are both looking forward to a September backpacking trip.  We love the quiet and absence of the summer crowds.  We look forward to the cool, crisp air of the mountains, drinking our coffee in the brisk morning air.  And we are excited to hear the elk bugle in the evening.  We checked our gear last night, including hot meals and warm clothes for all.  We will keep you posted.

See you on the trail!

Mama Bear

All in Fun...

After our last blog post, Matt and I received questions about how to get the kids excited about hiking.  How to keep them moving on the trail?  Aha!  The million dollar question!  Fortunately, Matt and I realized early that our end goal with family hiking trips is to have a great time, and to instill in our kids the love of backpacking and hiking.  Hopes of 25 mile days on the Pacific Crest Trail would not create a backpacking lover out of a four year old.  So what to do?

My first recommendation is to be realistic of the kids' hiking abilities.  No more 25 mile days.  A low mileage day of 2-4 miles (depending on altitude change) will keep the kids energized and enthusiastic.  It gives them plenty of time to do the things kids love to do...  Stop and look at lichen on rocks, throw a frisbee around, or play a game of catch with a tennis ball.  Let them play in the dirt, let them smell the flowers, and let them inspect the bugs on the ground.

Secondly, be sure to bring plenty of good food.  This is huge!  Hot chocolate in the morning to drink is a must.  Fruit leathers are always great.  And then there is the s'more dilemma.  How do you do s'mores if you are backpacking in an area where open fires are not allowed?  Well, have no fear.  We found a great recipe for S'more Bars from Martha Thompson, the Director of Guest Relations, at the Dave Ramsey Show.  Look at the Recipes page above for details.

Speaking of food, there are some things that you might take for granted, until you actually try it with kids.  One of those things is eating cereal out of a bowl while you hold it in your lap.  Little kids can't do this.  After much frustration, we have decided to go with some sort of breakfast bar for the kids.  You can make them at home or buy them at the store...  Whichever.  Just making it easier for the kids makes it more fun.

And fun?  What is more fun than a little water.  Kids love playing in the water.  Jumping in puddles...  Throwing rocks in a stream...  Scrambling on the rocks.  Let them.  Just try to take their shoes off before they get them soaked!

And last but not least, I have said it before, you have to know when to fold 'em.  If something is not quite right to ensure your kids will love the trip, you might just have to bag it.  If the forecast calls for rain, it might be wise to postpone the trip.  Same thing for sick kids.  Heck, I have been known to hitch-hike back to the car when we have gotten in over our heads with a trip.

So let your kids be kids.  Let them take their time.  Let them have some fun.  And let them love backpacking!

We will see you on the trail!

Mama Bear

Keeping It Light With the Little Backbreakers

So my last entry I talked about a lot of the things that Mama Bear and I have learned about with backpacking with kids.  This will be a post about one specific area...ultralight backpacking.
Prior to the existence of the little backbreakers, my wife and I were always attempting to lower our pack weight.  This was actually an academic exercise since we did not really having enough time to backpack.  We were, however, able to make the occasional excursion.

Mostly, we read a lot about backpacking, made long excel spreadsheets to weigh our gear and dream.
Now, it is time!  We live in one of the best places in the world to backpack and we finally have made the time to make it happen.
With kids, the gear added to one's pack can get heavy.   There are some redundancies, but the kids' sleeping bags, bigger tent, more clothes and more food is really the heavy stuff.
To break it down, we went from a tarp tent weighing in at just over 20 ounces to a four man tent at 5lbs 15 ounces.  The Big Agnes UL4 is what we use and it has worked great.

The kids sleeping bags are not the uber light weight ones that we have.  Both of our bags are right around 2 lbs.  The kids bags are kids bags, cheap and heavy at 3lbs each.  Plus pads, plus pillows.
Those are the really big items, but the way I am looking at it is that we are training our future Sherpas.  Within a few years, I expect they will carry more of their own gear, and then more of MY gear:)