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:)

Know When to Fold 'Em

Two happy boys at the start of the hike

Still doing okay here...

Why the sad title you say?  Well, Kenny Rogers was right, you gotta know when to fold 'em.  As I said in my first post, we want our kids to grow up loving backpacking.   So if there is something that might make them miserable when they are backpacking...  contracting giardia, getting eaten by a mountain lion, freezing to death, or otherwise, then it is best to stay home.

So what happened?  Well, the last full day of the Mills Family Reunion, we planned, appropriately, to hike to Mills Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park.  We woke to a brisk but clear morning.  Soon into the 6-mile round trip hike, Jack says, "I feel sick."  Being the crazy hiking mom I am, I thought that he was merely cold or tired (we were at the trailhead at 7 a.m.).  So on we went.

Soon, however, I realized that Jack was rather miserable and really not feeling well.  I should have realized it when he was not bounding off of rocks like his younger brother Gus (who by the way successfully pooped in a cathole on the same hike... not bad for a four year old).  We proceeded the three miles to our destination.  Beautiful Mills Lake.  There we bundled up Jack who was shivering by now and

And a no longer happy looking Jack...  Sorry kid!

who continued to shiver even though adequately warmed.  Yep... Fever.  :-(

At this point Tree and I made the decision to cancel the weekend backpacking trip.  We knew that even if Jack was feeling better the following day, it was very likely that one of us would end up ill in the short-term.  And sure enough, we all did.

And crossing the CDT, the next day!

So passing on a bit of wisdom.  First, if it is going to rain the whole trip, consider cancelling.  I can't remember where we learned that, but probably not bad advice.  Second, if a normally happy-go-lucky hiking kid tells you he is sick, take his word for it.  Or at least adjust plans accordingly when you realize he is sick.

Another trip coming up next month.  We will see you on the trail!

Full recovery for our future CDT hiker!

- Mama Bear

Day Hike to Gem Lake

Mills family reunion in Estes Park, Colorado...   A perfect time for some day hiking.   This hike was different in that our crew consisted of 15 people or so.  We were looking for a hike manageable for kids naive to hiking.  As well, a trailhead that can be accessed at Rocky Mountain National Park, without paying national park admission fees.  Gem Lake on the northeast side of the park...  PERFECT!

This hike is 3.4 miles, out and back,  and it gains about 1000 feet in altitude.  Don't be intimidated by the altitude.   Just like the tortoise and the hare,  slow and steady wins the race.  And the win is in the incredible views.  The kids ranged in ages from 4-14.  Our kids, and others, were quite used to hiking and had a blast the whole way.  A couple kids, not used to hiking, got a little warn out, but seemed to perk up after appropriate snacks and rest time.

So the views...  A couple points along the way, there are great views of Estes Park below and the surroundings mountains.  And Gem Lake at the top, though small, is something to see.  It is surrounded by rock walls, but there is a small "beach" area, just begging for kids to wade on in.  Keep this in mind...  kids love hiking and backpacking by water.  Let them take their time and enjoy it.  And that we did.  Shorts came off so the boys could wade further in their boxer briefs.  And when those got wet, no worries, just go commando.  In all, it was smiles all around.  And again, Jack declared, "That was awesome. I want to do that again!"  

Another great day of hiking...  We will see you on the trail!

-Mama Bear

Don't Underestimate Your Kids

The summit of Mount Herman

Immediately after our move to Colorado Springs, we began regular family day hikes in the area.  We decided to give Mount Herman a try.  Now I have to confess, I was excited about the hike... It has beautiful views of the surrounding area.   But I did not think the kids would make it all the way.  It has a 1000 foot elevation gain.  We took along the usual day hike supplies... Sunscreen, hats, plenty of water, and snacks for the boys.  The snacks for this hike included Chex Mix and M&Ms.  Nope, we are not above a little candy to add to the fun of the outdoors.  We have found that the whining definitely increases when they are hungry.   On the flipside, nothing brings a smile like a handful of M&Ms.



Happy Happy

 This was a great hike that passed through a meadow with colorful wildflowers, passed by a small stream, and climbed up rockfalls.  While not terribly technical, it was certainly a good workout.  We were careful to take frequent breaks.   Matt (Trail name: Tree) and I have learned that pushing our kids without breaks only leads to tears, and frankly, kids who don't like to hike.  So we have learned to stop and smell the wildflowers when we hike.

Well, wouldn't you know, our kids really liked the rock scrambling...  No they thrived on it.  The boys jumped off every rock they possibly could.  In a manner reminiscent of the Little Engine that Could, they huffed and puffed all the way to the top.  There we were rewarded with awesome views of the surrounding mountains, the Air Force Academy, and surrounding Colorado Springs area.  We rested and refueled on chocolate a bit while the butterflies danced around us.   From there,  it was downhill all the way.   The best part was Jack's declaration that "it was awesome!" and Gus asking when we can do it again.   VICTORY!   We will see you on the trail. 

-Mama Bear

Learning Experience

It is quite a challenge to take two boys under six backpacking.  It is also very rewarding.  Some of the times backpacking with the kids can be a painful car ride, or a trip to the dentist.  But, it is worth it when on the way home the four year old says "that was the best trip ever!"

I am going to list a few of the things that we have learned so far:
1.  Do not think you can ultralight a trip with kids.  Pack-weight of about 45lbs with food is about the norm.
2.  Keep the distance short.  With a four year old, we keep the hike in under 2 miles and plan on adding miles with day-hiking.
3.  Know where you are going.  Kids do not enjoy getting lost.
4.  Lots of snacks and sugary incentives.  Sugar is not a big part of the kids diet, but we keep the candy and sweets for times when they just need a little help getting over the next hill.
5.  Do not plan on cereal for breakfast.  Messy, stick to bars.
6.  Freeze dried coffee is a decent alternative to the lightweight backpacking coffee gadgets.

This is it for now, I will add more to the list as we learn.  We have only been on 3 trips with the boys so we have a lot to learn.
-Tree  

Just the Beginning...

We are twenty-three days into a lifetime of adventure...  My husband Matt and I connected over our love of the outdoors and especially backpacking.  The story of how we met is amazing, but is not why I am here today.  Let's just say that when we re-connected in Fort Collins, Colorado, we shared a passion for waking up to crisp mountain air in the morning, majestic views of night skies glittered with stars, and quiet solitude only backcountry camping can provide.

Somehow life took us out of Colorado for a time, back to the Midwest.  There we did what married folks do.  Had babies...  Two of them.  Jack and Gus.  As Midwesterners, we dreamed of backpacking in the mountains and longed for the day we could return to the freedom and solitude we so loved.  But here is the question...  How do we do this with two kids in tow?

We made the big move back to Colorado twenty-three days ago.  And so begins our adventure.  We have created this blog to share our backpacking experiences with you.

Our goal as a family is to raise our boys with a love for backpacking.  Our goal for this blog is to encourage you to give it a go with your family.  We will see you on the trail!

- Mama Bear