Backpacking 2007 Rockies

I want to write a little about the backpacking trip from last week... before I forget. 

Wow, we did 85 or 90km with a pack from Sunshine village to Whistling Pass, Ball Pass, Floe Lake, Numa Pass, Tumbling Glacier, Wolverine Pass, a mountain ridge and finally out at the Paint Pots.

Georgina (we have done about 12 backpacking trips together through the years - skipped 2 when I went to Australia), her 19 year old daughter Jamie and myself went on this 7 day trip - the longest trip that we have done to date.  It was wonderful - and the pack started to feel much better by about the fourth day.  It is always hard on the ol' back every year - I now realize that I could train and that would help OR alternatively go on a long trip like this one.  I do know how to stretch out my muscles from yoga so that is really helpful after each day.

Before I tell you about the trip I must boast that one day - the third day we did 23 km hiking with that "pig" the backpack on our backs and ended up with the final 2 km of switchbacks into Floe Lake.  Did we feel like it was an accomplishment!  We started at 9:00am and arrived at 7:30pm.  We dried our tent out at the highway and picked up the rest of our food that we had left in a car.  The walk was magnificent - up to Floe was through an area that had a forest fire 5 years ago so that left it nice and open.  We passed through mountain meadows and flowers, through thick forest growth and wonderful open rock sections.  All wonderful - each in its own way.

It feels so good to be out in nature - the simplicity, the beauty, the serenity and the opportunity to walk and really get a comfortable satisfying workout and constantly admiring the beauty and feeling the peace in all directions - the mountains, the sky, the ground beneath you and you out in the elements feeling the sun wind and sometimes the rain. We fit in so well - breathing so evenly on the uphill with a consistent plod and a rest every hour, leading with the heel as we go down hill, using our poles to help the legs and feel the whole body helping out.  We  did so well this year in the rain - we saw it come and go for the first  two days.  The footprint that we used for the tent was awesome - no damp bags in the morning.  Cycling or boating gloves will be the answer to gloves in the backcountry - ours got wet or we kept them dry and used our bare fingers to undo the ropes - they prickled from the ice for 2 or 3 days.Then the only decisions to make are so simple - where to put the tent, get water, heat the dinner, put the food up in the bear hang.  Everyone working together and everyone feeling so relaxed and content in the quietness of the mountain and natural world. Time just to try and soak it in - it becomes almost meditative after a few days.
 It certainly helped in that we took exactly the right amount and kind of clothes and equipment. We were warm and dry all of the time without carrying extra stuff (weight). The food worked out exactly!  And for the backpackers amongst you - again our amount of fuel required is still the same l bottle for 3 days for 3 people - two pots in the morning and two in the evening - main course and a drink.  And one red onion for 7 days, 1 or 2 cucumbers, 1 or 2 red peppers, l kg of cheese, a sweet and salty bar every day, toasted almonds for snacks and to top off breakfast and sometimes dinner, a piece of dark chocolate after dinner each day.  What more could you want...and so simple.  Everything is boiled and the process if more important than the stuff!  Next time we should add broth of some sort especially if it is cold out.

And we learned how to set up a tarp with a ridge line as the starting point.  So put the rope between 2 trees (the ridge line) and then drape the tarp over and pull and tie to 4 tress.  Presto - dry cooking.

We met Kate and her 4 friends hiking from Kananaskis to Jasper.  They were about 9 or 10 days into the trip when we met them.  They were doing great - everyone feeling good and working so well together.  It was truly wonderful to spend an evening chatting with them and watching them do their stuff.  Quite the routine ...and yes it still takes them 2 hours to get up and get ready to go each day ...so we are not really slow at all - just standard backpacking time.
We met 10 year old Cameron and his dad, Andy.  They trained all winter last year carrying packs on the weekend.  I thought that was great - then I saw that Dad had a 92 liter pack - 1.5 times bigger than mine.  That was a real pig!  And there diet - what do you think? - for 7 days dinosaur porridge for breakfast, ichiban for lunch, Kraft dinner for supper, 4 Mars bar between them each day and peach fuzzies to snack on.  Bet that Cameron was happy!

Just for the statistics - we did the max of 23 km one day.  Our minimum was 7km and everyday was wonderful - we enjoyed it all.  One day we didn't move camp - stayed at Tumbling Glacier for 2 nights (we did that a few years ago and knew that is a good spot for 2 nights).  On our 'rest' day we saw a wide open ridge and said that we would climb up there.  It was a great decision - 360 views all along the ridge - unbelievable!!! - and of course strong winds on top - so jackets and pants, etc for lunch.  It was also the first time that Georgina and I saw a ridge and went for it.  In the past we have had others with us that have made that decision.  We loved looking at all the cool rocks on the way up and down - we ambled along all the way seeing cool stuff near and far - and of course feeling the sun and the wind.

So would we do it again!  You haven't read my thoughts unless you shout out yes.  Next year we would like to go from Sunshine to Assiniboine spend a couple of nights there and possibly come out via Burstall.  Does it sound interesting?

  I am confident that I can do this for a few more years.  I do remember being astounded when I knew someone who was 50 and did the West Coast Trail.  Now that I am past 50, I know that it is possible!  And Shelagh wants us to helicopter into Robson for her 60th - it will be mine too in 2 years.

I will send this long spiel that I really recorded for myself to a few chosen souls. 

May you enjoy today and everyday in your special way.