The Backpacking Mama

So.  Hey everyone. I know I haven't written on my blog in FOREVER.  But I wanted to share pictures of my backpacking adventure, and I wanted to write about it too, so this seemed the best choice.  So I decided to do a 2 night/3 day backpack trip on my own.  Well, I did bring Doggie, but no other humans.  This is something I have NEVER done before, and was honestly terrified about doing it.  But also super excited.  Here I go!  

Doggie was really excited too....

The whole drive I was like "am I really going to do this?  Really?  No, I think I'll turn around.  No I can do it."  Also, my phone decided to re-route me and then because I didn't have service it didn't know where I was.  So I had to use the old fashion way to figure out where I was driving.  (HUGE SIGH OF TERRIBLE-NESS)  A paper map.  What? They still exist?  

Well, I didn't get lost. I made it to the trail head safe and sound. 

Doggie with her brand new backpack.  She didn't know what to think of it at first. 

Also.  As I was first leaving, two guys were leaving at the SAME time on the SAME trail.  It was like 330 pm.  I was like "really?  really?  I hate you."  I didn't really say that, but I was slightly annoyed that they didn't get the memo this was MY trail now.  However, they were only going to the first lake which was 2 miles down the trail,  and I passed them before that. So I got to show off how awesome and not terrified I was.  I tried to get a pic of Doggie and I  however it didn't work so well.  

Oh, the beautifulness was just beginning and I had no idea. 

Day one, the logs across the trail worried Doggie. She was sit and whine on the other side, before remembering "Oh hey, I know how to jump." 

Three sisters and Mt. Washington.

Square Lake.  We stopped here for a little break. 

Doggie took a swim.  I found out she REALLY loves water. 

We continued on.  I got a little scared in the brush, because I couldn't see, and was worried a bear was hiding around each corner.  But there wasn't.  Doggie did almost step on a snake.  But I don't think it was poisonous. 

Look!  Doggie firgued it out.  I was so proud.  Ok, no I was less-annoyed.  I love her.  

Here I am, just soaking up the beautiful-wonderfulness. 

Like this.  Um. where is the trail? There is most defiantly a bear or maybe zombie hiding in there.   

Booth Lake, I wasn't sure if I should stop here, or keep going.  But I ended up continuing on. 

Three Finger Jack, which I would be hiking all the way around. 

An amazing stream, that I thought about stopping and camping near, but again I kept going.  Because I found I have a hard time stopping once I start. 

A lot of the trail was a burn zone, so I forest fire went though.. I think it was close to 20 years ago now, but it takes awhile for it all to go back, obviously.  But there were flowers EVERYWHERE.  It was amazing. 

So I started to panic a little because it was getting dark and I still wasn't at Jack Lake, where I would be camping.  I needed to camp by a water source and I had already passed the other two.  I was kicking myself for not stopping there.  And then I realized I still had my sunglasses on. Ohhhhh, it's not really that dark out yet.  I'm good to go.  I was also talking to myself in a British accent at this point.  

Getting further away from the sisters and Mt. Washington! 

Baby trees, the terrain is changing!  (Yes I said that out loud, in a British accent.  Well, What I thought one was anyway.)

Finally made it to Jack Lake and set up camp.  Apparently I didn't take any pictures of the lake :(  Probably had something to do with  being really tired. I hiked around 8 miles that first day, in a little less then 4 hours. 

Oh, my backpacking stove!  It worked. And I was able to figure it all out and cook my food.  Isn't she so cute? 

We were hiking into Three Finger Jack now. 

So there was supposed to be this lake up here, and then you loop around and come back down.  Well I thought I would be coming back down a different trail.  Well, that wasn't true and I very must regretting carrying my pack up half of the mountain!   

This was the lake.  Umm. I wasn't impressed.  But it was a nice view.  And if you look closely, on the left you can see a faint line of a trail on the ridge.  Well, I would be hiking up there tomorrow.  But first going ALLLL the way down and back up. 

Yes, there was snow up there.  Oh, and the first night was COLD.  I forgot to mention that. 

A butterfly on a flower.  This picture does not do it justice! 

So pretty.  This was behind me, hiking back down from Three Finger Jack. 

Wasco Lake.  Again, just all so pretty. 

Looking down at Wasco Lake from the PCT.  So yes, that was a climb.   

I camped at Koko Lake the second night, and the water felt AMAZING on my sore stinky feet. 

Doggie apparently likes to dig holes and then lay in them.

I sat out on this log and wrote in my journal and just thought for awhile.  It was so peaceful. 

This deer hung out in our camp all night, and Doggie kept waking up to bark at her.  Both nights I was in my tent before it got dark.  And I am a little mad at myself for not getting up in the middle of the night to see the stars.  But I was too scared to leave the safeness of my tent. You know, with all the security a tent can hold.  

My first views of Mt. Jefferson the next morning. 

Snow on the path!  Oh no. 

Doggie kept wanting to run down the side of the hill... It was stressing me out.  It was a long climb up that!  This is the trail that you could see from where I sat on Three Finger Jack the day before. 

So I was way down in the meadow the day before. 

So thankful for my body that is strong enough.

Are you kidding me?

I love seeing the flowers that grow out of rocky places.  They remind me that no matter how rocky your path is, you can still bloom. 

I picked up some rocks for my son.  Yes, rocks.  Really what you want to pick up while backpacking. 

No idea what this was about... but it was cool I guess. 

I'm guessing this used to be full of lava and angry-ness.  Or just water when the snow melts.... It was kinda scary to look down it though. 

All these rocks really wanted to fall down and squish me, I might have ran through this portion of the trail....

I can see the cars!

Someone had left a bunch of sodas and candy by the trail head, for PCT through hikers.  And I know I wasn't one, but this can was calling my name.  Thank you whoever left it.  You saved my life.  

I did it!  I fucking did it.