I also have been training my body through long distance hikes, which are less harmful to the body because the impact is not as bad. Backpacking is one of my new favorite hobbies, but the extra weight is also a concern. So far, I have not have any issues, and I still get the same sense of accomplishment from conquering long distances via hiking shoes.
So, without further ado, here are my favorite two adventures from this summer:
This summer, we found our favorite place on Earth. We also backpacked 25 miles in three days.
This summer, Nathan and I invested in some backpacking gear so that we could hike and stay overnight in remote locations. Now we are addicted!
Our first major trip was to Reed Lakes in Hatcher's Pass, Alaska (pictured above). After nine miles of hiking, rock jumping and river crossing, there are two beautiful lakes and no people. We went with two friends, one of which is also new to backpacking; the other an avid hiker and backpacker. We learned a lot about what to bring (lots of extra toilet paper) and what not to bring (a box of wine). After camping in paradise for one night, we had a long trek back but it was worth the effort. We plan on going back again soon for a day trip.
Crow Pass - 25 mile hike from Girdwood to Eagle River
After our first backpacking trip, we realized we were pros and should spend two nights out in the wilderness in the middle of nowhere. This time, we went with two newbies and started 45 miles south of Anchorage in Girdwood. We hiked up a few thousand feet and came across a group of mountain goats; the ram was not very happy to see us. We had to veer off trail to avoid him (those suckers are big up close)! Once we were far enough away to feel safe, we camped overnight near the glacier.
The following day, we hiked 10 miles, which included a large river crossing. I will spare you a few of the embarrassing details—okay, no I won’t. I cried like a baby as we crossed the river. It was so cold, our toes were numb for weeks after due to nerve damage. I was so relieved when we made it across, but when I looked down, my legs were beet red from the cold and I almost didn’t know they were still there because they were so numb. We quickly took off our wet gear, got dressed and got moving because we learned this was the best way to warm up. It worked.
There were a few other minor river crossings, none of which were as bad as the first. That night, we camped between piles of bear scat, clearly in bear country. None of us slept great, knowing that there could be hungry predators nearby. In actuality, bears want very little to do with humans, but it’s always better to be more cautious than not.
Day three was another 10 mile hike, which seemed to go on forever. By then, we were all tired, hungry, stinky and ready to be home in our own beds and using a real toilet. We made it to Eagle River, about 15 miles north of Anchorage, and celebrated with a nice dinner out reminiscing about our adventure (and how I wanted to do it all again—I was the only one).
Sadly, we took very few pictures because we were conserving our phone batteries for emergencies and they were hard to access in our bags. However, we did capture the glacier, valley, and our happy faces as we finally finished the hike!
