First hike with my refurbished GPS(r)
I started my hike at about 9:30
with Big Log camp as my goal. When I
reached Big Log I knew I wanted a longer hike.
It turns out I had not really reached big log when I thought I had. I was in a mixed state today and not thinking
too clearly. I decided to head for Camp
Pleasant instead. When I saw the sign
for Big Log, I realized I was not where I thought I was but I kept going to Camp Pleasant anyway. I was worried about getting caught in the dark
and snow but it’s been years since I’ve been to Camp Pleasant, so off I went. I hoped the falling snow would not get too deep for me to hike back out without snowshoes.
It snowed for most of the way in
and there was a few inches of snow on the ground at Camp Pleasant. I boiled water for a cup of chocolate in my
new titanium mug and my new beer can stove.
The set up worked well except for the tree that kept bombing me and my cook pot
with snowballs while I cooked. That was a good field test for sure!
I hiked with several new pieces
of gear today. New trekking poles, they
are oblong poles and are very much like the switchback poles I
used to have. The switch backs were lost
and the model was discontinued so I had to go with something different. Other new gear was a titanium mug and wrist
warmers. The wrist warmers seemed to
help a lot when my gloves got wet and cold.
Also new was a can stove I made of the free can of beer that I found
when hiking up to Fir Lake with the kids years ago. I had saved that can and I used it to make a good
sized can stove this week.
I’ve decided not to use my homemade caldera style cone after just one hike because the cone gets too hot and seems dangerous when used with a Heineken can. Heineken cans do not have handles. I might make a cone for my titanium pot one day.
I left Camp Pleasant at 1pm and
that gave me 3 hours and 30 minutes to hike out 7 miles before it got
dark. I made very good time getting out
and was done with my hike at about 3:30.
I must have gone 3 MPH on the hike out when I was not stopped to take
pictures.
I ran into Marcus and friend while I was hiking out. Marcus had gaitors and I told him that I wished I had brought mine. Without gaitors my feet got wet even in waterproof boots.
I ran into Marcus and friend while I was hiking out. Marcus had gaitors and I told him that I wished I had brought mine. Without gaitors my feet got wet even in waterproof boots.
It never stopped raining or snowing so I got totally soaked today but I
stayed warm. When I was don hiking, I drove to Bear Gulch to use the bathroom and change out of my
wet clothes. I did not want to hang out
at Staircase and risk running into Ranger Davis for a second time this
week. I was lucky earlier this week because
he did not seem to recognize me.
Today I saw many salal leaf faces
left by Ranger Bruce. They were stuck to
the ends of logs with sticks, in some places several leaves were on one stick. Presumably Bruce left them there on different
hikes, as they all looked to be different ages the faces ended before Big Log
camp.
Construction to replace bridge that went out in 1999 |
Poaching on Shady Lane Nature trail |
At least I got the fiasco with my
pass taken care of. I have a life-time
pass to the parks and forest but no hangtag, so I got a parking ticket at Lena
Lake when the ranger did not see my pass on the dash in the rain. After that, the volunteer at the Hoodsport office would
not give me a hangtag to go with my pass.
He said he could not issue hang tags without passes. What?
So two weeks ago I went the Olympia office for the forest service and
the woman in there did not hesitate at all to write my pass number on a new
hangtag and give it to me. She could
not understand why Hoodsport would not give me a hangtag. So anyway,
I finally I have a hang tag and will be less afraid of getting undeserved
parking tickets.
I felt real good for such a long
mileage hike, I must still be in good shape.
I listened to music for most of the hike. I saw three people hiking in as I hiked out,
one group of two with overnight gear and one day hiker who was worried about
not having a water filter. I told the
day hiker that I have been drinking the water out of the rivers here for years
with no ill effects but I don’t think he was convinced it was safe.
14 miles, 800 feet elevation gain
I love walking as the snow falls. Cool stove.
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