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I’m not an expert on these things, so don’t think that I have professional wisdom to offer on back-packing with children.  I don’t.  Brad and I are totally “Outdoor Adventure Moochers”.  We know this about ourselves.  We don’t have quite the right supplies: we don’t own a camp stove, water filter, or even have very good hiking shoes.  We don’t have any actual skills or knowledge: don’t know where to go, can’t tie a decent knot, are not sure when mosquitoes are born or how to scare bears away.  What we do have is enthusiasm.  Or at least, I do.  I love to get out in the woods, so when someone is good enough to plan a trip, we are game to join up.

This last week after Bible Camp, I was stinking exhausted.  I was so tired that I was downright unpleasant.  That’s when you know you are really tired; when you are a b*—-downright unpleasant person.  That was me.  When Brad told me he was going backpacking with Keith on Mt Hood on Saturday, my first thought was, “And I have to stay home to do laundry?!”  There was too much chaos around our house, too much unfinished work and mess as I had been giving my all at Bible Camp all week and letting the house take care of itself, (which if you ever noticed, it doesn’t seem to do so well at.  One would think a 103 year old house would learn how to clean itself already!).  Anyway, I decided to chuck it all and take off for the woods too.  Why not?

It was so fabulous up there on the mountain.  Our camera gave up just 10 minutes into our trip, so I don’t have photos for this experience, but let me make you some pictures:

The snow was melting in most spots and has left little islands of snow and ice.  Rivulets of runoff were tumbling down the mountain, filling the air with sound.  It was sunny and warm, perfect weather in t-shirts and shorts.  The breeze was blowing gently across the mountain meadows and everything was deeply, deeply peaceful.  All around little flowers were poking up, unique alpine varieties that I didn’t quite recognize.  No mosquitoes (or few at least) and a pretty deserted mountain made for one of those exquisite moments where you feel like you know what it means to be a human creature— you feel united with this long line of people in time who have been overcome by the beauty of the mountain.

The kids had a ball.  Francis and Zephyr both carried their sleeping bags and clothing.  Inez loved being outside.  She sat and played in the dirt with pine cones and sticks for a LOOOONG time.  We found a sweet little campsite big enough for two tents and had a gorgeous evening watching the sun go down over the wide valley below us.  Best of all was waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, stumbling downhill off balance with the black dome of stars wheeling all around.  Ahh the mountain!

My thoughts on taking to the hills with kids?  Here are my unsolicited opinions:

• Even if you are not going on a trip now, start your kids walking everywhere.  Make them walk.  Don’t carry them unless they are under 2; don’t stroller them unless you are in a hurry or going further than is reasonable for a kid to walk.  They won’t become better walkers unless they are accustomed to walking.
• When you are ready to backpack, don’t go too far.  If you are taking kids, it means you are carrying things for everyone.  A mile to two miles is really far enough to go, both for the kids and the people carrying 40 pounds on their backs.  It isn’t a death march, and you want your kids to like it.  Just go far enough so that you feel that you are in “the real woods” (Francis’ term for camping away from other people).
• Get the kids to carry something, anything, and help them get excited about doing their part.  Don’t cave and carry their stuff if they whine.  You need to set a precedent that they will walk on their own and they will carry stuff…. or you will be miserable and they won’t learn the skills necessary for the future trips you want to take.
• Let them get crazy dirty.  Why not?  You can get clean tomorrow.
• Don’t stress the schedule too much.  It is fun to be in the woods.  Try to keep a general nap-time if that is what you do, but don’t stress out if it doesn’t work out.  Everyone will get back on schedule eventually.
• Expect kids to be flexible and they will eventually be flexible.  If you expect inflexibility, that is probably what you will find.
• Don’t quit doing fun stuff just because you have children.

I am thinking ahead to a chunk of the Pacific Crest Trail with kids, or maybe just with Francis and my mother.  We are in training for 2012 when I think I could leave the younger kids and take off for a week for a wilderness adventure.  Keep on ‘packin’!

In: Awesome!, family, on the road again | | #