Down the Nankoweap Trail…

A week ago I hiked up, and out, the Nankoweap Trail to my truck, parked at the Saddle Mountain Trailhead. After 5 fantastic days below the rim, the semi-frozen Gatorade I had left in my cooler was the best thing I had tasted in months!

This trip had been on my radar for years and, after a couple failed attempts — excessive heat the first time, and impassible roads the second — I finally made that drive down Forest Road 8910. I chose this access, rather than the slightly shorter approach via FR 610, because it actually has a 1000’ ascent to the official beginning of the Nankoweap Trail, rather than a 1000’ descent.

Yes, I know, “Why would you want to go uphill??” Two reasons: A) Going uphill with a loaded pack is not as hard on my knees/quads as going downhill; B) After climbing up and out to the trailhead, I would rather look forward to a 1000’ descent with my empty pack, than another long climb. So, I chose the House Rock Valley route. It’s also less popular than the alternative, and there is a nice “car camping” campsite just before the Saddle Mountain trailhead, that wasn’t part of the old burn.

It begins
“Base Camp”

Day One began, after coffee and breakfast, with a sunny/breezy morning hike. After signing the trail register — I noticed there was a group of 6, one day ahead of me — I begin walking up, through the old burn. After about 30 minutes, the trail descended into the dry creek bed and wound along for about 45 minutes, before climbing back up into the Ponderosa. It was nice and cool, and the fall colors were starting to really pop, so the hike was quite pleasant, despite the hill climb. Don’t worry, it’s not THAT steep, just take one step at a time and don’t rush. I got to the rim, and the official Nankoweap Trailhead, about two hours after leaving my truck. The National Park Service (NPS) describes this segment of trail as being “3.5 miles.” It is closer to 4 miles, if you’re serious about tracking exact distance.

Hiking to the Trailhead

At the rim, the two Forest Service access trails come together at the NPS trailhead. There are actually a couple of small campsites here, and it makes a pretty nice spot for lunch, before continuing on, into the Canyon. Here I met a group of 4 ladies on their way out. They were tired and happy, which made me happy.

The “Actual” trailhead, 4 miles from the truck…

Once I’d rested from my hike up to the actual trailhead, I gathered my reserve and began descending the last of the Esplanade to the long Supai traverse. This is where the trail could become problematic if you have issues with heights, vertigo, balance, exposure, etc. The trail was very well defined, so no real route-finding skill needed, but there is a lot of exposure. Ie., the trail follows along a ledge system, at times very narrow, with a cliff wall to your left and the void to your right. In places, the trail narrows to less than 16 inches wide. It takes you along, for about 2 miles, to Marion Point. Here, there is a small, dry campsite that will accomodate a few tents if you don’t mind being close together. There are small campsites along the trail, past the point as well. Here, I stashed a couple of liters of water for my hike out, ate a snack, and continued on for another 3.5 miles to Tilted Mesa — my destination for the night. NOTE: The “seasonal” seep that is described by the NPS, has diminished to a patch of damp lichen. It is NOT a water source. More on this later.

The traverse/trail heading over to Tilted Mesa was essentially a continuation of the same trail type leading across to Marion Point. There are a couple of spots where the path takes you around large, protruding boulders (they push you towards the edge of the drop-off). I just kept my eyes focused on the path directly in front of my feet, and made myself blur out the void. One foot in front of the other… Bearing in mind that I had dry conditions for my hike, I could see these narrow spots being quite scary if muddy.

After a seemingly long, mostly unshaded walk, I came to the point where the path descends down through the last of the Supai. Here it does require a little bit of down-climbing, in a couple of spots. With the help of two handy trees, the climbs weren’t that bad, maybe 7-8’ of Class 4 scrambling. I kept my pack on, but if you are more comfortable lowering your pack, definitely do so. It shouldn’t require more than 5’ of cord, or a belt and long arms.

Once you get down through the Supai, the path eases up and descends down to the top of the Redwall formation, and a handful of nice, small campsites. I chose one, next to an odd structure, built by hikers. It’s up against a big, gnarled Juniper tree and, I suppose, it would help shelter you from the wind. It reminded me of a Tolkienien troll house, so I set up my shelter outside, and kept an eye on the structure. This was a dry camp, and I had carried just enough water across to take care of my basic camp needs for that night, and the hike down to the creek in the morning. No bird bath, or extra cup of hot tea tonight!

Day Two found me waking up at 6am to raindrops on my shelter. That made me sad, because I hate packing up wet gear, and I was not looking forward to the Redwall and Tapeats in the rain. Luckily, the rain didn’t last, and the trail was mostly dry. The Redwall descent wasn’t bad, for a RW descent. The worst sections have been built up/cribbed, to prevent any major slides. The loose gravels on the trail surface were big enough to be mostly stable. I usually have a foot slip at least once every Canyon hike, and it didn’t happen this trip. That said, because of all the warnings I had read about or heard about this trail, I was making a very serious effort to control my momentum, and only take one step at a time. This is NOT a trail to loose focus on. If you need to look at the scenery from time to time, stop, get your feet planted and then look around. This amount of attention is tiring, and after 2.5 hours of descending, while evaluating every foot placement, I was mentally worn out.

Getting to the creek was a relief! I scoped out my future campsite (Night 4), filtered a couple liters of water (I drank my bottles dry 30 minutes earlier) and headed on downstream. The hike to the river from where the trail hits the creek is mostly along the stream bed. There are a couple of places where you can leave the bed and hike along the ledges. It was beautiful —- fall colors in full-swing, gurgling creek. After a couple of hours, the river came into view!

I followed the main trail (very well defined) up and detoured onto the narrow ridge, overlooking the delta and lunch beach. Here you can see the remains of a small pueblo — a few room outlines, and a couple of poorly “reconstructed” wall segments. Sadly, any ceramic fragments or other small finds, left by the former occupants, have been carted off.

The Group of 6 had staked out the usual backpackers campsite I had been hoping for, so I walked around the top of the lunch beach, and found a nice spot in the old dunes, off of the Granary Trail. I got my damp gear out to dry, went to the beach and cleaned up, and was very surprised to find the water to be a COMFORTABLE temperature?!? I actually found myself getting back into the water to warm up, after standing up in the breeze. The water is so low in Powell Reservoir, that it is leaving the dam at surface temperature, which is almost warm. A commercial guide I spoke with said that by the time it reaches Nankoweap, the water is almost 25 degrees warmer than last year at this time. Good for the native fish, bad for the invasive trout. The water was also running clear — I was there between up-canyon storms.

After lounging around for a while, I noticed a private river trip heading into the eddy. Really cool group of folks, mostly from Wyoming and Idaho — My old stomping grounds! They invited me up to their camp for a beer. I decided to take them up on their offer, and they had appetizers, which they generously shared with me. While that was happening, the clouds rolled in and the skies opened up. We got a big, wing shelter set up over their kitchen and they told me I would be staying for dinner. They had not one, but TWO fire pans! When I’m not hiking I’m paddling. I am a river-rat, and for a couple of hours, they let me join their trip. They’re still on the river, heading for Diamond. Y’all, if any of you happen to read this, Thank you, again!!!

Day Three, I got up early the next morning, to hike up to the granaries. I actually had them to myself! The last time I saw them I was on a river trip with 15 other people. It was a bit crowded up there. A bonus: The NPS trail crew was just putting the finishing touches on a trail reconstruction project, the day before, so I got “first tracks.” They did a fantastic job, and the trail is now very stable and solid. The views down the river, from the granaries, is spectacular — well worth the effort to get up there!

I wandered back down to the river trip’s camp and said farewell. Then, it was back to my site to pack up and work my back up the creek. I found the little site I’d scoped out on the way down, and set up. I had the creek to myself for a couple of hours, before the Group of 6 came in. We kept to ourselves, and I was up and out the next morning, before they were.

Day Four, the climb out was, well, the hike down in reverse. I am one of those people that would rather climb up a steep, loose route than work my way down one. Gravity does most of the work keeping my feet under me, and I don’t worry about slipping as much. It was strenuous, but not nearly as mentally exhausting as the trip down. There are a few good spots to stop and catch your breath, and I did take advantage of those. I try to stop once an hour, when I’m on the trail, to take off my pack and boots, just to prevent pack soreness and blisters.

I got up to my first night’s campsite, on Tilted Mesa, in 4 hours. There I met a young German couple, heading down. They were stopped in the shade. She was looking at a large blister on her heel, and he was fiddling with his small pack. They were wearing light running shorts & tops, and running shoes, carrying 30 liter backpacks. As soon as they saw me come up, they both started asking me if there was water in the creek. They asked four times if there was water. He seemed a bit panicked about whether or not there was water in the creek. I asked if they had camped here, or at Marion Point, and they said they had hiked in from the National Park access that morning. It was about 11:30am, and was getting quite warm. I then asked if they were camping at the creek, and they replied that they were heading over to Kwagunt that evening. I noticed only one, 1 liter bottle in each of their packs. They may have been carrying more, but those packs were small and they were clearly out of water. Subsequent events would convince me further, that they were only carrying limited water/carrying capacity…

I said “Good Luck” to the two, Kwagunt-bound” adventurers, and made my way up, onto the traverse trail. By now it was getting pretty warm. I’d packed an extra liter of water that morning, knowing the hike across the traverse would be in front of a tall, heat reflecting sandstone cliff. I made it around to Marion point around 2:30 and collected my water. I noticed the Group of 6’s water cache, tucked into the rocks above the trail. I decided to press on and get to the rim, before sunset. I didn’t want to cram into the small camping area with a large group. I got across to the rim by 5pm and set up camp. The traverse back over was no less exposed/narrow than it had been on Day 1, I just had the void to my left this time. I had dinner during a perfect, Canyon sunset, then collapsed when it got dark.

I got up after the sun hit my tent (it was a cold night) and was just getting around to heading out, when the Group of 6 came up the short scramble to the trailhead. It was there that I learned that the young couple I’d encountered on Tilted Mesa had helped themselves to 6’s water cache. They only took 1 liter — one half liter from two different containers — but pilfering any water from someone’s cache could be potentially life threatening for the person/people that cached the water. That said, the Group got to the trailhead with enough water to be okay. If it had been hotter, it might have been a different story.

What do I think happened? The couple had started their hike without enough water. Based on the size of their packs, their condition when I encountered them, and only one visible bottle each, they’d headed out with limited carrying capacity. They got to Marion Point, looking for the seep that is still listed on the NPS trailhead sign as a possible water source, to find it dry. They saw the unmarked cache (no note) and assumed it was ok to help themselves. At least they only took the bare minimum. That half liter each probably didn’t get them all the way to Tilted Mesa, but got them through the hottest part of the trail, and there was definitely, positively water waiting for them at Nankoweap Creek. My hope is that they realized how unprepared they were, and stopped there. Pushing on to Kwagunt from Tilted Mesa, on a warm day, leaving at 11:30 was not going to end well. At least, that’s what I imagine happened.

Anyway… I hiked down to the Saddle Mountain trailhead, my truck and my semi-frozen Gatorade. The Group of 6 caught up with me. We hung out for a bit and then went on our way. One of them gave me a sweet bumper sticker for my truck. In all, my trip was amazing. The weather, despite the little bit of rain, was perfect for this trail. It’s not one I would do in the warmer seasons, or if I knew that conditions would be snowy or muddy. I met some amazing folks, saw some new scenery and got to revisit some old sites. This route is described by the NPS as “The Most Difficult” trail in the canyon. It is a long, steep, exposed hike. It would have been the most difficult route I’ve done, if I had tried to do it in a day, do it in late spring, summer or early fall. The exposure isn’t any worse than some I’ve seen on the Escalante, or Beemer, there is just a LOT more of it. The steep, loose sections aren’t any more so than what I’ve seen descending the Boucher or dropping off of Horseshoe Mesa, they are just longer. I broke the trail into sections, and had a great time. One misplaced step could’ve resulted in a different outcome. Will I do it again? Probably.

The Best Budget Thru-Hiking Gear – Backpacker

The Best Budget Thru-Hiking GearThrifty options that get the job done. Scott Yorko Feb 3, 2017 258 SHARESThinking about your next thru hike? Plan and execute the hike of your dreams with Backpacker’s Thru Hiking 101 online course today!Sometimes, your dreams are just bigger than your budget. The good news: You don’t need expensive or top-of-the-line gear to hike a long trail. Get going with these strong budget picks.

Source: The Best Budget Thru-Hiking Gear – Backpacker

Thru-Hiking the CDT for Underserved Kids – REI Co-op Journal

Thru-Hiking the CDT for Underserved KidsRate this story: 5 Votes so farEnrique Gili//August 3, 2017A Q&A with the man who’s completing the 3,100-mile trail to help get more young people outsideOn April 28, Michael Hervey began his quest to complete the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) in a single season. As of July, he was done marching through the last of the 14ers in Colorado and well into Wyoming.The trip will take him from the badlands of New Mexico to the Canadian border, covering 3,100 miles on the highest and most remote of the National Scenic Trails. He won’t be alone. In the spring, about 200 hikers set out from the desert in an attempt to reach the Canadian border before winter arrives. And if he succeeds, he’ll join a hardy group of several dozen hikers to complete one of the most challenging long-distance trails in the United States this year.

Source: Thru-Hiking the CDT for Underserved Kids – REI Co-op Journal

A Quick Trip to White Sands National Monument: Go Early, Hike in Late…

Last week, I decided to take a couple of days and visit White Sands National Monument.  I’ve lived in New Mexico for almost three years and decided it was time.  There is no excuse not to take advantage of a National Monument or Park when it’s in your backyard.

From what I’d read and heard, WSNM is a spectacular location for exploring and stargazing. During the day, the dunes are beautiful – stark white, with very little relief as far as color or texture go.  There is sparse vegetation, mostly consisting of salt-loving shrubs growing in the low areas between the dunes.   The occasional yucca manages to find a foothold, even on the dune tops.  At night, there is very little light pollution, making for perfect stargazing conditions.

I opted for a “backpacking” trip – hiking into one of the ten available back-country sites.  My plan was to go in a bit after mid-day, set up my campsite, explore a bit and relax under my shade/tarp until evening.

Permits are issued on a first come, first served basis.  You must walk in to get one.  There are also days when you can’t hike or camp: the missile test range is next door, and if they are testing, there’s no hiking or camping.  Call ahead.

I drove down to the visitor’s center, walked in at 11:00 am, and had my choice of campsites.  From there I drove to the trailhead parking lot, located the start of the dune-field trail, and began my hike in.  So far, so good.  The backcountry area is actually quite small.  The trail is a 4-mile loop, with the 10 campsites branching off of it like spokes on a wheel.  Each site is situated in the bottom of a low-lying flat area, behind a sand dune.  There is no camping allowed on the dunes themselves.  You’d think these low areas would be ideal locations for camping…  One suggestion: if you are using a tent that requires staking out, bring tent stakes and a hammer.  There are no rocks naturally occurring in the dune field and the gypsum hardpan is basically cement.  Pushing in the tent stake will only result in a bruised palm and a very weak stake placement.  I learned this lesson the hard way.

After setting up my tent and tarp/shade, as securely as possible, I did some exploring.  The Monument website recommends taking a fully charged cell phone, map, compass, and GPS.  They also state that often-times GPS coverage is iffy, and your phone likely won’t work.  Best to brush up on your map and compass skills.  I can see how easily it would be to become lost in the dunes.  The wind quickly erases your tracks, and the landscape is starkly white and barren.  In bright light, the terrain appears to flatten out and you can become disoriented.  The backcountry camping area has Carsonite posts marking the trail, these are set on high areas, making it easier to keep track of your location.  The other areas in the monument are not as well marked, so hikers be aware.

After lunch, I took advantage of my shade, listened to a lecture on Greek Mythology and napped.  It’s a great place to just hang out.  I didn’t have any bugs, no crowds of people, and only one military drone.  There are a lot of jet fly-overs, as the monument is located adjacent to an Air Force base, but I knew this going in.  The jets were nothing compared to the wind that came on around 5:00 pm.

I’d been checking the weather for a few days leading up to my trip, trying to average out the forecasts from NOAA, the Weather Channel, and AccuWeather.  NONE of them predicted tent-flattening, tarp-flying, sand-blasting microbursts.  If I’d had some sort of hammer-like device, I might’ve been okay, but without one I could not reset any of my tent stakes.  I packed up my tent and tarp, and in the process discovered that my sleeping bag was full of gypsum.  I packed that up too.  After sitting in a ball for 30 minutes, waiting to see what happened, I came to the conclusion that setting up a stove and preparing dinner in this was not going to happen.  Of course, that is when I decided that I was getting hungry.  At around 5:30 I stood up and took a look around.  A small wall of dust was building and heading my way, reminiscent of the 1930’s dust bowl photos my grandparents used to show me.  Enough.  I packed the rest of my stuff, put my shoes back on (you can run around barefoot as much as you want – no cactus) and hiked back to the car. 

As I was heading out, I passed several people hiking into their sites.  They looked about as excited for the wind as I was.  I now know how I’ll approach this when I go back.  Yes, despite my failed attempt, I am going to try again.  The place is just too amazing not to.  First: go in early to get your campsite, then go do something else until late afternoon.  Take a tent peg hammer.  Don’t hike in too early – it’s hot in the sun; there is no water, so you must carry it in; the wind will pick up in the early evening, making it difficult to prepare dinner.  You can minimize your exposure by going in later, after you’ve had dinner, for example.  Or, go in the Fall, when the wind isn’t such a problem.

Backcountry permits cost $3, the landscape is surreal, and the light reflecting off the gypsum is brilliant! Take a good pair of sunglasses, some sunscreen, and a wide-brimmed hat.  You can also buy a sled at the visitor’s center – the kids playing in the parking lot dunes seemed to enjoy them.

 

Alleviate the Disadvantages of Fuel Canisters with this Simple Device | Gear Institute

The advantages of isobutane canister stove fuel makes it extremely popular in the backcountry: clean burning, no spills, and ease of use. The major drawbacks of canister fuel revolve around the inability to transfer fuel between canisters, resulting in partially used canisters piling up, and forcing us to carry multiple partially used canisters to avoid wasting fuel. On top of that, we often end up paying more per unit of fuel, as the cost is disproportionally higher in smaller canisters.

Source: Alleviate the Disadvantages of Fuel Canisters with this Simple Device | Gear Institute

Trump aims attack at national monuments: 20 at risk | Wilderness.org

Trump aims attack at national monuments: 20 at risk President Trump is ordering a “review” of about half of all national monuments designated since the beginning of 1996, a sweeping action that is intended to shrink boundaries and reduce protections. The executive order will put more than 20 national monuments in the crosshairs, ranging from rare wildlife habitat to Native American archaeological ruins, stretching from Maine to California to Pacific islands. Photo: California Coastal National Monument. C

Source: Trump aims attack at national monuments: 20 at risk | Wilderness.org

Is Instagram Ruining the Great Outdoors? | Outside Online

The great outdoors is all over social media. On Instagram, the hashtag #nature has been used more than 20 million times. Attach a geotag to your photo of last weekend’s campsite, and your followers can tramp to the exact same spot. Some nature lovers worry about the downside to this: Is Instagram funneling hordes of people to places that can’t handle this crush of admirers? Are those filtered, perfectly tinted pics sending a message that people can always go where they want, when they want, and how they wa

Source: Is Instagram Ruining the Great Outdoors? | Outside Online

The death of backpacking? (The death of backpacking?) — High Country News

Great essay in The High Country News.  I am not giving up.  An experience I recently had in the Grand Canyon gives me hope.  I took an extra layover day, at Indian Gardens, during my Tonto Tour in March.  I wanted a rest day to just relax, eat, borrow a book from the little “library” there and enjoy being in the canyon.  A young family was camping in the space next to me – three young kids and their parents.  No iPads, iPods, Gameboys, whining, complaining, boredom.  Those kids were having the time of their lives and clearly enjoyed backpacking.  I hope their parents continue immersing them in wilderness-time.  Those kids are our hope for the future of wild places.

The adrenalized relationship with the natural world is also an experience of human conquest – the peak-bagger’s pathology. Ironically, it’s not much different from the benighted mindset of corporate accountancy: How many cliffs base-jumped? How many extreme trails conquered? Faster, more. And always the adrenalin payoff Casimiro perceives – not dissimilar to the monetary payoff chased by capitalists.

Source: The death of backpacking? (The death of backpacking?) — High Country News

Grand Gulch In Bears Ears National Monument

Grand Gulch, part of the newly established Bears Ears National Monument, is a remote canyon system located south and west of Blanding, UT. Numerous sites dating from the Archaic period to PIII can be found here, as well as some of the finest examples of ancient rock art in the Southwest.

Backpacking in Lower Grand Gulch

Getting There

Located on State Route 261, the Kane Gulch Ranger Station is 4 miles south of US Hwy 95 at the upper entry point into Grand Gulch, visitors to the area need to stop by here and register with the ranger and pay the day use fee, or overnight fee if you are backpacking in the canyon. As the name implies, this is a non-developed, primitive recreation area. Access into the canyon is by foot travel, although horse/pack animal access is allowed in certain portions of the canyon. The trails in and out of the canyon can range from steep, slightly technical scrambles to long, flat sand washes with everything in between.

What You Can See

Besides the incredible scenery of the canyon itself, several archaeological sites including Jail House Ruin, Perfect Kiva and Junction Ruin, as well as dozens of granaries and rock art too numerous to count are all located in Grand Gulch, many within day-hiking range from the BLM Ranger station at Kane Gulch.

Surrounding Grand Gulch, Cedar Mesa offers beautiful hiking, primitive car camping (in established sites) and opportunities to explore numerous mesa top sites.

Tips for Your Visit

Take only pictures

Transportation on Cedar Mesa can be an adventure in itself. The roads leading off of State route 261 consist of unimproved dirt roads, most requiring at least an all-wheel drive vehicle. Low clearance, 2-wheel drive cars may not get you where you want to go here. Keep in mind that the character of any one of the Cedar Mesa roads can change dramatically after one rain storm. Washouts, sandy areas and arroyo cutting are all part of the adventure.

Slick rock campsites – Leave No Trace

The ranger station has a good collection of books and maps for sale, focusing on the Grand Gulch/Cedar Mesa area. The rangers will also have information regarding which archaeological sites are open and accessible to the public. In addition, they have current water conditions and weather forecasts. Both are very important for anybody planning on venturing below the canyon rims. For more information on visiting archaeologically sensitive areas, check this link out.

 

Hera’s first backpacking trip

Ready to hit the trail

We rescued Hera, a cute Blue Heeler with not so cute issues, about 3 years ago.  Last summer, I decided that I’d like to try backpacking with her.  She’s a fearful dog so, while she is obedient 90% of the time, we always walk her on-leash.  Keeping her on a leash is our choice and not up for discussion.  That said, she’s very happy to carry a little backpack for day hikes.  She loves hiking!  I chose a 3-day hike to do that wouldn’t involve any technical/difficult scrambling or climbing, would have plenty of water and would be less popular with the masses – ie., not Lake Catherine.

For this adventure, I’d take my lightweight, 2-person tent (not enough room for myself and the dog in the Seedhouse).  She’s always done well in our big car-camping tent, so I didn’t forsee any problems.  Other than the bigger tent, and a bearproof canister for food, my kit would pretty much be the same that I always carry.  Hera would carry her little backpack, and in addition to the snacks she usually carries, she’d have a little, lightweight bedroll, some extra kibble and her collapsible food bowl.  We packed up, left details about our route and when we’d be home and headed out.  Once at the trailhead, I strapped her into her backpack, and me into mine and we started out.  Ten steps from the truck a loud clap of thunder announced that weather was over the ridge, and we might have some precipitation.  The trail wouldn’t take us anywhere exposed or up high, so I decided to continue on.  About 1/4 mile in, it started to hail – little, tiny hailstones.  I learned that Hera doesn’t like hail.

What is this devilry?

She actually managed to slip out of her backpack at one point, and just laid down in the trail.  We ducked under a large boulder and let the hail pass.  Once she was back into her pack, and it had quit hailing we continued on.

 

Lunchtime came and I chose a little meadow area, near a creek to stop and eat.  She wasn’t sure about eating out in a meadow.  The kibble was completely unappetizing so, I offered her a sausage snack.  That was apparently adequate trail food.  We kept going, passed through a fairly heavy rain squall, hiked up and out of a fog bank, and managed to make about 9 miles.  She was a trooper.  I chose a nice campsite, overlooking a meadow complete with a little trout stream, and some elk.

Elk watching

I got her dried off, set up the tent, hung the bear canister and we settled in for the evening.  I’m not sure she was having much fun.  From the look on her face, she was skeptical.  After dinner, we took a walk down to the creek where she saw her first free-swimming fish.  She was more than happy to crawl into the tent for the night.  I was quite pleased with the results of her first day out, and she didn’t snore at all.

Where is this place and when do we go home?

The next day we packed up for a day-hike.  No backpack for her! I carried my little summit pack with our food and my water.  We did a nice loop hike, exploring several large meadows and low ridge tops.  I don’t think she was much impressed with the scenery, but LOVED rolling in the fresh grass – we don’t have any at home.

Grass!

Back to camp for our last evening.  Unfortunately, the mosquitoes discovered our location and took a special interest in Hera.  I sprayed my bandana with Ben’s and laid that across her while I ate dinner.  It seemed to help.

Tents are just big, soft-sided doghouses

We slept in, and after breakfast and one last walk down to our trout stream, packed up and started hiking out.  We had good weather for the return trip and made good time.  There were even several bovines near the trailhead for Hera’s entertainment.  She loves cows, it’s in her genes.  As much as I would have enjoyed watching her scatter them, I kept her on leash.

We got back to the truck, ditched our packs and headed home.  I did stop at a drive-thru for a burger and fries.  Hera loves drive-thrus.  She knows that those people mean food, and are somehow ok.  She’s never once tried to keep them at bay.

Ready for a cheeseburger