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Dollar Lake,
Mt Hood |
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Convincing the girls to spend their hard earned weekend doing something they know I love more than them was not an easy assignment. I got an A on this paper as we loaded up the truck after sorting through gear before heading out to Pinnacle Ridge Trailhead. The trailhead actually took four wheeled drive to drive to as the silt made the rear wheels slip going up the sometimes 25 degree climbs. Jordan, not too sure about this whole adventure thing, shouldered her pack after I, mine, and we thumped our way up the trail, heading for Trail 600.
Amber love crossing creeks and seeing nature in general. While crossing one creek, nature got too close in the form of flies as Amber quickly donned her head net. She felt superior, outsmarting those pesky flying insects, while grinning ear to ear.
Up we climbed as we spotted huckleberry fields as well as bear scat. Jordan was looking as tired as Amber was excited. Amber knew that Daddy had something good in mind or else we would not even be here.
The huckleberry fields were expansive on this side of the mountain as the northern side does not dry up as fast as it's southern flanks do. Unfortunately, the plants bore no fruit as fields like this in the Olympics would have me gorging by now.
No shortage of huckleberry bushes nor swamps. The snows still melting on Mt. Hood created vast swamps that one could simply not walk around. We had to slog our way through them, trying to chose the most beaten path as not to hurt the vegetation any more than possible.
Swamp complete, my guide book told me it should be a straight shot from here up to the Timberline Tail, Trail 600. The hardest part was to keep Amber on the trail as she went off chasing butterflies quite often. Jordan just laughed in disbelief of the fearlessness of her little sister.
On we marched with little forests greeting our presents with the pine smell no one can duplicate in a factory. Reminding us it smelled like Christmas, Amber had another go at a passing butterfly. Jordan quickly reeled her in as she was beginning to tire of the climbing.
We took a break at a seasonal creek and treated water. 30 minutes later, the water was still ice cold and delicious as the girls drank copious amounts in preparation for the increasing heat of the day.
Finally reaching the Timberline Trail, immediately the girls spotted a small snow field and could not resist. Nor could Jordan convince me of her fatigue as she out frolicked Amber two to one. After persuading them that our camp spot would be so much better (I had no idea, really), the reluctantly followed me to the trail leading to the lake. As we could not find the trail, we bush whacked just a bit and found it.
"Oh man I am glad I came along", Jordan said. Now the hard part for me was to get them to help set up camp. No such luck. A rabid griz could not scare them away from this tiny lake, supporting numerous bugs and whatnot.
I scouted around and found the best place for us and for me. My requirements were simple; views.
I set the girl's tarp up with the best view as I did want something more in the shade. I found out later, so did they as I moved their tarp to a different area with less of a view, but a light breeze as well as cool shade.
My tarp just fit in between small trees. I set up my micro camp and sent the girls off to their tarp to take a nap in the shade.
With the young ones resting, I took off to find water as we were running low and would need some for tonight's dinner. As skilled as I am, I know well enough not to drink from a microbe infested toilet like Dollar Lake. I went in search of sweet water, that is, water melting from snow fields, running through the rocks. It actually tastes sweet due to mineral deposits.
I found a field just on the other side of our ridge and hobbled over to take a look. It was hot today as all I could think about was water now. I was not even thirsty or dehydrated, but the dust and silt seem to have a psychosomatic effect on me.
At the bottom of the field, I found it. The water was ice cold and as tasty as anything I have ever had. I drank a liter of it as my gut was telling me to slow down. I then, with a brain freeze, filled all our bladders to the brim and sloshed back down to camp.
Along the way, I snapped some picks of the wicked wrecks that were the local foliage. Indeed, these plants were not to be messed with as they have seen some horrific winters I imagined. As I made it back to camp, I scouted around for something to do with the girlies as I knew they would awaken full of vigor.
I found just the thing for them. Not more than 200 feet from our camp, on the opposite side we hiked into, was an enormous snowfield complete with view. I showed the two how to glissade on their butts as they picked up my meager skill quite rapidly. I sat and read while they entertained themselves for over two hours, hiking back up and giggling all the way back down.
Fun over, they were now hungry as Daddy had quite the appetite as well. I boiled up some water for dinner as I started a fire for roasting marshmallows. While doing that, Amber decided that she was now a dog and proceeded to act as such, kicking wildly into the air while digging in the dirt. Jordan could not figure it out, nor did she try.
Fire made, dinner was consumed rapidly along followed by Schmores. As the girls were pretty tired from the day's events, they went to bed without a bed time. I don't give the girls a bed time in the back country knowing well that they will sleep soon enough without rules from home and get up when they have had enough sleep.
I caught a few pictures of alpenglow before retiring for the night. I could hear the girls giggling now and then as they played a game of Fish or Old Maid or something like that. It made me happy to hear them together without the noise from the TV, sporting some stupid show, teaching them nothing. Out here, they have not one comfort of home, but have never sounded happier and that made me quite content.
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