Backcountry Family

Transition in Limbo, an Intermission

2012-01-18T18:33:00.000-08:00

For those who are patiently fed up with our lack of upkeep on the blog, thank you and please hold out.

At present, David and I are working on completing our Master's at the University of Minnesota and plan to update as much as we can. It has been a choatic immersion back into the world of school, work, study, work, Hazel, more Hazel, and job searching. We really have not had anything exciting happen since our return other than putting our noses to the grindstone. Hazel is changing; she's practically nine years old stuck in a twenty-two month old's body. Really. But she's pleaded the 5th and refused to converse with us lately. Everyone says she will be that two year old who comes out in paragraphs. We'll see how long that lasts.

We've been cooped up in our apartment somewhat recently due to the harsh northwest winds blowing into Minnesota. Although, we've been fortunate as the normal Minnesota winter has been significantly mild. If we can make it to February, perhaps we are home free. We have a nice three layer system for Hazel to keep her warm in the pack. She doesn't mind the cold a bit. And by cold, I've had her out in some single digits - just fine. The gear these days is amazing and if the arctics can do it, so can we. Hazel gets a little stir crazy being inside all day so there is a need to get her out somewhere other than the malt shop, bookstore, zoos and museums. It gets stuffy after a while. It's funny, because we received all of these wonderful gifts and toys over the holidays for Hazel. But when she's at home, her level of engagement really is so short lived. She is much more temperamental these days with her 'stuff'. Can you blame her? She was never that attention deficit, would be the best way to put it, when we were on the trail, outside in the fresh air.

On another note, depending on what happens in terms of job placements for both David and I when our graduate programs have run thin, there has been discussion of finishing the PCT where we left off this summer. We are looking at transferring somewhere out west 'permanently' if there is a good opportunity. More to come on that.

We hope everyone has had a spectacular holiday and wish you a grand 2012.

Back to the City Dwelling Life

2011-10-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

Well, we are back to reality and life at home in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. This concludes our Pacific Crest Trail adventure of the 2011 season, but oh so much more ahead. To recap, we backpacked approximately 1,500 miles over the course of the last 6 months with Hazel; hiking "thru" or continuously from the Mexico border (Campo) to Kennedy Meadows, through patches of northern California during our wait of the high snow melt, and able to wrap up along John Muir Trail to Happy Isles. A trip and a half. Hazel is a new woman, finally humming her ABC's. No grey hairs for us yet though.

If anyone is interested, we will be presenting about our trip, gear, passions, and other dirty secrets at Midwest Mountaineering's Outdoor Adventure Expo this fall. If you're around come stop in for some good food, beer, and great outdoorsmanship. Look forward to seeing people and more to come. We welcome any ideas for the next expedition!

John Muir Trail: Finishing into Yosemite Valley

2011-09-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

John Muir Trail: Lyell Canyon heading towards Yosemite Valley

2011-09-22T04:59:00.000-07:00

Bug Net

Lyell Glacier

John Muir Trail: Donohue Pass, Lyell Canyon & Onward to Tuolumne Meadows

2011-09-21T22:37:00.000-07:00

Entering Yosemite Wilderness

Looking north towards Lyell Canyon

Lyell Glacier

John Muir Trail: Grandpa Liechty (David's Dad) Joins Us for the Finish!

2011-09-21T21:37:00.000-07:00

On our way from Reds Meadow to Donohue Pass within the Ansel Adams Wilderness, Grandpa is elated.

First day ... hail, rain, sleet ... Hazel doesn't seem to mind the elements.

Going towards Banner Peak

Thousand Island

Wildflowers are still very present because of the late spring/heavy snow year.

Making our way up to Donohue Pass, looking southeast.

Donohue Pass, looking to the south you can see Kings Canyon in the far far distance. What a walk.

John Muir Trail: Reds Meadow to Mammoth Resupply

2011-09-21T21:15:00.001-07:00

John Muir Trail: Muir Trail Ranch, Purple Lake, Reds Meadow

2011-09-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

Marie Lakes

Rained on near Purple Lake; first time in 8 days!

Hazel is helping mom with the tent in the rain.

John Muir Trail: Muir Pass to Muir Trail Ranch

2011-09-21T20:35:00.000-07:00

Coming up to Muir Pass, 12,100 ft.

Muir Hut: Erected in 1930, dedicated to John Muir for hikers during treacherous storms.

Evolution Basin

Reaching the northern border of Kings Canyon National Park, entering John Muir Wilderness.

First resupply of food after 5 days ... only 4 more days until town!

John Muir Trail: Mather Pass to LeConte Canyon

2011-09-17T22:21:00.001-07:00

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John Muir Trail - Rae Lakes to Bench Lake

2011-09-17T21:55:00.001-07:00

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John Muir Trail: Kearsarge Pass to Rae Lakes

2011-09-17T21:31:00.001-07:00

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Into the Woods for My Father

2011-09-11T07:15:00.000-07:00

Upon our completion along the John Muir Trail, I would like to dedicate our trip to my (Rachel's) father, Calvin Dale Woods, who passed away unexpectedly on August 31, 2011. I was graciously notified by National Park Service backcountry rangers near Rae Lakes Station while we were in Kings Canyon National Park, contrarily, on our way to Woods Creek. My father had always wanted to be a park ranger; his dreams were simply to live in a cabin, in the woods, with his dog ... And to fish like there was no tomorrow. My time out in the backcountry has been restorative and the best way to come to terms with what has happened. My dad would have wanted it that way, out in the woods with my daughter and husband, reminiscing about happier thoughts and times I've shared with him. He always put his family first, no matter what. Often, he'd set his dreams aside for a later time. I want to live this one for him. I love you dad and you will always be in my heart.

The Next Leg

2011-08-31T14:31:00.000-07:00

On our way to Kearsarge Pass. This next jaunt we are fortunate to have a good friend, Tom "Start Slow," hike with us over the next nine days (we met him and his wife Sheila "Taper Off" in Julian earlier this year along the PCT). They thru-hiked the PCT in 2004. We will be going from Kearsarge Pass to Reds Meadow, resupplying at the Muir Trail Ranch. David's dad will meet us at Reds Meadow, which from there we will go to Yosemite Valley. More to come soon as we are on our way and hope you all enjoyed the pictures!

Return from Whitney

2011-08-30T23:06:00.000-07:00

Crabtree Meadows:

Hazel's first try with the mosquito net... success!

...and mom's coat

We think Hazel has adapted well to the altitude...

2011-08-30T22:53:00.000-07:00

Atop Mt. Whitney

2011-08-30T22:24:00.000-07:00

Mt. Whitney Climb

2011-08-30T22:09:00.000-07:00

Mt. Whitney from camp (west side):

Power Food:

The Summit Begins:

David & Hazel are the small black dot, lower right corner:

Camping below Mt. Whitney before the Summit

2011-08-30T18:17:00.000-07:00

We came in from the west side of Mt. Whitney via Cottonwood Pass. Here is a shot coming up to Guitar Lake, the halfway point up to Mt. Whitney where many hikers camp before the summit the next day. The elevation at Guitar Lake is around 11,600 feet. We camped about 0.45 miles above at a smaller pond overlooking Guitar Lake to relax our nearly 3,000 ft. gain up to Mt. Whitney (14,505 ft.).

Guitar Lake:

This one is for the Anderson's:

On our way to Mt. Whitney

2011-08-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

Heading to the Mountains: Views from Lone Pine

2011-08-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some vistas:

Hazel's Surly shirt meets Brewery St.; Mt. Whitney in the distance and the High Sierras.

Trail Markers

2011-08-24T22:18:00.001-07:00

Superior Hiking Trail

2011-08-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

The Superior Hiking Trail was grand. We ran into some problems on day 5 when our water filter broke. Thus, we were unable to complete the whole thing as it would have taken weeks to obtain an entirely new filter since there were no outfitters/retailers near us and we had no mode of transportation. Not that giardia couldn't have made Hazel's immune system stronger, but we weren't willing to risk it.

Had an amazing time nonetheless.

We later found a leech on Hazel's butt, her first real wildlife encounter.

Growing Nostalgic

2011-08-24T13:26:00.001-07:00

This is a shot from Seiad Valley, after attempting to hike towards the Oregon border in mid-July only to be turned around by high snow levels still resting comfortably along the trail. We are completely beyond ourselves excited to return to the PCT. We are currently in Lone Pine, and will rejoin the PCT by tomorrow (August 25th) and make our way to Mount Whitney (14,505 ft.), and Forester Pass (13,153 ft.) the highest point along the Pacific Crest Trail. We'll try to update as we can, however the next 3 weeks will be a straight thru-hike for the most part. Our plan is to summit Mt. Whitney (depending on how Hazel does with the altitude), although we did altitude testing in Colorado's Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness; she was great at 12,500 ft. so we don't foresee any issues. Step by step. The Sierra views from Lone Pine are unbelievable. You can see the stretch from Kennedy Meadows, Mt. Whitney, all the way to northern California where the Sierras taper off. Incredible. I'm hoping to get a photo up for everyone. Stay tuned.

David's (Deadly) Ascent to Angel's Landing

2011-08-24T07:33:00.000-07:00

Before watching this please know that Hazel was NOT here (for those who didn't catch that in the heading); Hazel and mom were down on the flat, safe, level ground looking for dad #2.

Hazel's Wildlife Call

2011-08-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

Canyon Land: Zion

2011-08-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

Hazel's Trail Face

2011-08-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

Canyon Land: Bryce Canyon

2011-08-23T15:46:00.000-07:00

Canyon Lands: Capitol Reef

2011-08-23T15:18:00.001-07:00

Canyon Lands: Arches

2011-08-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

Hi Ho Sierras Here We Go

2011-08-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

It's been a while folks and time to come clean. We are on our way back to California to wrap up our PCT journey, or at least of what we can. It has been an adventure in between our 'leave' from the PCT; we were able to spend a tremendous amount of time hiking, visiting family, friends, and relishing Hazel's first month of severe walking. We were hoping she would shed some pounds for a lighter load in our return to the High Sierras, only the same and a hair taller. Within our drive to California we will be doing one week of day hikes around the gorgeous canyon country of southern Utah (Bryce Canyon, Moab, Zion). Though, we have long waited to get back on the PCT. It is going to feel like home.

Here is a classic image of the Sierra terrain:

Source: pcta.org/copper/displayimage.php?album=7&pid=20#top_display_media

Remote, jagged, real, and breathtakingly stunning, the Sierras herald a once-in-a-lifetime journey. Particularly, the PCT section that merges with the John Muir Trail in the High Sierras, is regarded as the "premiere" backcountry trail in the U.S. The master plan is to hike from Trail Pass to Sonora Pass, the John Muir Trail part of the PCT. We'll begin around August 25th and end around September 20th. Thereafter, our PCT adventure will have come to a close. We do plan to hit the American Long Distance Hiking Association-West (ALDHA-West) gathering at Lake Wenatchee, Washington before heading back to Minnesota -- for those who will be there we will see you soon. Cheers to all and we hope to see some thru-hikers out in the Sierras!

Picking up the pieces along the PCT: California

2011-08-09T20:29:00.001-07:00

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Trail Angel Magic: The Saufley's

2011-08-02T10:15:00.001-07:00

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Hazel's sad return to the sunny weather:

2011-08-02T09:29:00.000-07:00

Along with our trail friend "Spitfire"

Desert Rain, Angeles National Forest

2011-08-02T09:24:00.003-07:00

A Rainy Day

2011-08-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

And Hazel was not pleased with us about her diaper situation. Good thing we wouldn't be in a town for another two days.

Diapers on the PCT

2011-08-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

Below is a lovely example of how we dry Hazel's clean diapers. Typically, the sun bakes the diapers quickly in time for Hazel; unfortunately during this day, the sun was not present for our clothes line.

Trail Angels: The Anderson's Casa de Luna

2011-07-31T06:14:00.000-07:00

Deuter Rain Fly

2011-07-31T06:10:00.000-07:00

The rain fly covers by Deuter kept everything, most importantly Hazel, protected and dry through the windy.rainy Tehachapi Mountains.

The Windy Tehachapi Mountains

2011-07-31T06:02:00.000-07:00

This was one of our toughest hikes with Hazel. The Tehachapi Mountains are infamous for its high winds. When we went through, it was 50 degrees, sleeting, and winds gusting between approximately 50 to 60 mph; needless to say, it was hard to walk without tipping over at points. That big cloud in the background is what we were headed for.

Hooray for Hazel

2011-07-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Re-routing to Canada via Minnesota

2011-07-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

The combination theme of record snow year and cool spring has taken its toll on us. It doesn't seem to be melting fast enough. We attempted to hike both north and south from 1) Sierra City, 2) Mt. Shasta, 3) Etna, only to hit huge snow drifts too dangerous to cross with Hazel. There is really no other section ready to go that we have not hiked. Oregon and Washington won't be ready until the middle of August, if that (even Tahoe has extended their ski season until August 15th!). Our most successful go was north from Etna heading into the Marble Mountain Wilderness. We made it over approximately 1 mile of snow covered trail at a steep grade with our MICROspikes. As we looked north, the trail looked completely clear, thinking we'd make it to at least Crater Lake. At about 11 miles north of Etna, we met a couple of thru-hikers and experienced mountaineers who reported walking through two days of pure snow coming from Seaid Valley (near the Oregon/California border), having to use their ice axes. They had bounced north from having bailed out in the Sierras because of extremely dangerous river fords. Looking south to the Trinity Alps completely covered in snow, we knew there was no where to go.

We forwarded to Seiad Valley by car thanks to thru-hiker friends Mama Moab, her husband Kevin, and son Jayhawk, who we ran into at the Etna Brewery, to skip the Marbles and spend a week getting to Crater Lake. After 15/20 miles north of Seiad Valley our 'luck' had run thin only to see more. That about did it. We've tried to kill time hiking elsewhere; we took several stabs only to encounter more sketchy trail conditions.

Growing more frustrated, we are taking a big leave to thru-hike the Superior Hiking Trail and give the PCT more time. The SHT parallels the northshore of Lake Superior, 275 miles from Duluth to Canada, far northeastern corner of Minnesota. We plan to complete it by August 1st or 2nd, hoping a large chunk of the PCT terrain north of the Sierras will be ready. We haven't quite decided where to start back, but we know if we hiked from the California/Oregon border south to Kennedy Meadows, that we could at least complete the California section of the PCT and perhaps more.

At this point, we are forced to finish only part of the PCT. It has been difficult knowing this would happen. We're thankful that we've had no injuries, feel great hiking 20+ days, and would have been able to complete the PCT if the trail were snow free. Hazel loves being out on the trail. She's grown into quite the young lady since we've begun and has taken her first steps on the PCT. Enabling ourselves to do this trip with her at this age has opened our eyes; baby camping and backpacking is a breeze to us now and we can't wait to share with anyone interested. Of any year, this was "probably the worst to have chosen to thru-hike it with a baby," at least according to a long-time Klamath US Forest ranger, but our only shot nonetheless. We are hoping at the end of the season this year we will have completed roughly over 2,000 trail miles with Hazel, completely elated that we are all healthy, happy, and have had a tremendous experience as a family in the backcountry of America.

Waiting for the Snow

2011-06-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

The snow (and melt/swollen rivers when fording) has been a major issue this year for the thru-hiking season. Many solo and experienced thru-hikers have entered the snow-ridden areas and continued on. We decided to wait for the snow to melt to reduce risking a slip, fall, or slight chance of injury; ultimately, Hazel dictates where we go. As noted earlier, it isn't the snow that is a problem to walk on; it's the slope/grade of the tread, post-holing, and self-arresting/falling off the trail on ice that becomes dangerous. No way in hell we would risk it.

Briefly, we were planning to start in Sierra City on September 18. Upon our arrival, we took a drive to see how the snow was doing. As we approached 6,000 ft. elevation, the roadside still had 6 foot drifts; lakes were frozen and covered in snow; and the few hikers who tried to make their way up found themselves quickly turned around only to try their luck further north. As did we. So, we thought it would be logical to go hike below the 6,000 ft. elevation where we hoped there would be no snow: this brought our hike on the northern California section to become 300 miles flip flop southbound, in order to give the snow time to melt, and to be at an elevation where snow was standing. We made our way 300 miles north of Sierra City to Mt. Shasta, the most practical place to begin hiking southbound where there was no snow. Two days into the hike, we ran into some fellow thru-hikers who were coming north and attempting the same flip flops. They reported ridiculous snow conditions, a few self-arrests, and that they had finally had it when they reached a river they had to ford with whitewater-rapid-type currents. Thus, we made our way back to the town of Mt. Shasta to do some research, take some time off, and give the snow its time. According to the Mt. Shasta rangers, the snow melt is 4 to 6 weeks behind schedule, and rivers are running 6 times faster than normal.

Currently, we have made it nearly 800 miles and are anticipating returning to the PCT around the 4th of July, permanently, to carry on until the end of PCT completion. David and I decided to rent a car and head out to the San Francisco Bay area to hike around the coast and stay with Tom "Start Slow" and Sheila "Taper Off", retired PCT thru-hikers and trail angels on their own time. We first ran into them in Julian, last saw them at Cajon Pass. It's great to see them again and we could not have been more fortunate to have met them. They offered their home and time to spend with us. They hiked the PCT in 2004. We've been showered with generosity, meals, laughter, and time to share our stories. What absolutely wonderful people there are out here. For our next time-saving jaunt while waiting for the snow to melt, we will head into the Lost Coast of northern California and the Sinkyone Wilderness for another week. Then it's off to the PCT!

Vacation on the PCT

2011-06-16T18:58:00.001-07:00

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Snowmelt in the San Jacintos

2011-06-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hazel leads us to Kennedy Meadows

2011-06-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

San Jacinto Mountains

2011-06-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

This is the 44 mile section we skipped due to dangerous snow conditions on the trail in late April. We took time over our vacation to complete it. We spent a few days celebrating in one of our favorite trail towns, Idyllwild, sandwiched in the saddle of the San Jacinto Mountains, and made our way down to the windy, hot, and dry Interstate-10.

A Glimpse from 700 Miles Back

2011-06-13T22:49:00.001-07:00

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Trail Toys

2011-06-13T22:28:00.000-07:00

Trail Angels

2011-05-31T07:53:00.000-07:00

Through the grit, sweat, and quirkyness of Southern California come four of the most generous and sincere, altruistic people you will meet. Among the many trail angels who dedicate their time to nurture and assist thru-hikers with trail magic, a more bearable and possible hike through the Southern section, come the Sauffleys and the Anderson. Why do they help strangers that are homeless looking, smelly, and "insane" for wanting to hike 2700 odd miles? How do they become trail angels? What is a trail angel?
Here are two infamous couples that PCT thru-hikers all look forward to:
Hiker Heaven: The Saufleys
Casa de Luna: The Andersons

Yesterday we met a man who is constructing a film on trail angels. His website is under construction but please check it out for updates. The film may take 1 to 2 years. He is hiking some of the trail, but mostly inhabiting the lives of trail angels to find out where, why, and how they do what they do, only to reveal some true trail magic.

Vacation Time

2011-05-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it is a chilly morning in Kennedy Meadows (high of 39 degrees F) and we are all up bright and early. Today is the pancake breakfast. Shortly thereafter, we will be riding with a local to Ridgecrest to plan our next leg before Grandma comes to town. As mentioned, we are taking some time off because of the snow in the Sierras and re-routing north to Sierra City by June 16th. In the meantime, we will be planning some mini-hikes to keep our muscles warm.

We hope to let the pictures and the videos speak for themselves, but the PCT has been a phenomenal adventure. We have met so many wonderful people along the way, and hiked with a handful of longtime and newer hikers. Most of them have dreamed of hiking the trail their whole life, are retired, Europeans with a lot of vacation, or a few have quit their jobs to start anew. Over the last few weeks we've encountered the same group of people, running into each other during breaks or at camp. We've met one family, a mother and her son (12), and have been sharing meals in towns. It's been rare and grand to exchange stories as families out here. So, we will be heading out today and updating more frequently during our break. Time for coffee and Hazel. She's on her way to standing and keeping us on our toes.

At the Edge of Southern California

2011-05-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

We have reached Kennedy Meadows this afternoon, the 'gateway' to the High Sierras. This is the point where PCTers stock up for a long remote stretch through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and say farewell to Southern California. We're approximately sitting at 700+ miles in, ready to brush off the southern soot, and elated to be here just in time for the town potluck and morning pancake breakfast. We are planning to break until June 16 where we will start up near Sierra City. For those who don't know, this year is a record high snow year since 1950 for the Sierra range. Quite a handful of thru-hikers are negotiating their way around due to dangerous snow/ice/slope conditions, skipping ahead to hike to the border, and to return in late August/early September to wrap up the PCT season in the Sierras (which is our current plan). More to come.

Hazel loves her Sprout

2011-05-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

Minnesota in the Mojave

2011-05-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Finally have a (brief) moment to update. We are on the edge of the Mojave and heading out today from Hiker Town towards the Tehachapi Mountains. As the title stands, we have been experiencing some Minnesota-ish weather out here. Typically this time of year, it's 90 to 100 degrees. But as we would have it, it's about 40 to 50 degrees and we are surrounded by rain clouds. Hiking in to here we got hail and rain. We decided to dry off for a day. The weather looks good so we are on are way.

Our good friend Austin flew into town and he will be hiking with us for about 1 month. He hiked the Pacific Northwest Trail with us in 2009 - has just returned from Spain over the last 2 years - and he's ready to hit the trail. Don't know if we mentioned, but we've been deemed "The 3 Bears" as our trail name; and now we've got a Goldilocks. Onward we go and we hope to update in a couple of days at Tehachapi. Cheers!

2011-05-15T17:12:00.001-07:00

Austin: driving to Lancaster tomorrow, post on facebook exactly when and where you'll be tomorrow. We will pick you up 10 or 11

Break Time on the PCT

2011-04-29T22:30:00.000-07:00

Pacific Crest Trail: The Beginning

2011-04-29T21:51:00.001-07:00

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2011-04-23T07:25:00.001-07:00

23 miles yesterday to Paradise Valley Cafe and the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains. Ready to chow down some pancakes and make our way to Idyllwild, CA.

Pacific Crest Trail: Day 1, Mexican Border

2011-04-18T16:17:00.000-07:00

2011-04-15T20:12:00.001-07:00

Roughly 44 miles covered... and we feel better than ever. Got to Burnt Rancheria Campground at 7ish; splitting a Baby Ruth for dinner. Chunk would be proud.

2011-04-15T13:57:00.001-07:00

10 miles to go today, hanging out under some oak trees south of Mount Laguna eating Snickers and Pop-Tarts... a typical lunch on the trail.

2011-04-12T08:21:00.001-07:00

Amazing hike north of Sedona yesterday, Lagunitas beer @ Flagstaff Brewing, and taking an unintended trip west to California via Route 66; this is the life.

2011-04-11T07:47:00.001-07:00

Heading from Santa Fe to Flagstaff, AZ, 3 days to go...

First Blog Post Via Verizon Phone

2011-04-05T14:10:00.001-07:00

Another cool feature: we can text blog posts from our Verizon phone. This is the first test run... 9 days til we take our first steps toward Canada from Mexico!

Itinerary: Finished...but Flexible

2011-04-02T22:27:00.000-07:00

Click on the PCT Itinerary Map icon on the right, and access our itinerary which is ready to go, but ready to be amended whenever necessary. We are tentatively planning to hike up to Trail Pass in the Southern Sierra and then skip the Sierra (including the John Muir Trail) and jump ahead to Sierra City, where we will continue our trek northward to the Canadian border. The plan is to come back to Trail Pass from the Canadian border at the beginning of September and complete the Sierra section by the end of September. Also, if the daily itinerary is highlighted, it means you can click on it which will direct you to a linked website or photo which could be equally helpful/meaningless. Why not?

GPS in Action

2011-04-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

Well, keeping it short here, but I tested out our GPS system today, and everything is up and running smoothly. We are using a Delorme PN60w GPS with Spot Communicator on the trek; the GPS device is as good as it gets and it enables us to send custom typed messages through the Spot Communicator to friends and family along the trail. When we send messages through the Spot, the messages will be threaded to my Facebook account, and to the email addresses/cell phones of all those who want to be included on knowledge of our whereabouts. Attached with the message will be a link to a map with our exact GPS coordinates and an icon that shows you where we're at via a Google Earth application. The Spot will also track us live and give a GPS reading every ten minutes on a Google Earth site accessible on the blog (look to your right). So, if you're in the area anywhere between Mexico and Canada in the states of California, Oregon or Washington...check out the GPS page, and look us up.

2011-03-23T10:19:00.001-07:00

On the top right-hand side of the blog is a little map of the PCT with a heading: PCT Itinerary 2011. Well, I have finally transcribed my pen and notebook paper itinerary to the blog, and the first 8 weeks of our trip are now available for viewing. After each date, I have written our starting point for the day and our ending point for the day with two numbers afterwards. The first number is the total miles that we hiked that day; the second number in parentheses is the total cumulative PCT MILES hiked. The total cumulative PCT miles number may not jive with the sum of all the individual daily miles hiked because the parenthetical number shows you total PCT MILES hiked; it does not include going off trail a quarter miler here or there to fetch water. The cumulative PCT MILES are aligned with the trail atlases we use: Erik the Black's Pacific Crest Trail Atlases. His mileage slightly deviates from the "official" mileage, but rest assured it is only a slight deviation. For official mileage, go to pctmap.net for Halfmile's maps (which are free to download and print)--excellent maps. I should have the remainder of California done by tonight, and hope to have Oregon and Washington finished by tomorrow. After I finish transcribing the itinerary, I will work on linking websites to the itinerary that correspond with the places we're at/towns we stop in (pictures of surroundings/community chamber of commerce/lodging, dining information/transportation opportunities, etc.). Check it out, as we welcome all of our friends and family to come visit us on the trail wherever and whenever you may be.

The Countdown is On...

2011-03-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

Hazel rocking the wrap-a-rounds. She's cooler than you.

It is March 8th, and we are 30 days out from Hazel's first birthday, her 12 month vaccinations, and the commencement of our journey from Minnesota to the southern terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail. Hazel's changes are amazing us day by day, and it looks like she'll be standing on her own and walking by the time we head out. Our good friend Kate will be driving us down with our car to the start, with stops in my hometown of Winterset, Iowa (mail drop headquarters), Golden, Colorado (to see my brother and try to convince him to quit his job and come with us), and various other mini-excursions in red rock/canyon country in southern Utah/northern Arizona.

I've been slow with posting the itinerary because I've been fine-tuning it and pondering it quite a bit lately. We have all the best-estimate daily mileages between probable water resources/campsites; it's just a matter of when we do each section. There is a possibility that the Sierra won't be effectively traversable until late June, and we will probably get to the Sierra in late May/very early June...and that's with taking a lot of zero days (zero days are complete days off: no miles walking except from tent/hotel to the bar and back). Rachel has spring break from the University of Minnesota next week, so our goal is to definitively have two itinerary options posted on the blog. One will be a continuous thru-hike, the other will be a hike to the Sierras, skipping the Sierras to hike the rest of the trail, and then finishing the season thru-hike in the Sierras after reaching the Canadian border. The key here is flexibility and common sense. Sorry purists: we won't take our daughter through the Sierra if it requires ice axes and a raft to cross river fords. All for now. In the coming weeks, we should have some videos up of us training in the balmy Minnesota winter.

Trail Acquaintances

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To all of our family, friends, and followers who are not familiar with long distance- or thru- hiking, and who have countless worries and questions, we encourage you to get to know other hikers and the trail. As we've already posted links on our blog to trail and hiking organizations, maps, and other information, perhaps you may want to browse some of the links below. These are stories about other families with young children who have attempted or completed long distance trips, or solely about families who love getting outdoors:

Baby on Board (Pyrenees Family Hike)
Long distance backpacking with kids (PCTA Article)
Balls and Sunshine (PCT 2011)
Zero Days: Story of the family (with their 10 yr old) PCT thru-hike (PCT 2004)
Worried Parent of a Thru-hiker (PCTA Article)

These are just some articles for people to get acquainted, though, there are many more stories out there if you just do a little digging.

Terraining

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Well, less than 2 months to go, and things are coming along.

In the near-end process of accumulating gear (plus Hazel, school, jobs, and leaving time for each other), David and I have been trying to hike at least 3 hours every day, which amounts to anywhere between 9 and 12 miles (typically averaging 3 to 4 miles per hour, which will greatly change once we hit weather, mountains, and Hazel's needs). A typical day on the trail will be 20 miles per day, anywhere from 7 to 9 hours total. We're in good shape for now, thought ideally it would be great to get in at least 4 hours of hiking a day. The longer you can be on your feet with the weight you will be carrying the better. In preparing for a thru-hike, the best training you can do is ... to hike, for long distances, with weight on your back. Additionally, we've been doing high rep/light weights to tune-up our back, arm, shoulder, and core muscles.

For those who didn't know, we live in Minnesota and are reaching the end of winter, where spring is a warm welcome for training. Minnesota is home of the Superior Hiking Trail, where we did a lot of prep training with Hazel during the fall and summer 2010. Since we live in the Twin Cities, and with our schedules lately, it's been rather difficult to get out to the more rugged areas. One distinguishing quality about the Twin Cities is its urban green face of outdoor trails. A great way we find to get our miles in is to solely commute everywhere by foot, rarely ever using the car, or any excuse to walk from point A to point B.

Baby Gear

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Here are some starting points for Hazel's gear. We are also having a dear friend (seamstress) that works with David at Midwest Mountaineering design a bug net bodysuit for her. Also to come: baby sunglasses and sun hat, SmartWool socks and hat, down booties, and a rain suit. Note Deuter's bomb-proof rain/sun/wind fly:

Deuter Kid Comfort Raincover

Patagonia Baby Synchilla® Cardigan

Patagonia Baby Capilene® 3 Midweight Set

Diaper Protocol

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With babies, there is always the underlying topic of diapers. In regards to our upcoming PCT hike, we have gotten every diaper question under the sun. To answer any questions, concerns, thoughts, or curiosities out there it is quite simple. On the trail, we do it the old fashioned way: hand washing. Below are the following items to a successful, environmentally conscious, backcountry diaper dodo.

a) have some cloth diapers on hand ...

b) use a dry sack to wash diapers in ...

c) biodegradable laundry concentrate for wash ...

d) biodegradable liners (for anticipated #2 time) ...

**bury liners into ground at least 6-8 inches deep

So, there you have it. And, of course, take water at least 200 feet or more away from any water source, trail, or campsite. If there is a designated backcountry toilet, even better. There is also the alternative Biffy Bag, which many wilderness areas (at least those managed by the National Park Service), who enforce and supply the bags before entering the park. You pack it in, you pack it out. cascadedesigns.com

Hazel on West Maroon Pass (12,650 ft.), September 2, 2010

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Hazel's First River Ford, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness (Sept. 2010)

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In Chiropractic We Trust

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If you're going to hike 2700 miles over several months, you need to take care of your body before you do it. This is especially true when your daughter is as big as a harbor seal. Rachel and I decided to head over to Kenwood Chiropractic to see how much work our spines needed. Not too bad, but we were both due for a series of adjustments. I've read some journals of people prepping for the PCT, and they talk about getting a Cortisone injection and popping Advil; all that will do is mask their injuries and help them ignore the bigger issue: you actually have to figure out why you're in pain, not just ignore the pain. The sticker price was a little shocking for the treatment, but they gave us a pretty hefty discount and we're excited about the investment. Check them out at www.kenwoodchiropractic.com.

Pacific Northwest Trail 2009

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Click here to view these pictures larger

Here are some highlights from our thru-hike along the Pacific Northwest Trail in 2009. That was pre-baby days. Our daughter, Hazel Marais, was born April, 7, 2010. Now, we look forward to our next thru-hike along the Pacific Crest Trail 2011 with Hazel. She will be 1 year old when we begin the trek, and currently weighs in at 24 pounds. Yee-haw.

Backcountry Family

Transition in Limbo, an Intermission

Back to the City Dwelling Life

John Muir Trail: Finishing into Yosemite Valley

John Muir Trail: Lyell Canyon heading towards Yosemite Valley

John Muir Trail: Donohue Pass, Lyell Canyon & Onward to Tuolumne Meadows

John Muir Trail: Grandpa Liechty (David's Dad) Joins Us for the Finish!

John Muir Trail: Reds Meadow to Mammoth Resupply

John Muir Trail: Muir Trail Ranch, Purple Lake, Reds Meadow

John Muir Trail: Muir Pass to Muir Trail Ranch

John Muir Trail: Mather Pass to LeConte Canyon

John Muir Trail - Rae Lakes to Bench Lake

John Muir Trail: Kearsarge Pass to Rae Lakes

Into the Woods for My Father

The Next Leg

Return from Whitney

Atop Mt. Whitney

Mt. Whitney Climb

Camping below Mt. Whitney before the Summit

On our way to Mt. Whitney

Heading to the Mountains: Views from Lone Pine

Trail Markers

Superior Hiking Trail

Growing Nostalgic

David's (Deadly) Ascent to Angel's Landing

Hazel's Wildlife Call

Canyon Land: Zion

Hazel's Trail Face

Canyon Land: Bryce Canyon

Canyon Lands: Capitol Reef

Canyon Lands: Arches

Hi Ho Sierras Here We Go

Picking up the pieces along the PCT: California

Trail Angel Magic: The Saufley's

Hazel's sad return to the sunny weather:

Desert Rain, Angeles National Forest

A Rainy Day

Diapers on the PCT

Trail Angels: The Anderson's Casa de Luna

Deuter Rain Fly

The Windy Tehachapi Mountains

Hooray for Hazel

Re-routing to Canada via Minnesota

Waiting for the Snow

Vacation on the PCT

Snowmelt in the San Jacintos

Hazel leads us to Kennedy Meadows

San Jacinto Mountains

A Glimpse from 700 Miles Back

Trail Toys

Trail Angels

Vacation Time

At the Edge of Southern California

Hazel loves her Sprout

Minnesota in the Mojave

Break Time on the PCT

Pacific Crest Trail: The Beginning

Pacific Crest Trail: Day 1, Mexican Border

First Blog Post Via Verizon Phone

Itinerary: Finished...but Flexible

GPS in Action

The Countdown is On...

Trail Acquaintances

Terraining

Sponsors

Baby Gear

Patagonia Baby Synchilla® Cardigan

Diaper Protocol

Hazel on West Maroon Pass (12,650 ft.), September 2, 2010

Hazel's First River Ford, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness (Sept. 2010)

In Chiropractic We Trust

Pacific Northwest Trail 2009