| California's Lost Coast Log (2007-07-14 --> 2007-08-03)
Leaders: Krista Nelson, Walker Cobb
Students: Ellie Boydston, Ethan Grossman, Jess Harris, Laura Kinzey, Chapman Kirby, Jem Menkol, Matt Myers, Eliza Perry, Rob Riley, Will Thacker, Hannah Vieregg
July 14
Are you ready to Moondance?!
We're back from the Lost Coast after a breathtaking four days of coastal travel! Our adventures began at our first campsite right beside the ocean. After we packed our bags for backpacking, we explored some of the coast, went swimming in a fresh water "lagoon" beside a mountain, and feasted during our "Mexican Party!" Matt was one of the first on cook crew and impressed us with his sautéing skills.
The next day we woke up to foggy skies and a light mist in the air. We were on the trail by midday and Hannah was in the front for much of the hike, sporting her newly crafted headband from the night before. Eliza did an amazing job, leading with Hannah, and looked as though she had no problems at all carrying a forty pound pack! We camped at Cooskey Creek, where Jim, Will and Chapman continued their theme of "extreme" hiking by eating off of their new dish line- organic wear (rocks harvested from the beach!)
It rained for much of the following day, but our spirits were as high as ever. We passed sea lions, with their heads bobbing in rhythm with the ocean waves. That night at Big Creek, we made a shelter by adding tarps to the existing "chateau" structure, the term Will came up with to describe the driftwood forts travelers build on the beach. Ethan impressed everyone that night with his expedition behavior, always offering to help, especially when people were in extra need with all the rain!
As leader of the day the following morning, Jess did an amazing job of encouraging the group. It was our hardest day yet, because we had to be hiking by seven a.m. to get to camp before the high tides came in and made the trail impassable. Rob was the other leader of the day, and kept us entertained on the trail with his "black magic" riddles. We ended up making great time and got to camp just in time for the sun to break and for us to enjoy much of the afternoon swimming and exploring the forest beside the beach. Ellie was a mac and cheese pro that night and had us once again in high spirits with her contagious smile. As another Moondance veteran, Laura was a great help and even though she wasn't on cook crew, helped us get the kitchen cleaned and dishes done!
We woke early this morning and were at the van by midday. We're headed to the Redwood National Park tomorrow and are very excited for a day hike through some of the largest trees in the world. Everyone says hello to their family and friends!
Update #2: July 24
Greetings from the Trinity National Forest! We've arrived safely after an amazing experience in Redwood National Park and three fabulous days on the Klamath River!
After a much needed rest and good night's sleep, we woke early to spend a full day in the Redwood Forest. Amidst the world's tallest trees, we hiked several miles to Trillium Falls. Walker was the only one brave enough to dip his head in the frigid water, but we all explored around the stream and had some good laughs. Jim was busy taking as many photos as possible along the way, and took some beautiful shots of ancient, moss covered trees.
Later on that day, we drove to Happy Camp, California along a winding dirt road. We camped at Curly Jack Campground and prepared for our river trip before a great family-style spaghetti dinner. We met our guides the following day and set out on our rafts. Ethan managed to stay in an inflatable "duckie" kayak for almost the entire trip and definitely has a knack for whitewater! We floated for much of the day on choppy water, and had some challenges in larger class water.
That night we camped at a beautiful campsite along the river. Our trip felt much like an expedition, since we were traveling down a less familiar section of river. Matt developed a new game that evening- beach side baseball- using a wooden stick and rocks as his makeshift equipment.
We woke the next morning to the sun rising over the ridge to the east. We were on the water shortly and back enjoying the sunshine on our rafts, which we named "Yellow Submarine" and "Big Bird." After growing more comfortable on the river, we started several water fights and played "spin doctor!" Hannah felt right at home sitting on the front of the raft with her feet dangling over the edge, while Will took a liking for steering the boat with the ores. Rob was busy in the duckie trying to surf any wave he could find!
Our second campsite was our best yet. It was a nice, sandy beach tucked away from the road and just the right size for our group. We swam in a whirlpool for much of the night, and Eliza once again pushed her comfort zone by swimming through a small rapid. Ellie and Laura were close behind, laughing all the way through the choppy water.
Our last day was a section of fairly calm water, but Chapman kept us all entertained with his jokes and looking out for jumping points. We were sad to say goodbye to our river guides, but can't wait to head into the Trinitys! Jess has decided that she is going to come back and work as a river guide, so we're already planning a reunion trip. We're off to our trail head, but will check back in soon after our four day adventure in the Alps!
Krista and Walker
We're back after our four day adventure backpacking in the Trinity National Forest and couldn't be more excited to test our limits on Mt. Shasta! Our journey along the Stuart's Fork Trail had us winding up and down through forested hillsides, strolling through grassy meadows and swimming in clear mountain streams...
On day one, we hiked a hard eight miles up to Morris Meadow, where we camped in front of craggy mountain tops. Chapman was again in the lead for much of the day, setting a fast, but steady hiking pace. It was difficult putting on our heavy packs again at first, but we quickly became used to the weight. We woke early the following day determined to cover some ground and make it to our end destination- Emerald Lake.
Along the trail on day two, we were in high spirits. The forest opened up even more to reveal beautiful mountains in every direction. It was easy to keep hiking when around every corner was more beautiful scenery! We camped that night beside the creek we had been following for much of the journey. Jess was always ready to hop in for a swim! We soon realized that what looked to us like a great place to rest was also a favorite spot of deer. Rob was quick to befriend them! The does were frequenting our campsite and curious about our backcountry pizza making operation. Will was busy perusing our campsite, looking for any rock he could find to climb!
Eliza, Ethan, Jim and Will woke the next morning at 4:45 a.m. to see the sunrise over the mountains with Walker. Eliza said it was an amazing experience and they came back with some great photos. When the rest of the group woke up, we left our camp and hiked a quick two miles to Emerald Lake. The water was absolutely beautiful. Ellie was one of the first to jump in the cold water while Hannah opted to explore some of the rock formations after a quick swim. We tried to take a lot of pictures and Laura was helping frame the perfect cover shot. Jim was a great help that day too, and carried his full pack while everyone else used day packs.
On our last day, we had a great morning moon-up and talked about what wilderness means to each of us. Ethan was our motivation yet again, and Matt had us moving at a good pace along the trail. We're now on our way to Mt. Shasta and are so excited to get back into the mountains. Stay tuned for more updates!
Krista and Walker
August 1
We're back from Mt. Shasta! After an amazing three days on the mountain, we're proud to report that we all put in 100% effort and had a great time! Nine of us made it to the top and had breathtaking views on a warm, clear day. We were lucky, considering that ten days ago, believe it or not, Shasta was hit with a snow storm!
Our climb began at a climbing shop in town, where we met our guides and got outfitted. We realized then that we would be climbing the North Face of the mountain, a more technical route that is mostly glacial travel. We were all very excited to hop in the van and meet at our trailhead! Along the drive, Chapman served as our DJ, pumping us up with some great tunes.
We got to the trailhead and started hiking before noon. We gained around 3,000 feet along our hike to base camp in four miles. Our guides told us they had never hiked with a faster group! I'm sure it was partially due to Jim's contagious enthusiasm for our climb. Just before we reached the rocky section where we camped, we had snow school on a small snow field. There, we learned how to walk on snow with crampons, carry ice axes and self-arrest. In no time, we all looked like pros, especially Rob who developed a real love for his ice axe! We were glad to have Ellie as a leader of the day, keeping us in high spirits and providing us with lots of encouragement during the long day. We were excited to get to camp shortly after our lesson and have a quick dinner before heading to bed at around seven.
We woke the next morning at 2:30 to get on the trail by 4:00 a.m. It wasn't long before we were on snow, making our way up the glacier. Laura put in all her effort on her rope team and was walking with a bright smile for most of the day, right beside Matt who was also in high spirits. We broke off into rope teams, but managed to rendezvous on the summit, where we spent around 45 minutes, which was a real treat! Seeing Hannah and Eliza reach the summit together arm in arm, though exhausted, with ear to ear smiles was a touching moment for all of us. Jess was one of the first ones there, hopping from rock to rock as if the climb were easy! Jim spent most of his time setting up his tripod, framing the perfect shot. Ethan lugged his toothbrush to the summit and we took pictures for a contest sponsored by his orthodontist. We are all certain he'll win. Will was filled with energy, we think because all the cliff "gu" packets he ate on the way up. We have mixed feelings about them, but he swears they're great...
After our summit day and nearly twelve hours of continuous movement, we were ready for another early night. We woke up this morning sore, but proud of our accomplishments. It's hard to believe that our trip has come to an end, but we'll always remember our amazing group and our final days on Mt. Shasta. We're all excited to see our friends and family soon! Thanks so much for all your support!
Krista and Walker
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