This session, our backpacking crew took some rad local adventures out of camp, led by Bugaboo, our Outdoor Living Skills Backpacking director.
On the 6th and the 7th, Bugaboo, Turtle, Cami, Evan, Grace, and Taylor headed out on an “overnight cruiser” on the Pacific Crest Trail. They slept at Milton Creek and returned to camp after some chill hiking.
On the 11th to the 13th, Bugaboo and Bubbles took Grace, Evan, and Taylor out on a more intense hike to Upper Tamarack Lake. This trip, they summitted the Buttes.
Here are a few journal entries of the trip, along with some photos!
Evan
Day 1 – When we first got to Upper Tamarack Lake we thought it would take forever to get there but it turned out to only be 3 miles of total gnar.
We climbed up the lake with Bubbles and Bugaboo, our goofy counselors, and literally chilled in the lake cause Taylor made us his slaves because he bribed us with food, hheehe (we got him back with snowballs). The view was great and me and my bestie Grace made smores with our friend Taylor.
The point is we are having a blast in Out Door Living Skills. I gave Grace a sore throat, she’s still going and that says it all, hehe.
P.S. – Have you ever sunbathed laying in the snow?! I have…
Day 2 – We traveled to the Sierra Buttes and was 8500 feet in the air (scary). My favorite part was going through the (6 foot) snow and falling with Grace. Then the coldest part was when Bugaboo bet me 2 sodas to run to the other side of the 700 yard (exaggeration – buga) lake and touch a tree, sing a song with Grace who was at the other side of the lake, then swim all the way across the snowmelted lake.
I couldn’t feel my upper and lower body and I literally almost could not breathe. My feet were white and little shades of purple OWW! I struggle to breathe but what made me keep going was Grace, Bugaboo, Bubbles, and Grace again. I love soda.
Taylor
Monday – Today we hiked to Upper Tamarack Lake and it looks beautiful. It wasn’t good for swimming in it. Just a few seconds in there and your feet are already numb. I did like seeing it though. I also learned how to skip a rock on the water and was surprised how easy it is.
After we set up camp we hiked to this awesome ledge and had a great view of all the mountains around us. It was epic. After that we just laid around at camp and had some smores.