Backpacking Trip?
I've had some feedback on a status I posted on Facebook. So, I'd like to take the pulse and see how much interest there is for dojo folks to take a backpacking trip.
I'm thinking something easy -- probably allow 2 days travel time, have 3-5 days in the bush.
Trip would likely be in June, probably New Mexico or Colorado.
If you're interested, lemme know. We might be able to put something together.
If you don't mind a total newbie tagging along, I'd be interested.
I don't mind a newbie tagging along at all! In fact, my buddies and I have been discussing the potential of bringing some new folks along on our outings. Just like budo, we were all beginners once.
You can take a peek at my trip
photo album on Facebook for some highlights of last year's trip.
Here's where we tried to make it last year. There was still snow on the ground in early June, and we simply weren't prepared to deal with that.
http://brian-bishop.blogspot.com/2007/0 ... erine.html
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/sl ... =1308&p=20
http://www.summitpost.org/view_object.p ... _id=114115
http://www.summitpost.org/view_object.p ... _id=114117
(Note: Adjusted the links for some link rot in the past year)
My grandmother has a cabin in South Fork, CO (south-central) at the base of Wolf Creek Pass and is the best tour-guide ever for fishing, rock hunting, anything you can think up. Might be a consideration for a stop-over if you don't come up with something else. We've always had a lot of fun up there.
That's pretty appealing as a backup plan. Right now there are two other guys I am talking with about the trip. Both are experienced backpackers, but neither is on the forum regularly.
My temptation at this point is to hit the spot in New Mexico we did last year, and possibly hit
Bandelier National Monument as a way to finish off the trip.
I've been reviewing my maps & other things for the trip, and have a couple of ideas.
This could turn into a 7-day trip pretty easily. My backpacking buddy (and former Aikido bum) Rob was looking at things, and it might go something like this:
Day 1 - Drive from OKC to New Mexico, camp at camping area at trail
Day 2 - Hike 10 km (6.2 miles) to Stewart Lake
Day 3 - Hike 4-5 km from Stewart Lake to Katherine Lake, early camp
Day 4 - Make an assault on Santa Fe Baldy peak for those who are interested. About 7km round trip. Fishing, meditating, and maybe even some weapons work in the great outdoors.
Day 5 - Hike back to Trailhead. Depending on time of day, camp at campground.
Day 6 - Take in some tourist sights - Soda Dam & Bandelier National Monument. Drive to Albuquerque & get a hotel (and showers!)
Day 7 - Breakfast at Golden Pride, travel home
If people are interested, we were also thinking about offering up some new experiences. Most of us have started fires before, but have you ever obtained everything you needed from the wilderness? Ever made fire with flint & steel (well, actually it's ferrocerium rod but I won't tell)? Looks at different knots, backpacking techniques, different technologies of how people do things, etc. etc.
We're also talking about putting a separate trip together as nothing but a fishing trip. Maybe do 4-5 days in May sometime. This would be more car camping, living out of an ice chest, and chasing various trout waters in New Mexico.
if ya go to soda dam, you might as well have a bath at the bodhi in jemez springs-- my zen buddies might even put you up for the night cheap too -- when ya thinking of doin the trip?
Thinking about early to mid June.
Ok folks. We're setting our dates in early June. The trip will run a full week, leaving Saturday & returning Saturday. I figure we'll need Sunday off to catch up with family, do laundry and relax.
We're in the very, very early planning stages at this point.
We will be returning to the Pecos Wilderness in New Mexico, near Santa Fe.
We will be driving on Saturday and camping at Holy Ghost campground.
On Sunday, we will begin our trek.
That's about as far as we've planned. Depending on the number of people, and the pace that we're all comfortable traveling, we are planning to make 6km or 10km on day 1.
All data that we have indicates that Katherine Lake is typically still frozen in early to mid June, so we'll probably skip the additional 4km of travel to see a giant ice cube and setup a camp in or near the snow.
We are also tentatively planning to visit Soda Dam and Bandelier National Monument. After this, we're driving to Albuquerque and crashing in a hotel. We're going to grab the most awesome breakfast burrito in the world at Golden Pride in Albuquerque before heading back.
So, anybody interested in tagging along?
That is a pretty sweet trip that you have set up, Kyle. I would like to try something like that, but there is no way I could take 7 days off. Do you every do a 2-3 day trip, or is that missing the point for you and your group?
A 2-3 day trip would be nice. We hit New Mexico & Colorado for our 5-7 day trips; at 8-12+ hours of driving it just makes a 2-3 day trip unrealistic.
I'm certainly open to hitting places in Oklahoma, Arkansas & Missouri. There's some good stuff in southeastern Oklahoma.
Yeah, I might be able to get a kitchen pass for a 2-3 day deal, if you're ever up for it. 😄
i thinking a little budo hike weekend to elk mountian and the surrounding wilds in early july-- maybe hook up with lawton friends in the process it it all works out