Living Life On the Edge with Stan and Mel: Backcamping

This past weekend we went "Backcamping". Last summer we meant to go backpacking and ended up camping by our car because we liked our spot so much and doing long day hikes each day. It got to be called backcamping the other day when I was really struggling to say backpacking. We knew we probably wouldn't be able to quite do a real backpacking trip with Scott, so we decided to do some more backcamping.

We decided to head to the Santa Fe National Forest. We drove up Friday morning, early. On our drive we realized we needed to break a 20 in order to pay for the camp spot and we passed by a small town gas station that there was a fair style donut stand in the parking lot. Thank you Ginny Mae for delicious donuts. We set up camp at Jack's Creek campground. It was the same place Stan went in May to the fathers and sons' outing.

Scott was so happy. We set him up in the pack'n'play and he just was laughing and looking at the sky.

After getting all set up, we headed off for our first hike. We wanted to spend one day just hiking along a river so Stan could fish it. As we just got all ready to head out, it started to pour. We waited for a minute, but went anyway, of course.

Stan had us stop for minute and then it started hailing!

Scott and I staying dry

We kept hiking after a minutes and decided to take our lunch break here:

And a river blocked our path on the trail we were going to take

Stan coming back from trying to find a place to cross the river

Scott loves his dad


While we were eating, the sky cleared up and it was SUCH a beautiful day.

We couldn't cross right there so then the fun began as we made our way up the river...

Scott was a pretty good camper during our hikes, these meadows along the river were beautiful!

We found tons of wild berries the whole trip! We loved the flavor and it was so fun. Here are some raspberries. Yum!!


Scott and I parked it while Stan started to fish. He was supposed to be sleeping... But instead he was doing this:

He is so funny when we tickle him because he squeals when he sees your hand in tickle-ready motion. So funny. Love this boy!

Stan all ready to go fish!

Stan had to fish in some funny positions in order to not get caught in the foliage.

It was a thick forest!

I was pretty sure he was going to fall in here.

Such a beautiful river and day!

I was trying to be artistic and get a cool pic of Stan standing in the middle of the river fishing, the tree wouldn't cooperate and was in the way.

The fish in the river were so quick, it was hard to get them to stay on the hook, but here he is catching one!

And then he caught a tree

We decided to cross the river on this log

I was a little nervous, but we made it across safely!

I wish I had picture of the land on the other side, we walked through a bog. I was pretty sure an anaconda was going to come and pull me under any second, but it didn't happen. Phew.

I hung the camera on a branch and put the timer on...voila! family picture by the river.

And then the sky was beautiful!

We hiked back and it ended up being about six and a half miles the first day. Minus the bog and one really really really really really steep part, it was a pretty easy walk.

That night we had Mountain House dinners (part of the rules of backcamping, you have to eat backpacking food...mostly), and then a perfect fire and s'mores!

Notice my pants and shoes on the table. Results of almost being sucked into the bog.

He loved laying in this at camp. Sure made it easier to get things done!

Beautiful evening sky

Dad and son hanging out by the fire

Heaven!

Despite a little rough night, we got up and going Saturday morning and all packed up to head off on our big hike. We wanted to go to Stewart Lake and had three different options. We decided to go on the short, super steep one. And it was super, super steep. It was a beautiful day though!