Tag Archives: South Sister

Jul31

Solstice at the Green Lakes

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Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday – 21-June-2023 through 23-June-2023


My pack is 40.5lbs.

I want to be clear – this isn’t a bad thing. A surprising thing, to be sure, but still a totally acceptable thing.

See, I bought my backpacking pack for a planned pack weight of 45lbs, so… it’s a bit under, and basically right where I expected it. It’s still interesting to think about, though, as I hear people talking about “base weight of 10lbs”, and carrying around 20lb multi-day packs…

Meh. I like my backpack, and I like what I bring.


What I brought was a beautiful setup for the 2023 Summer Solstice. I’ve wanted to go backpacking over the Solstice for years, but have never quite been able to make it happen… somehow I almost always miss it. Probably because it really feels like the Solstice should be sometime in July or August, not June… it just feels wrong that the longest day of the year is so far before the hot months, you know?

This year, though, I remembered. I planned, and I made sure that I had some good time off so that I could escape out to the woods. I kept a few options of where to go in mind, but they got whittled down as the dates got closer – the snowpack was pretty deep, so the question really became what would be melted out in time. In the end, Green Lakes was my best bet – great views, great sky, and the main parking lot was melted out enough that I could easily make my way there in the Mustang.

Bonus points – It was on the way down to Sacramento, so I could double-up on the trip and visit Mike and Michelle afterward! (Ed Note: See Ben’s next post, dear reader!)



I got going luxuriously late on a Wednesday, grabbing a relaxed breakfast in town before kicking off the drive down to the desert. I gorged on chicken fried steak, had some coffee, and cruised my way out of the humidity and into the dry air of Central Oregon.

I hefted my pack, ate a head of broccoli that I hadn’t finished before leaving (I mean… why let it go bad in the fridge when I could eat it like an apple instead?), and started into the woods.

I was lucky – more lucky than I could have anticipated.

There’s a bridge, maybe a tenth of a mile into the trail. At that bridge, I ran into a ranger – a maintenance guy, to be specific, who was about to dive into reworking that bridge. It’d be closed for the next day or so, he warned me, and that I’d have to use the horse crossing (a river fording) if I wanted to get back before then.

I didn’t plan on it, so I wasn’t worried… but what it meant was that I didn’t see anyone else (except one guy maybe 1/4 mile away) while I was out there!


Anyways, that’s in the future.

I hiked in. The trail went under the snow about 2 miles in, and never came out – I navigated mainly by memory, checking GPS once or twice as needed. There was a bit of a boot path, but… really, it didn’t look like more than a handful of people had come this way since the last snowfall. There were a few trail markers, but… yeah. I was exploring, and having a solid time.

I set up camp, I relaxed, and I did a bit of hiking around. I made dinner, made a little mini-fire (allowed, since I was camped on a snowfield), and enjoyed the Solstice and my own thoughts.

I admit – my thoughts were a bit rough on this trip. They evened out by the second day, but on that first day… it was tough, I’ll tell you what. I can’t quite cleanly explain why (there’s countless little things contributing, of course), but I felt this massive sense of loneliness on that first day out. An empty pit in my stomach, wishing that I wasn’t alone out here…


That’s the advantage of backpacking alone, right? It’s tough, but it’s healthy. To embrace the emotions felt, and let them run their course… letting them be felt and acknowledged, and healed from. Maybe this is what people mean about not bottling up their feelings?

I reflected, I read, and I headed to bed.



Thursday broke bright, warm, and beautiful.

I was feeling quite a bit better as I sipped coffee and ate breakfast… and by the time it was midday I was a few miles into my wanderings for the day.

I didn’t have a goal or summit in mind – just to wander North, and see where the “trail” led me. Not an actual trail of course, since I was basically an arctic explorer in the untouched wilderness at this point, but walking a few feet above where a trail would normally have been.

One neat thing was the red snow that I came across… some sort of algae or fungus, I assumed, though I can’t say I remember seeing it a ton in recent years… I looked it up when I got home, learning quite a bit of interesting things – worth checking out, I’d say!

(Ed Note: Here’s the link for red snow: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210729-why-snow-in-the-alps-is-turning-red)


I used GPS when needed, and even did a bit of orienteering using my map and compass. I took my time, embraced the emotions, and considered the background to them all.

In all, I hiked ~13 miles that day, probably with a thousand or three feet of elevation gain along for the ride. Nothing crazy… but nothing to scoff at either.

I explored, saw no one (not even mosquitoes, thankfully!), and reflected. I got back to camp, enjoyed the sunset and my dinner, and did a bit more reading.

I slept amazingly.


Friday was my day to hike out… and unfortunately I had a bit of a timeline to keep to. Since I picked Green Lakes, instead of a hike further to the South, there was a fair bit of driving to be done before I made it to Mike and Michelle’s house in Sacramento. A bit over 7 hours, in total, so… best to get a move on, yeah?

I packed up, and packed out. I saw no one until the clock hit 11:00… and then I immediately ran into a parade of Bend Natives – people day hiking, backpacking, everything.

There was a team of two, in the fanciest / newest / most expensive gear, who I’m confident ended up turning around… they asked tons of questions about the snow, obviously feeling ill prepared for a hike on the snow followed by setting up camp… even with their massive packs full of enough gear to lay siege to Antarctica. Smart – just because you have it, doesn’t mean you know how to use it.

There were a dozen or so day hikers, who I expect also turned around before Green Lakes… mainly since they were all wearing trail runner shoes. Which would have been perfect for the 100+ degree weather in Bend, but… maybe not for the 50s that we were experiencing in the mountains.

There was a bachelor party, who asked me for shrooms as they hiked in with their tennis shoes.

There was a whole team of college looking kids, eager with questions and cobbled together gear, who I’m absolutely confident made it all the way up, and probably had an absolute blast while doing so.

A lady and her dog, about my age (the lady, not the dog) who seemed a bit nervous being out alone… but also had all the right gear to make sure she’d be safe. We chatted for a bit longer than I did with the others, as she asked a few detailed questions about the camping situation… I was most jealous of her, versus any of the other teams, as I’m sure she had an amazing time being up in the quiet with her dog.

I got out, back to the car, and the into the river to rinse off the sweat and dust of the trail.

I took a few last photos, had a light snack, and braced myself for the long drive ahead.



A mini treat to those who made it all the way to the end – I brought the drone with me! I just did short flights, when no one was around (which was easy, since no one was ever around), but still got some amazing views before sunset!

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Nov23

An annual(ish) trip up to Green Lakes!

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Saturday and Sunday, 29-Oct-2022 and 30-Oct-2022


It’s Halloween already, isn’t it? How did I miss that it’s already Halloween?



It had been a year. A busy, adventure-filled, amazing, challenging, ridiculous year. Full of evolution, change, growth, and movement forward toward the future.

But October found me back somewhere I’ve been quite a few times before… reflecting on how much has changed since the last time I was there. To an extent… but, frankly, also appreciating the calm moment to just not think about everything. To relax, to unwind, and to appreciate the cold wind and clear skies.


I’ve been to Green lakes… Ohh, probably at least seven times. Once a year, give or take, and probably a few more times that I’m not quite remembering. It’s calm, beautiful, and I’ve gotten to know the area pretty well at this point. It’s comforting, and I’m always thankful for the weekends that I can make it up.



This year, I went out a bit later than normal – Or so I thought. In retrospect, looking back at previous photos and such, it seems that mid to late October is pretty normal of a time for me to go out… interesting. I don’t quite recall there being this much so any other time, so… Hmm. interesting, in any respect.


I got out fairly early in the day, with the goal of getting to camp before sunset – Shorter days, less hiking time, the usual. I was aiming to arrive and make camp with maybe half an hour of daylight left… and instead, I got there with nearly two hours of daylight to enjoy! I was happily surprised – I’ve been hiking and working out a lot more these last few years, but haven’t been seeing too much progress, and I freely admit that it’s been a bit draining on my psyche. After absolutely crushing this, and my last, hike… I’m starting to see why I haven’t seen much progress.

I’ve been continually moving forward, and doing harder and harder hikes. Middle Sister was exceptionally challenging… but that’s because it’s a challenging hike. It’s not even really a hike – it’s a technical ascent! Of course it should be hard!

Anyways, I made it with tons of time to explore, relax, and enjoy myself… and then, to sleep. Like, so early. I legitimately was tucked into my sleeping bag drifting off by 8:00, I think.



The next morning I woke up late.

That’s right. Asleep by 8:00, and still asleep at 10:30. Awwww yeah, be amazed at that sleep debt I carry. Or… just at how much I enjoy being curled up in a sleeping bag in the freezing woods? It was exceptionally windy that night… Windy enough that I had woken up and actually got out of the tent to better secure my cooking gear and hiking poles!



Regardless of how long I slept, I got up. I broke fast, I supped upon coffee, and I enjoyed the cold. I took some time to boil off water for myself to bring home. I thought… a bit. But mostly, I simply let myself enjoy the cold world around me, either through my own eyes or through the lens of a camera.

It.

Was.

Excellent.



The drive home found me a bit hungry… and the random pizza place that I’d spotted along the drive in was closed by the time I made it by. A quick stop for gas gave me time to do a quick websearch, and soon enough I had found a small neighborhood bar and grill to slack my need for a huge bacon burger… and a chance to read some interesting roadside signs!

A fitting end, if I do say to myself.

Jul23

Backpacking Foley Ridge, and exploring Linton Meadows

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Friday through Sunday, 08-July-2022 through 10-July-2022


Ohh man… the last time I was at Husband lake was… well, not even a year ago, in fact.

Time these days seems to flow… differently. I don’t know how else to say it, but I can’t quite tell the difference between something that happened a year ago, six months ago, or two years ago. Maybe a relic of the new world we live in? Maybe an effect of the chaos and challenges in the office? Whatever it is… It was sure a surprise when I realized that it’s only been ~9months since I was last camped out underneath the stars at Husband Lake.

This time, however, was a bit different.
– I was flying solo, for one. No one to help carry the gear, though also no one to coordinate with.
– It was snowy at the lakes area, which was a major shift. I was expecting a warm day hiking in, but the most recent trip reports mentioned quite a bit of snow still at the far end of the trail… so I packed in some snowshoes.
– I was staying for three days, not two. I had a long weekend to spend out and about, and was looking forward to spending it away from cell signal and the light from monitors.
– Mosquitoes.


With those changes in mind, I packed a slightly different pack than previously. More food, of course, but I also left my inflatable kayak behind. I just couldn’t afford the extra weight, especially with the snowshoes strapped onto my pack. I’d bought them the weekend before, and… I’ll be candid here, I really should have noted the weight when I bought them. They weren’t light, by any stretch of the imagination, and I’d 100% come to regret those extra pounds by the end of the trip.

But we’re talking about the beginning, not the end! In the beginning, I was feeling good.
Scratch that – I was feeling great.

The drive to the trailhead was gorgeous. Sunny, warm, and absolute perfect convertible weather. I got going fairly early in the morning, and listened to amazing music the whole way out. Not emo, by any stretch, but… wistful? Wistful electronic music, if that makes any sense. (Ed Note: See the link below to the flagship song from Ben’s playlist!)

I drove, I parked, I hiked.

I felt good! I had my knee braces on, of course, but I felt strong. Or… I felt exhausted, and tired by the heavier-than-normal pack, but I felt up for the hike. I was able to push through, and I kept my legs moving and my arms swinging. My poles planted firmly, my boots were stable, and my progress was consistent.

I was… I was good!


I’ve learned something, in the last few years.

I need to meditate. I need the quiet times, when I can let my brain wander.

But I can’t sit and meditate like a monk in a mountaintop retreat. My body craves action and movement. I come alive when I’m kinetic, when I’m burning energy and traveling through the world. Life is movement for me, and movement is life.

So how do I rectify these opposing requirements? I drive. I hike, I climb, and I move. But I move in ways that allow distraction. They provide distance from my phone, and from the never-ending stream of information and distraction that our global society provides. I escape, distract my body, and force my mind to look inward and outward and all around.

It’s glorious, and I absolutely have my best thoughts and epiphanies while driving or hiking. Unsurprisingly, this excursion was no different.



I thought, my mind wandered.

I made it to camp, I set up the tent, and I allowed my mind to continue wandering.

I read some of my book, I ate food, and I hid from the mosquitoes. From the seemingly infinite crush of buzzing bloodsucking bastards. I learned that my citronella wristbands didn’t work, and I hid inside my protected tent and enjoyed the peace that only comes from being disconnected from the internet and the infinite connectivity it provides.



The next day dawned bright and cold.

I got up, cooked my breakfast, and read a bit more of my book. I pondered some of my epiphanies from the previous days hike, and braced myself to brave the stinging, biting, buzzing world outside my insect-proof mesh.

When I did leave my shielded room, I moved quickly. I’d learned that I had approximately 15s before the mosquitoes found me, so I packed my gear in my tent and then zipped off into the valley between The Husband and The Three Sisters.

I wandered, and took breaks whenever I found a nice spot that was sufficiently windy to shield me from the bloodthirsty masses. I gazed at the mountains, let my mind wander, and loved being active and outside. It was amazing!

That evening, I rested some more and kept the theme of reading and pondering. I’d had some unexpected news about my job the previous week, so I had a lot to think about… next steps, options, future paths that I could find myself on. It was good to have the disconnected downtime.




My last morning was cold and beautiful – just like the previous morning, but even clearer than I’d hoped it would be. The mountains were gorgeous in the distance, and I wished that I had infinite time and energy to just walk right up to the peaks that seemed only a few miles distant.

I know, I know. I skipped a lot of time, here… but you know what? It’s hiking and meditating and reading. What do you expect, hmm? Most of my blog posts about hikes are just “Hey, I hiked. It was fun. Then I finished”. This is pretty exceptional detail, here!

Okay. I ate breakfast, and hiked out. I went quickly, keeping to the “only stop for 12s, or when it’s windy” rule to avoid the mosquitoes. I made amazing time, in fact, finishing back at my car in approximately half the time it took me to hike in.

I drove home, listening to the same music as I had on the drive in… but pausing it more often to consider some of the ideas and plans I’d come up with on the hike.

Pretty sure that’s a good sign, if I’ve ever seen one.



Appendix A: Music Video. “I miss the future” by Lost Kings
https://youtu.be/POryLyYbAkw


Appendix B: Mosquitoes.
I didn’t really make it clear just how many of these absolute bastards I ran into. Single slaps would smoosh 3+ mosquitoes most times… I think my max was five.
Coming home, I counted ~160 bites on my body… though interestingly none of them really itched. Not sure if it’s a new type of ‘skeeter, or if my body was just so absolutely inundated by histamines that it couldn’t process.