Backpacking Alone, kind of...

On my way to Seward from Homer, I planned to hike. Then I thought "why not backpack?!" I saved the $10 I would have to pay for camping for a rainy day (foreshadowing for the following days events). Plus I had purchased bear spray at REI in Anchorage and it needed a purpose. "Sigh." A moment of silence for my employee discount. May you rest in peace.

So I signed into the trail head book and headed out the 7 miles to Trout Lake on the popular Resurrection Pass Trail. (Don't worry, I had an emergeny contact and it's not my first time, you know).

Above: Juneau Falls on Resurrection Pass Trail.

Below: A mountain.

Below: Things I don't like to see when backpacking...A flooded trail surrounding by boggy, boggy tundra.

Below: Things I like seeing when backpacking...A sign saying my intended campsite is a stone's throw away.

Above: Trout Lake

Do you ever forget things? I do. Just ask anyone who has lived with me, gone to school with me, or ever embarked on an outing with me. So the cordage in my tents poles was stretched. I had intented to get that fixed while I was in Anchorage. I didn't. Down in Homer I found a point in one of the cords that look like it was going to snap at any second. SO...I set it aside in order for me to find that weak point easily later. Do you see where this is going?

Yep. I forgot the pole. Ain't no thing though, because it wasn't just any tent. It was the "Taj." I could hardly tell that a pole was missing in fact. No rain made it's way in and I didn't have to breathe tent wall all night, fortunate for me. In fact, I felt rested enough to make a 4 mile addition to my hike to experience Juneau Lake. What better thing to do at 5 am?

I ended up not seeing any wildlife on the hike, unless humans are considered wild. I must concede that I had help setting up the tent. I stayed at the campsite with 2 others who were through-hiking the trail. Plus I discovered a family of 4 that had mountain bike up and were staying at the cabin on the lake. I, however, did see evidence of the dreaded bear.

Bear scat, I believe. Please correct me if you know otherwise.

Bear tracks. No, not the ice cream. Mmmm....ice cream.
Off the trail and showered, I made a new friend. Alaskans are so friendly!

On the drive to Seward...

Check out the next post for the Seward adventure...I put the $10 to much better use than paying for a primitive campsite.