Rustic Retreats
Considering the benefits of getting out, without needing to use a tent.
http://www.seattleschild.com/article/rustic-retreats
Backcountry Babes
This Christmas we did something new and unexpected. We took an invitation from family to join them with friends at a backcountry lodge, accessible only by helicopter.
It wasn’t a given. We enjoy Christmas at home generally, the time with extended family, our church services, our family traditions. And we worried about being in the backcountry if there was a medical problem. We were concerned about the safety of backcountry skiing after two years of skiing with avalanches, and worried about the mountain flight in a small helicopter. We talked about it a lot before we committed. Then we signed up.
And we are glad we did.
Walk in a winter wonderland
We flew in to Powdercreek Lodge in the Purcell mountains of British Columbia on December 21st and stayed until the day after Christmas. Lodge owner Guus was there with his wife Ramune, my brother and his wife, and a couple not only inspiring, but truly epic in their outdoor pursuits with their two kids, a 3 year old and a 10 month old. So our showing up with only one kid seemed downright doable.
A few good turns
Though Guus noted that the snow was old, we took turns skiing old powder (still powder by any description!) and watching our little guy, taking him out for sleds to snowy hikes and wondrous snowy adventures, sometimes long sometimes short, always followed by sips of hot chocolate. It was a week of a different kind of adventure than our previous childless years in the backcountry. I felt out of shape for the skins back uphill and quickly felt my legs on even short runs. Taking turns, we each had only an hour or two (occasionally more) on our skis. But we were doing it. We were in the wilderness. Ridge lines and powder surrounded us. No hint of the outside world came along. There is no internet connection, and satellite phones only for emergencies.
Santa comes to the backcountry, too
Inside the lodge our 2 year old played with the three year old, and we all watched the baby. Scrabble games completed every day. We took turns trying our hands at culinary delights starting with appetizers at 4 and dinner at 6. Christmas dinner brought contributions from all and high spirits and cheer, and Christmas eve we sat around to sing all the Christmas carols we knew. Carol showed me a thing or two about knitting. Ramune serenaded us on her guitar.
Powdercreek Lodge blew us away not only in its mountain beauty, but in the thorough integrity of its design, its systems and safety. Guus build the lodge with friends almost twenty years ago after integrating best practices from remote mountain retreats. On the second floor are well constructed mesh racks and boot hangars to dry gear, just above the wood stove below. The common area is perfectly designed for the flow of people. A sauna and shower house help salve post-ski muscles and clean up for dinner. Incinerating toilets outside manage waste. Well labeled and positioned emergency gear is stationed around the lodge, and we were given a brief on arrival. We’ve been places we didn’t feel as good about operations. Powdercreek sold us on how things should be.
We love our traditional Christmases. But this one will remain strong in our memories as backcountry bliss. And we are already scheming for how to include Powdercreek in our annual plans one day. I’m pretty sure our 2 year old will ski circles around us in another ten years. Maybe then we’ll be the ones slowing him down, going in early for hot chocolate. But time in the mountains together, focusing only on the wild and our pounding hearts and throbbing legs and the people around us, is an experience we will never forget.
Back to High Camp, and fun in the snow with toddlers and kids
The annual trip to Scottish Lakes in the North Cascades was a huge success this year. Our group took over most of High Camp with families and one cabin with singles or those without kids for the weekend, and let the festivities begin.
Our little guy who had loved the snow machine ride at age 1 didn’t like it at all this year on the way up, so I mashed his squirming body between mine and the driver’s and we made the four miles with no problem. (on the way down, he was excited and kept saying “vroom, vroom!”- all about continuing the exposure to new things, and trying, and trying again!) Then there was the snow. We don’t live in it day to day, and he wasn’t sure what to think. Now he was almost two, and things had changed. He didn’t even want to walk on it! We had brought our backpack for snowshoes, but the snow was crunchy and he weights 37 pounds in just a diaper. Didn’t sound fun. He didn’t want to sit still either. With all we were hoping for, time outside, snow, sun, fresh air, were we doomed for the lodge?
Despite remembering that success is getting packed and on the way to the destination- new definitions- I was a little bit worried. Sister-in-law to the rescue! Having done all of this with twins who are almost 8, she knew the answers, and swooped in with kitchen implements, two yogurt containers and a few large kitchen spoons. She and Sam sat on the snow and started to dig, just like at the beach, and soon he couldn’t get enough.
The other kids, aged almost 2 through 8, sledded to their hearts content, with and without parents, skied and snowshoed, and we all reveled in letting the kids run free, not something easy to do in the city (or even possible.) After reading an article in Boston Magazine about overparenting, it was nice to be able to let go. Our nephew spent his first night winter camping, sleeping in a tent with his dad one night!
One family with two kids spent the first night with one girl throwing up- no fun. They headed down the next morning. But we all agreed success was just getting there, and knowing when to call it quits. They’ll be there next year. The key: show up, and if it doesn’t work, show up again!
Sam decked out for cabin sleeping
Sleeping- always a challenge. We brought a pack n play, and the first night was horrible (it had worked so well at 8-weeks old and one year!) We brought a sleeping bag in addition to his sleep sack, and hat and mittens and fleece for slewing, and P got up to keep the fire going all night. Still, we ended up just pulling Sam into our bed where we all were able to sleep, thankfully. Remember- a weekend away, changing things up is just fine. You just do what works! (thanks again to my sister-in-law for reminding me of this)
In the lodge, great meals and caroling, and a couple of forward thinking parents bringing play-doh for the kids providing hours of entertainment. And of course story books and a few other toys to chase around so the parents could enjoy Manny’s and good wine and a few minutes of adult conversation.
our family group on skis and boots
Another memorable year, another wonderful time with family and friends in the outdoors.
Glacier travel with little ones
You might have heard of this couple already- they’ve written a book about travel to Alaska before baby, and were featured in the NYT about living in a yurt on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska…now they are traveling with not one (which they did across Canada) but TWO kids in tow, including glaciers!
If you need a little motivation, read this article and see how another family makes it work.
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/tackling-alaskas-malaspina-glacier-2-babies-tow
Alpine Skiing with a toddler (in the summer!)
This may seem like a strange post for the summer, but Trea Diament pulled it off!
The 2010-11 ski season almost didn’t happen for me. I was pregnant with my second kid and couldn’t safely make it up to the slopes. This was kind of a big deal for me as it was going to be my first missed ski season. I made it up when I was 6 weeks old, zipped inside my mom’s jacket. I made it when I went on a military deployment starting in November because the area had an unusually early snow fall. And I made it all the 32 other years. So when the ski season lasted until 4th of July I was thrilled to keep the streak going! 
My mom and I recruited an adventurous babysitter and headed up to Crystal Mountain with my 2 kids – Toby is 19 months and Nettie is 10 weeks. We left our babysitter in the lodge with Nettie and instructions to meet us at the top of the gondola for lunch. Then Mom, Toby and I headed off. After taking the gondola up to the top, we strapped Toby into the Ergo and took off down the slopes.
I thought the day was going to be called early when a gentleman from the ski patrol started chatting with me half way down the first run. Nervous that skiing with a toddler on your back was against the rules, I was super friendly. Luckily he was only concerned that the next generation of skiers was well introduced to all that the mountain had to offer and gave me the inside tips on which double blacks were open. We decided to stick with the blues and headed down.
All in all, we had a fun, adventurous day with the kids. Here are a few tips for anyone else headed out for a skiing or gondola adventure:
- The Gondola is BEAUTIFUL. Well worth the ride on a sunny day. Beautiful views from the top, a fun ride up and down, and very easy and safe. I highly recommend it as a day outing for any family. There isn’t much shade at the top. We ended up eating in the restaurant so as not to expose Nettie to too much sun.
- If you want to ski with a kid on your back, the Ergo is the way to go. I put Toby on my back for skiing then scooted him around to my front for a safe chairlift ride. His feet never hit the ground in the transition either way. It was easily accomplished while in the lift line. And no need to be nervous about a squirmy kid on the chairlift.
- Make sure your bindings are nice and tight. An extra 30+ pounds can make a difference on the quick release.
- Toby got a little nervous when we were skiing so we sang lots of songs and kept him entertained by searching the other skiers for Grandma.
Getting the gear
As everyone who goes outside knows, the gear makes a big difference, and it isn’t any different for your wee one- arguably it’s even more important. Little bodies don’t regulate heat and cold as well, so paying attention to what you use to dress them in is critical.
We have loved the Patagonia Baby Capilene 
Feet are as important as ever. There are some great options, including Kamik Snowbug 2 Cold Weather Boot (Toddler)
and we love the SmartWool Baby Sock Sampler 
For rain there are a number of options, including Tuffo Muddy Buddy Overalls
Whatever you choose, remember to avoid cotton, like you would for yourselves, unless it’s for sleeping. Synthetics breathe and allow moisture to escape, critical for maintaining warmth and comfort. Always remember to dress your child a layer warmer than you dress yourselves, and if carrying them in a sled or pack, check their temperatures often- while you are working harder, they don’t have the benefit of activity-induced warmth!
Sleeping arrangements
Memorial Day weekend 2011 (Night time temperature, high thirties/low forties F)
We needed to get outside, but kept it simple this time, and opted for car camping, something we might have scoffed at in the past. Our little guy is getting less interested in spending long periods in the pack though, so this seemed like a good option. We loaded up and headed back out to the Olympic peninsula.
Last year Sam was only five months old, and we put him in between us in our sleeping bag. This time, though, we figured he could (and should) have his own spot. We brought a small sleeping bag for him, and, because we were car camping, his pack-n-play, which we set up under our tarp. We still use our backpacking gear- we aren’t really outfitted for luxury. So we cooked black bean burritos by submerging the can of beans in a pot of boiling water on a whisperlite, and stretched out sleeping bags on the ground underneath a tarp. Experienced car campers know you can bring a giant Walmart tent and sleep on an air mattress (take note, in case car camping is your thing), but never mind.
Night 1:
Sam did go down; we did our normal bedtime routine with books and bottles and sleep sacks. The waking began, though, only an hour or so after we finally went to sleep. He was cold I think, so we pulled him into our sleeping bag, and then he was hot an hour later, so we stripped him down. Needless to say, none of us slept much.
Getting ready for bed under the tarp
Night 2:
We put the pack-n-play away, and put him into his fleece suit but put a real hat on his head, loaded him into his sleep sack and his (thirty year old lightweight) sleeping bag. He slept until a little after midnight. When he woke, my best guess is that he was a little scared bout having woken up in a sleeping bag which is a new sight, sound and feel- slipper nylon, puffy red stuff…he was distressed enough we pulled him into our bag again. I should point out that we have a double sleeping bag…the Feathered Friend’s Penguin 20, which is the size and weight of a single bag, since the down covers a nylon sheet into which sleeping pads fit so that they stay in place and insulate from the bottom. We love it, and it’s made it much easier to pull Sam into bed with us since it has more space, too.
Night 2: Finally sleeping!
July 4th weekend (night time temperature, about 50 degrees)
Night 1: This was a backpacking trip, so we didn’t even try the pack-n-play. We brought the same set up: footed fleece pajamas (nothing special: Carter’s finest), Sam’s sleepsack (the heavier version of Merino Kids) and his sleeping bag. Because he’s mobile now, it does take one of us a while to snuggle in with him until he’s sleeping, so that we don’t have him coming out of the bag again and again.
We slept under the tarp again, but with high tide and a weather system, we had light rain and a lot of blowing mist. This required us to wake up to adjust our bag out of the moisture, but Sam also woke up, his hair wet from the sea spray and his bag wet too. We pulled him into our sleeping bag (yes, a trend seems to be developing, but I don’t have much resilience when it comes to night time decisions).
Night 2: The weather cleared the next morning, and we had a wonderful day on the beach, tiring all of us out. While it took a little while to get Sam down, he slept through until about six in the morning- at which point something told me to open my eyes, and I looked up to see him standing up in his sleep sack grinning down at us! We’re calling this success though, the first full night of sleep in his own bag (even though we all snuggled for another hour or so before getting up).
Lessons learned:
1. You don’t need a fanct tent or a fancy set up. Just make sure you keep everyone dry, and have enough layers to keep everyone warm too.
2. Be flexible. Be flexible. Be flexible.
3. If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again! It’s different, and a little challenging, to get the sleep piece to work, but it is certainly possible. And in the process, we have had two wonderful trips along the coast with our family, playing in the sun and soaking in the sea, listening to eagles and oceans and shorebirds. It’s worth the little bit of planning involved!
Paddling with kids
Is it possible? YES!
Without spoiling the fun, stay tuned for an article in an upcoming issue of Seattle’s Child (linked for you!). And in the meantime, check out the inspiration for said upcoming article, the Bune family at www.thefamilypaddles.com.
Kaj Bune likes to redefine Patagonia founder Yvon Chounard’s definition of adventure by saying that an adventure is anything where the outcome is unknown.
You already know that qualifies as pretty much anything with kids, but certainly getting outdoors, too.
And check out Outside Magazine’s article on whitewater rafting with a baby, too: http://www.outsideonline.com/blog/top-10-tips-for-whitewater-rafting-with-kids.html
Triple Lakes Trail, Denali National Park
Sam under the rain cover in Denali
Date: Aug 22
Weather: temperature in the 50s, breezy, overcast, occasional showers
Location: Triple Lakes Trail, Denali National Park, Alaska
Baby Gear: Kelty Backcountry Kid Carrier
Baby Clothes: cotton onesie and pants, Smartwool socks, fleece pants, fleece jacket, heavy wool hooded zip sweater, hat and mittens in reserve
It was the weekend, and time to get outside! We bought a used Kelty Backcountry pack from another family in the area, and headed to the Triple Lakes trail, newly connected with the Denali Park visitor center. End to end, it’s an eight mile trek (we found out later it’s quite a bit longer with the new trail…closer to twelve miles! At least that explains why it took us so long…). We left a bike locked at the Visitor Center, and drove to the trailhead just past McKinley Village and the Grizzly Bear Campground on the Nenana River.
Peter got the pack adjusted to fit him mostly comfortably, although he felt like Sam was back a little bit far. We fiddled with the pack and couldn’t figure out a way to pull him closer to Peter’s back in the few minutes we had, so headed out. The first part of the hike is uphill through taiga forest, crossing the train tracks, and then continuing around the hill away from the road. From that point on is pure bliss, not a sound other than the breeze, the trees, a squirrel here and there and ourselves. The low hills of the Alaska range rolled away from us, aspen glowing in patches among the spruce with the ignition of fall.
Sam explores the tundra
We passed the three lakes, and headed up the new section of trail. It took us around the back of a hill and then up on the ridge where we could see in all directions from among low spruce up to the canyon, east up the Yannert River Valley, south toward the cabin and Broad Pass. We took rest stops as Sam tired of his ride for bottles new diapers and granola bars (for us!) At one stop Sam just seemed to need time to play a little bit- and who can blame him! There were mushrooms to play with and leaves to taste!
When we had been on the trail for several hours (we are reluctantly learning to calculate much longer times for these trips) the edge of a shower started a drizzle, and then rain. We popped the rain cover on which is, as an equipment review, orders of magnitude more effective than the Sherpani rain cover- and continued on. One section of trail is still in the process of being cleared, and we waded through willows; one snapped back and whipped Sam’s cheek, close to his eye. Sam was understandably beside himself; we stopped to reassure him and review our progress. I carried Sam in my arms through the next hundred yards of the willow-crossed trail, and then we put him back in the pack.
Our trip took six hours- much longer than we would have expected with just the two of us- but all the more enjoyable for there being three and having time to stop and appreciate the colors blazing up the hillsides, surrounding us with their warmth, hearing the river below, and looking at our northern word from new perspectives; from the ridge top looking down, and as parents always in awe of this little person who has come to live with us.
Lessons:
- Have extra food with you, just in case. We were glad to have brought extra bottles, as our trip took longer than we expected.
- Following number 1: plan for your trip to take longer than you expect!
- Try out your pack at home the night before and make the necessary adjustments.
- Remember as you go through brush or trees not only to consider the hiker behind you, but the little one on your back- and understand that he or she is liable to be leaning out one side or the other.
- Have fun!
first published on www.aborderlife.com
Back in the Park
Playing on the tundra
We arrived in Denali mid-August, just in time to get the last blueberries. P is working, and Sam and I were getting cabin fever after about a day. I was getting irritable and Sam was getting frustrated. The next day we headed out with an empty yogurt container down the bluff trail to find berries. This trail isn’t known for blueberries, but there was one good patch, about a quart’s worth after 45 minutes. Sam pulled on grass and berries and twigs with a focused intent, babbling to himself and occasionally looking up and grinning at me. I picked happily, moving from one bush to the next, and when Sam got tired of this new activity we had enough for 4 blueberry pancake breakfasts, not bad for the end of the season!
Last night was the first frost. The lingonberries, or low bush cranberries, aren’t all ready yet, but those that have been in the sun are perfect. Sam and I headed outside again, he again busy with the flora surrounding him, and we easily netted a quart in a half hour. It was good to be outside, to feel the wind in our faces, to feel the prickles and scratches of moss and lichen in the tundra, smelling the fall, noticing the leaves, more golden each day. It is good to be home.
first published on www.aborderlife.com
Learning humility from a simple walk
Tired hikers
Date: June 22
Weather: mid 60s, light breeze
Location: Tiger Mountain, Washington
Baby gear: Sherpani ultralight pack
Baby clothes: cotton onesie, shirt and pants
It should have been an easy walk. We left later than expected this morning for Tiger Mountain, just a half hour outside of Seattle. I needed to be back to conduct an interview at noon.
We’ve hiked with the pack before- you saw the pictures! Sam slept in it, he looked around in it- he certainly hung out comfortably for a while. This morning, though, he wasn’t having anything to do with it.
His friend Toby who is sometimes more particular, rested comfortably in his Ergo. I put Sam in the Sherpani, and initially he was leaning forward too much. A few yards down the trail, I tightened the harness straps, which helped set him a little further back so he didn’t slump over me.
We stopped for a morning snack for the two boys. They both seemed happy enough. But soon after veering off the main trail, Sam began to whimper, and then cry. I reinserted the pacifier- he had slept on the beach hike a couple of weeks ago while riding in the pack. I hoped he might sleep again… it was nap time. That it was nap time turned out to be a strategic error. A more experienced mom would have known this!
We made it another fifteen minutes up the trail with attempts at singing, cajoling, talking and distracting before realizing that today wasn’t our day. I pulled Sam out of the pack and carried him back down the trail, empty Sherpani flapping on my back. In my arms- and then in the car seat- he settled into a sleep.
Our hiking group of two (2 big, 2 small) has redefined success: getting to the trailhead. What is important, after all? It brings new meaning to the idea that success is the journey, not the destination. That it is something to cheer about that we got out of the house, and off the paved road, breathing fresh air, feeling the sweet forest air around us. Even if it wasn’t Sam’s happiest day, it is another trip for him out of the city, feeling what it is to have wilderness around him. I’m pretty sure this accumulates into an appreciation for the peace that a wind outdoors can bring. I hope that eventually, we will have given him this gift.
Learning points:
- take your baby’s schedule into account when planning trips. Do your best to hike during awake time.
- Be willing to reconsider your definition of success!
- Remember that getting out at all is good for you, and for your baby.
first published on www.aborderlife.com
Sleeping in Tents- with a baby
Heading out for our first overnight in a tent
Date: May 29
Weather: low 50s, light breeze, occasional light precip
Location: Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington
Baby gear: Sherpani ultralight pack
Baby clothes: underneath cotton pants and long sleeved onesie; on top wool sweater coat with hood, fleece pants, fleece hat, fleece mittens, wool socks, wool mittens over the socks as booties
Date: May 30
Weather: low 50s, steady rain
Location: Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington
Baby gear: Sherpani ultralight pack
Baby clothes: cotton pants and long sleeved onesie; on top thick fleece coat with hood, fleece hat, fleece mittens, wool socks, wool mittens over the socks as booties
Thanks to Peter, we finally loaded up and headed off…several hours later than planned. There was nursing, and then a nap, and then fussing around thinking through contingencies. And thinking through packing.
Whatever else a baby backpack provides…mobility with a child, security of harness attachments, rain shield…it does not provide a lot of room for anything extra. I had most of the baby clothes packed in the bottom of the Sherpani, but not all. Peter had everything else. Good thing he is used to it from the Arctic last summer when he carried extra because I was pregnant…but it’s still a heavy pack! We had stopped in Port Angeles to fill out our permits and get the bear barrels…and also brought Ursacks, the Kevlar bear bags, because it seemed to make sense we should store food and diapers similarly.
But with driving, stops for nursing and diapers and permits (and our dinner), we didn’t get to Rialto Beach until 8 PM. “The sun doesn’t set for an hour and a half,” Peter noted. That’s code for suggesting it might be ok to start hiking despite the late hour. “OK, let’s give it a go,” I conceded. “I just want the tent to be up before dark.”
With the two of us, we wouldn’t have blinked; we’ve hiked in many miles to camp after dark in pouring sleet enough times for a while it was becoming a habit. A baby has a way of changing one’s perspective though. We are willing to put ourselves through a lot more than we wanted to put Sam through.
Rialto Beach delivers the rugged beauty of the Washington coast, the force of the surf evident in the smoothly shaped rocks and the massive logs sitting as driftwood up against the rainforest. Small rock islands just offshore punctuate the seascape.
We hiked just a mile in, and camped just past Ellen Creek (the earliest place camping is permitted). The Olympic National Park is beautiful, but we definitely had company. Up and down the beach curls of smoke ventured from campfires to the rolling surf. But we arrived late enough to have a chance to just sit and watch the ocean. Sam seemed to like it too. It’s the same white noise as we have played for him earlier as he tried to sleep- the same white noise he heard in his own ocean before he was born. Clouds were coming in- the weather forecast for Sunday had deteriorated significantly- but we watched the stars make their way into the darkening sky one by one. The big dipper pointing home hung just above us.
The three of us crawled into the tent. I had brought Sam’s swaddle and sleep sack, but didn’t sleep well with him in our sleeping bag, worried about him suffocating. Finally- leaving his fleece hat on him, I found a place for him pushed enough out of the bag his face was well clear of the puffs of sleeping bag- and we all slept at least a bit.
By morning the rain had come and settled in, a stead Washington coastal rain which should never surprise anyone venturing anywhere in the PNW. We listened to the rain playing its music on the tent, Sam watching the drops hit and roll down the nylon. The sound of rain on a tent is one of my favorite sounds, and I smiled as broadly as Sam watching him experience it for the first time. With that kind of rain though, we decided to head back to the car. A short hiking trip, but at least a night in a tent!
Recrossing Ellen Creek I opted to wade, as the huge pieces of driftwood were slick in the steady rain. My feet got wet. But it was worth feeling safer, as my center of gravity was so much higher with Sam in the pack. We crunched along the beach of river-smooth rocks, making it back to the car in good time. Sam’s cheeks were red and rain covered, his hair sticking out from under his hat in the curls is makes when it’s wet. He seemed as happy as I was to be outside together, as a family, watching the waves come in and the rain come down.
Rainy hike on Rialto Beach
Learning points:
- Give yourself extra time for everything- driving, packing, setting up- with the baby. It might be possible to force it, but who wants to?
- Bring plenty of burp cloths. Staying dry is a worthwhile effort on the trail, and spit up is just as wet as (and much more predictable than) rain!
- Remember to keep baby clothes and dipaers/wipes in large ziplock bags to keep everything dry
- Bring a toy to hang on the backpack for the baby
- Know that you will judge actions much more conservatively with a baby- and be perfectly ok with that.
- If you are in bear country consider how you will store dirty diapers. We brought plastic bags to tie them in and an Ursack to hang in a tree.
- If you’re nursing, even if you haven’t needed them recently bring extra breast pads. Leaking is harder to manage with fewer clothes.
Gear review:
The Sherpani Ultralight was mostly great. Sam is over 22 pounds and rode securely. The pack sat well on my hips. Storage was so-so, but as good as others I think. The rain cover was not terrific though- it only has plastic on two sides…not the front…and doesn’t stick out very far in front of the baby’s face.
first published on www.aborderlife.com
Preparing for our first baby backpacking trip
Trying out the Sherpani Ultralight in the Kitchen
We’re gearing up for our first REAL backpacking trip with the baby- mind you, several entries behind of hiking with the Bjorn, Snowshoeing with the Bjorn…three trips to remote cabins….but this is the first trip where our planned accommodation is a thin sheet of nylon between us and the elements- us being all three of us!
We asked for the Sherpani backpack for a shower, which my mother-in-law and friends got for us. It has been sitting in the corner, waiting for Sam to be able to sit up and hold his head…Sherpani recommends not putting a baby in before 4 months. Sam’s 5 month strength is enough, though, and he nestled all 22 pounds of himself comfortable in the harness- at least in the house.
It hasn’t been the most beautiful of weeks in Seattle, but the forecast for Forks is cloudy, and then sunny and 60s on Sunday. We’ll try not to have too far to go on Monday when rain is forecast (but there’s a rain hood for the pack!)
Sam’s solids will wait till we get back- thank goodness we’re still breastfeeding!
What we haven’t figured out is how to pack. The baby backpack has enough room for Sam and a few small things (maybe diapers). Apparently P will be carrying everything else. Because we’re headed to a National Park, Teton unfortunately can’t come, or she could help sherpa. So I think we will adjust our expectations, and P will be glad for his recent gym workouts carrying the big pack!
More to follow….
first published on www.aborderlife.com
First Day Hike with Baby, Cascades, Washington
First day hike in the Cascades with baby
Temperature: 45 degrees, breezy
Gear: Fleece jacket with hood, Baby Bjorn, hiking boots, small backpack with diaper essentials
Baby clothes: onesie, light cotton hat
In the spirit of finding other like minded parents, I joined a Linkup group in the area called Northwest Mountain Mamas. We were scheduled to leave town a week after I joined and the instructions said I’d be dropped from the group if I didn’t get on a hike in the first week so I put my name on the lit for the first one, a manageable four mile round trip hike up Rattlesnake Ledge.
Jess, a woman from my PEPS group and I went together with her daughter Ada and, of course, Sam, and joined ten other women in the parking lot before heading out onto the trail.
The hike started late- and hiking with twelve people is inherently slow- twelve people with babies of various ages is even slower! I felt a bit humbled- I think of myself as pretty outdoorsy but didn’t feel adequately prepared and was even worried that Sam was warm enough. Though we have started carrying him facing out in the Bjorn, I carried him facing in for warmth.
Sam mostly slept but got a little fussy when we stopped, so I tried to keep moving. The Rattlesnake Ledge hike is mostly protected in forest, so the breeze that concerned me at the beginning of the hike turned out to not be a factor, and Sam and I were both warm- just in case, when I pulled off my fleece as my temperature rose on the uphill, I bundled it around him in the Bjorn.
All of us fed our kids at the top. The breeze had lessened and the sun came out. Sam had a nice lunch and then proceeded to spit up all over me, and I didn’t have a burp rag. Rats. Another nice lady handed me a paper napkin she had brought with her. Another mom handed me an extra granola bar she had. Hiking with a group of moms is pretty nice- the others made up for my lack of preparation, and motivated me to get my act together for the next one…burp rags, power bars!
Moms take a break at rattlesnake ledge with their little ones
Repositioning Sam in the Bjorn I got his leg stuck and he howled- another woman without kids on another hiking group gave me the evil eye like I was the worst mom in the world (ok, maybe I imagined that- I FELT like the worst mom in the world, second only to when Sam rolled off the couch…sigh).
We headed down. Hiking with 12 (really 24) people, half of whom are little people, is not a way to enjoy the peaceful outdoors. But the fresh air and good company of others getting out and doing things with wee ones made for an inspiring day. Try it- you’ll like it!
Lessons learned:
- Carry the Ten Essentials, even for an easy hike! Minimally have water and a few power bars.
- Budget extra time for even an easy hike with a lot of people, or with a baby!
- Carry burp cloths even in an abbreviated diaper bag.
first published on www.aborderlife.com
Overnight in the Snow at Eight Weeks
Snowshoeing at Scottish Lakes, North Cascades
Temperature: 25-30 degrees
Altitude: 5,000 ft.
Gear: Snowshoes, Patagonia R4, hat, gloves, gaiters
Baby clothes: long sleeve fleece onesie with feet, wool socks, hand me down GAP baby fleece suit
The test run was complete. We were ready for the annual pilgrimage to Scottish Lakes.
If you don’t know it, Scottish Lakes High Camp is a grouping of bare bones cabins just past Stevens Pass. Inside each is plywood with a wood stove, propane lights and no running water (though water is available). We normally go to High Camp in December- this was Peter’s tenth trip actually- but we were a little busy with Sam being born mid December this past year, so we reserved for February.
When we arrived in the parking lot, Don and Chris were there with the old, chained suburbans to take us- and the rest of the group going in on the pick up- half way up the mountain where we would meet the snowmobiles. I got to ride in front so I could feed Sam. It turns out that the logging operation has shut down which is kind of nice; Don and Chris lease the land from the mill.
Then we transferred to the snowmobiles. Peter had Sam in the Bjorn, so rode behind the driver on the seat, while I “mushed” on the back of the sled carrying the gear. True to form with motion and vibration, Sam slept like a champ! High Camp lay peaceful under a blanket of snow, dampening any outside concerns and inviting us to retreat.
In the past we have stayed in a larger cabin with a group. Now we had our own. We lay out our sleeping bag, and made Sam a bed on Peter’s duffel with two fleece blankets we brought folded on top.
naptime at the cabin, Scottish Lakes, North Cascades
Temperatures stayed warm for the winter, hovering around 30 during the day, though when we got to the top of a ridge the wind cooled things off quite a bit. We bundled Sam in a fleece onesie with feet, wool socks underneath, and the Gap fleece snowsuit, packed him in the Bjorn inside Peter’s R4, and headed out. I had put together a diaper bag in a small pack I wore- just a few diapers (we use Seventh Generation), a new onesie, Seventh Generation wipes and the diaper pad.
The first day we went out for three and a half hours. Though there are trails at Scottish Lakes, they are not maintained other than by fellow travelers, so we spent about half the time following trails a few folks had snowshoed prior and the other half cutting our own trail following the terrain we wanted to see. Sam slept the whole time, and no diaper changes were required though we were ready! The second day we headed out for two and a half hours on a different route.
Snowshoeing at Scottish Lakes with Sam, 8 weeks old
The trees curled with the weight of the snow forming exquisite shapes of pillowy fiddle ferns, the curve of a violin. The forest was silent. On the edge of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, we snowshoed up ridges logged on one side and standing proud with old growth on the other. Bright green moss shone phosphorescent from the trees beneath the snow. We snowshoed through a magical world. Sam slept, though I like to think he absorbed the sounds of silence, the exhilaration of winter air and muscles straining to push through the deep drifts.
At night we swaddled him around his fleece suit, and he slept six hours straight- the longest he had slept at one time! Peter got up to restart the fire in the woodstove when Sam and I woke to feed him. He was not only warm enough- he may have been too warm in the fleece suit sleeping. The bed made of fleece blankets on the duffle worked perfectly. Our first family trip in the snow- the first of many.
Cabin at Scottish Lakes, North Cascades
We did think of several things we wished we would have done…
Lessons learned:
- Bring a baby thermometer just in case.
- We brought “The Portable Pediatrician” and read several sections.
- Though Sam is breastfed, next time we will bring several days worth of formula and a bottle in case something happens to me.
- Scottish Lakes does not require guests sign out as they leave for the backcountry, but we will make sure we leave word where we are headed even in a controlled area next time.
- Consider a SAT phone (or cell phone if you are somewhere where there is reception) when heading into the backcountry with a baby.
first published at www.aborderlife.com
Snowshoeing at Six Weeks
Our first snowshoe as a trio at six weeks
Temperature: 37 degrees
Gear: Snowshoes, Patagonia R4, hat, light gloves, Baby Bjorn
Baby clothes: onesie with feet (worn inside R4)
Admittedly I’m quite a bit behind on this post. But It’s worthy of returning to …Sam, six weeks old, and our first adventure. Snowshoeing.
Defining adventure with a newborn is tough- because everything qualifies. So I should qualify that the adventures of Sam refer to the more traditional variety…what we thought of as adventures BEFORE Sam, which are translating now into adventures WITH Sam.
Being winter, we thought snowshoeing sounded like a good idea. Relatively easy, depending on the terrain, and straightforward. Besides, with such a mild winter, it couldn’t be that hard. We loaded baby, diaper bag, Baby Bjorn and snow shoes into the car and headed out to Gold Creek just outside of Seattle.
Winter is a bit of a misnomer, at least in its extreme sense. The temperature was almost 40 degrees! An easy trail, warm temperatures- easy! I didn’t account for new mother syndrome though.
Peter parked and turned the car off, leaving his door open to walk around and pull out the snowshoes. Despite the fact that we sleep with our windows open and it was probably right about the same temperature, it occurred to me that it might be chilly for the baby. I also thought that he should be fed. (mind you, we are only going out for an hour and a half or so) I asked Peter to turn the car back on and close the doors. And then I fed Sam. Fifteen minutes later, I pulled out the diaper bag mat and put it on the driver’s seat, leaning over the console to balance Sam so he wouldn’t roll off of the seat while trying to hold up his legs and change the barely damp diaper so we’d be ready to go. I pulled out a new diaper, and realized it was the last one.
“Well, hopefully there are no major events in the next few hours,” I said to Peter, who graciously declined to comment. And then I left the damp diaper out just in the event of an emergency- it would be all we had for the 45 minute drive back to town.
Then we deposited Sam in the Bjorn, who kindly obliged us, and headed out. We were late getting started, part of the piece I hadn’t quite calculated, but that meant that this popular trail was sparsely populated. A few cross country skiers were coming back to the trailhead; we were the only people we saw heading out. The Gold Creek trail is easy and flat. We snowshoed on a firm trail, firm enough to not have needed snowshoes most likely.
Sam cuddled up against Peter in the Bjorn, zipped into Peter’s Patagonia R4. He wore a regular one piece suit with feet since we had planned on his travel inside Peter’s coat, and we judged his warmth by the fact that Peter was sweating and I was warm.
We followed the trail, and veered to the left where it came to a T, following the trail around Gold Creek Pond. We were now the only ones on the trail. The pond was open and the water was calm, reflecting the fir and spruce surrounding it. Steep mountainsides of the Cascades shot up from the forest just beyond the pond. While not frigid, the air was cold and clean, and the snow crunched satisfyingly under our snowshoes.
Back at the car, we couldn’t stop smiling. We did it- the test run was complete. Peter turned on the car to warm it up as soon as we arrived. There were no apparently southerly issues for Sam, who woke groggily as we moved him from the Bjorn to the car seat, and settled back to sleep.
Even with a baby- maybe especially with a baby- we were still living the Border Life.
Lessons learned:
- Always check the diaper bag before leaving the house!
- RELAX. It’s not that big of a deal (at least your first venture out)
- ENJOY! It’s your first venture out!
Originally published at www.aborderlife.com
Novice Mistakes: Facebook Post for 2/4/10
Trying on a hat for size and snowshoeing
Four novice mistakes in four days: 1. bringing baby to party but no diaper bag, 2. snowshoeing bringing baby and diaper bag but forgetting to restock said bag, 3. restocking said bag but only bringing a nightgown for a change of clothes, 4. climbing out of car holding baby in arms and banging head on Thule rack (not dropping baby). Whew. Eventually, we will learn 
A few thoughts from readers