Backpacking Trip to the Wind Rivers

Allen had gone backpacking in the Wind Rivers a few years ago with Truman and some scouts, but this was my first trip there!  It's right in our back yard--only three hours away.

It was extra fun because we went with our great friends, the Deweys and the Helfriches.  We had such a good time together, on the trail and in camp, with engaging conversations about biking, World War II, teenagers, church, sports cars, relationships, college, city planning, parenting, the Gospel, retirement . . . and of course, backpacking gear and FOOD.  

We hiked in 13 miles on the first day to Island Lake and made a base camp.  Day two was spent exploring Titcomb Basin and finding waterfalls, wearing light packs (for about 11 miles). Then we packed it all up and headed back out on day three--enjoying a delicious taco dinner in Alpine before heading home from our 37-mile adventure.

I condensed all three days into a six-minute video, but it's never wise to make a backpacking video in the winter--it just makes me ache to go again!

    

It was fun to revisit these photos and videos, though--I forgot how hazy it was, but I also forgot how breathtakingly beautiful it was.  We passed many other hikers heading in and out of the backcountry, but had our campsite to ourselves, and hardly saw anyone else on our second day.  

We are definitely looking forward to more backpacking in 2022, and more time spent with our fabulous friends!

First Rafting Trip Ever

But not the last, people.

The Snake River (from Hoback Junction to Alpine) was neither very high nor very low last week, which means it was pretty tame, overall.  I never once felt nervous or scared or unsafe while we rafted.  The section we did took about two hours and it was nonstop FUN.

Meg and Josh invited us to crash their family rafting trip and we are so glad we did!  We drove over to Alpine after work on a Friday and spent the night at the Station Creek campground with Meg and her fun family.  I love meeting the sisters of my friends, and I love my friends meeting my sisters!  There is an undeniable, instant bond there that is pretty unique to women, and maybe especially to women whose best friends are their sisters . . . as Meg's and mine are.  One of my favorite things Meg has ever said was, "I don't need friends because I have sisters, so friends are just gravy."  Truth, Boogs!  And we are each other's favorite gravy . . .

Saturday morning we slept in, ate pancakes, played some cards, solved the world's problems (at least, Amy and I did), and then headed down to the put-in at West Table Creek.  Grouchy river rangers notwithstanding, it was a blast.  We had two rafts among our group, and were getting each other (and everyone else on the river) wet the entire time down.  We stopped for a little cliff jumping after powering down "Lunch Counter" and "Big Kahuna"--the two big rapids on the river.

Amy and Alan were troupers!  Not only did they organize the whole trip, borrow the boats, help us load and unload--they also went to Lunch Counter so they could snap some AMAZING photos as we funneled down into the whitest water on the river.  For real? 

It was such a good time, even though the day started out cloudy and brisk.  I loved it and I can't wait to go again.  I'm ready for the Middle Fork of the Salmon . . .