13.0 miles, 1000' gained, 1 night(s)
My Meetup Group set out Sunday morning with 8 humans and 2 dogs on a leisurely overnight backpack along the Salmon River. Our plan was to head to Goat Creek and hope the campsite was not taken. We were counting on the fact the weather was looking poorly and the fair weather adventurers would be staying home. Our evil plan worked!
We made it to Goat Creek around Noon and set up our camp. We had three tents and two hammocks amongst us, plus we set up a tarp to create a common area for us to hang out, as well as cook, just in case it decided to rain. We experienced rain showers periodically on the hike in, but nothing too crazy. After we set up our camp, we set off to find the Kinzel Lake Trail junction, then continued along the Salmon River Trail for a bit past that.
Our group decided it was time to head back to make dinner. Some of our posse stopped along the way to forage for firewood. We were bound and determined to have a fire in the evening and whiskey was the reward for whoever completed the task. The stakes were high and several in our group were vying for the prize!
When I travel in the backcountry by myself or with one other person, meals are usually simple...freezer bag cooking, a hot cup of cocoa with a shot of whiskey and I'm good to go. Not with this group. We had steak kabobs and salmon cooked over a small set of briquets pre-soaked and ready to be lit. There was also fresh salad, supplemented by miner's lettuce foraged in the woods. Others contributed curry coconut couscous, cheesy couscous, and other food. I enjoyed a serving of Packit Gourmet's Austintacious Tortilla Soup, which was AMAZING!!! I've never eaten so much delicious food on a backpacking trip.
Our firemongers were able to get a rip roaring fire going and it went well into the evening while we sat around the fire, drinking hot cider spiked with honey whiskey, red wine, and white chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. The weather cooperated for the evening and didn't start getting stormy until around 4a.
I retired to my Hennessy Hyperlite Hammock where I fell asleep quickly to the sound of Goat Creek. There were no bumps in the night and I slept solidly until I awoke around 7a. I made myself a cup of coffee/hot cocoa (aka mocha) and some oatmeal for breakfast. Our gourmet chef made crepes with fresh berries and creme fraiche on top plus some bacon for breakfast #2 (as I called it). The weather was starting to look sketchy so we all went to our tents/hammocks and packed up so we could get moving and try to beat the rain.
Well, we didn't beat the rain, it followed us most of the way back to the trailhead. We made good time back to the cars, and after loading up our gear and shedding our wet rain jackets and gaiters, we stopped for a celebratory lunch at Burro Loco in Welches before returning home. All in all, a fabulous overnight backpack with some of my favorite ladies.
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Nothing like eating well in the great outdoors.
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