Day 1 (Sunday): On 101 N with lucky Elvis at the stand
Day 1 (Sunday): We got to the park around sunset, then hiked 2 miles to Frog Lake where we camped. The weather was nice enough we slept without a tent every night
Day 2 (Monday): Packing up for a day of hiking - Grant's pack with a dangling bottle of Sriracha
Day 2 (Monday): Ghostly looking trees
Day 2 (Monday): Trees that looked like they were painted red - need some help with identification!
Day 2 (Monday): This tree has tons of little holes pecked into it by woodpeckers - they were pecking away while i took this picture, can you spot the birdie?
Day 2 (Monday): first of several river crossings
Day 2 (Monday): some of the trail
Day 2 (Monday): some of the landscape
Day 2 (Monday): After 6 miles of hiking, the last of which was an epic uphill switchback on a trail less than a foot wide, we arrive at a campsite. Sam (right) is standing where we slept. We had a sweet view to wake up to!
Day 3 (Tuesday): This fungus has encased many of the trees in the park - its crusty and white-green. The trees it has infected are all dead.
Day 3 (Tuesday): a newt!
Day 3 (Tuesday): The view from the highest point of the park (2400 feet) - this picture would have been vastly more epic with a wide angle lens
Day 3 (Tuesday): The 9 men lounging by the trail marker at 2400 feet. From left to right, Andrew aka "Champ", Grant aka "Juice" (sitting), John aka "Merring", Nolan aka "Provider", Max aka "Bear Cavalry" (sitting), Noah aka "crack baby" (laying down), Ry aka "Arnoldi 88", Sam aka "the medic", and Mike aka "Dirty Jersey" aka "Dirt" aka "Dej". We love our nicknames.
Day 3 (Tuesday): Mississippi Lake, our destination! (4.5 miles booked on Tuesday)
Day 3 (Tuesday): claiming spots on the tarp
Day 3 (Tuesday): a log
Day 3 (Tuesday): plants
Day 3 (Tuesday): tree next to our campsite
Day 4 (Wednesday): Noah covered in soot (I'll explain later) with his machete. We took a "chill day" at Mississippi Lake all Wednesday and made day hikes around the area. We explored the area quite thoroughly but I didn't bring my camera.
Day 5 (Thursday): This dead brush covered many of the hills. There had been fires in the area a few years ago, evidenced by all the burnt, dead brush (which got us very dirty and soot-covered when we brushed past it in our exploring on Wednesday), but new grasses have since then grown, creating a bright green undertone to the black, spidery twigs
Day 5 (Thursday): Noah (left) and Max (right) contemplating the water by Thursday night's campsite, we had hiked back 5 miles.
Day 4 (Thursday night): a little froggy making a BUTTLOAD of noise. It was probably 2 inches in length, but chirping louder than the average human yell. Every night except monday night was filled with the constant, incessant chirping of these little guys. Adorable!
Day 5 (Thursday night): Champ taught me a little about long exposure shots with fire, this is an attempt
Day 6 (Friday): Ry pumping water through the filter - a daily chore. This is the only picture from this day, as I woke up suddenly taken by the flu, and wasn't quite in the photography mood for the 5.5 uphill miles back to the car.BEST SPRING BREAK EVURRRR YEEEYUHHH
*to view the complete photo album, click here
ahhh looks amazing...i could use some camping time..
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing looks amazing. I am proud of you for accomplishing the hiking experience. I bet it was refreshing and wonderful to be that close to the nature.
ReplyDelete~mom~
Dad said that the red-skinned trees are called "manzanita" :D
ReplyDeleteAnd he said the wood is extremely hard.