Head Out: A 'micro-pack' payoff

[ With Melissa DeVaughn ]

Published: July 9th, 2008 10:01 PM
Last Modified: July 9th, 2008 11:23 PM

More Features stories »

Hectic weekend worth all the effort despite fighting off cold

Inaugural ice climbing festival keeps folks close to home

Deep snow in Turnagain Pass provides laughs for skiers

Melt loved one's heart by spending Valentine's Day outdoors

Warm day in Virginia reason enough to slow pace, delay training

Story tools

Comments

E-mail a friend | Print

My friend Liz was the one to bring up the idea of a quick overnighter. It was a holiday weekend, after all, and everyone else in Alaska seemed to have something special planned.

Then again, maybe that's exactly why none of us was overly eager to plan something in the first place. Driving would be a hassle. Getting a good campsite was likely out of the question.

Or maybe it was because we've been camping, hiking, biking or running somewhere every weekend since this so-called summer started and just wanted to stay home.

For whatever reason, our July Fourth holiday weekend morphed from an impromptu cookout to what I will call "micro-packing," a quick foray into the woods that requires less than an hour of planning. Because, as much as we like to hang out at the house, the truth of the matter is our gang of friends is really not satisfied unless we are outside.

So, at about 8 p.m. after dinner on a Saturday -- when most campgrounds were surely humming with generators and the state's public-use cabins had likely been snatched up months ago -- we threw just enough gear in our backpacks to last the night.

The children put sleeping bags, rain gear and a stuffed animal in their packs. Andy and I divided the family tent, sleeping pads and remaining sleeping bags in our backpacks. We threw in a baguette, some beverages and rain shells and called it good.

From there, it was a quick rendezvous with the other families at the trailhead to a local Eagle River destination -- Mount Magnificent.

The hike is short and steep, and the views of the Eagle River Valley and beyond are astounding. The packs were light enough for the children to haul, and the daylight long enough for us to explore well into the evening.

After a brief rainstorm, the Mueller family, who had come just for the hike, headed home. We waited a little while longer then emerged from our tents to hike up the ridge and peek at some Dall sheep on a scree slope. The dogs somehow spotted a bull moose climbing a ridge a good half mile away and sat by the tents like sentries, barking at it as it disappeared over the hill.

Finally, the mosquitoes drove us back into our tents, but by then, the sun was setting and we were ready to climb soaking into our sleeping bags. The lilting whistle of alpine birds and the constant hum of the heat-eager mosquitoes lulled us to sleep on our spongy campsites on the edge of nowhere.

The next morning I awoke early and ventured outside. The birdsong was like my own private concert, and I listened, thankful that we'd made the effort to come.

That small effort paid huge dividends. A 10-minute drive, one-hour hike and 12-hour commitment created yet another memory for our family to treasure.

• Play outdoor columnist Melissa DeVaughn can be reached at adn.com/contact/mdevaughn or call 257-4482.

ADVERTISEMENT