Inspiring Families to Live Adventurously.
Parents are often reluctant to take their child on multi-day visits to the backcountry. On the surface, I can understand their concerns but when I dig deeper it's more often assumptions and irrational fears that keep a family inside. Hopefully this post will provide motivation and tips for outdoor sleepovers!
This year, our annual take-the-kid-summer-backpacking-trip commenced with much less anxiety than our first trip of this kind last year. Instead of worrying about all the possible accidents that could get us stranded in the wilderness I instead remembered the serene isolation, satisfying physical exhaustion, and the uninterrupted time together. I was delighted as we stepped away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and into a simpler, quieter world.
Today we spent over 12 hours packing. Yes, it really took over 12 hours and we don't have the kid to blame.
I don't know why I was nervous. The backcountry is about as uneventful as a place can get. In all the miles we covered the most exciting thing that happened was leaving Sage's wipes by a log and trying to figure out how to change future poopy diapers with just a few squares of toilet paper.
This weekend, we took Sage on her first overnight backpacking trip in the San Bernardino Mountains. Our hike in started on Saturday late afternoon. We climbed 6.5 miles, 2,700 feet, and arrived at our campsite just before sunset.
