Day 40-57
Destinations:
- Redwood National Park, CA
- The Lost Coast
- Crater Lake National Park, OR
- Coos Bay, OR
- Portland, OR
- Olympic National Park, WA
- North Cascades Nat'l Park, WA
- Banff National Park, AB
- Kootenay National Park, AB
- Assinboine National Park, AB
Excerpt from 4 day BP trip in Banff/Assinboine National Park, AB:
I rose early after a fitful night of sleep anticipating the 17 mile hike ahead of me with dread. I scrambled out of my tent and ran to the outhouse then hurried back to the warmth of my sleeping bag. However, I had woken shivering and was now no better. After a minute of vacillating, I started to roll up my sleeping pad. I gathered my things and stepped back out into the crisp mountain air. I flipped the tarp off our packs watching as the frost fell like snow. More awake, I took in the scene around me and watched as the sun rose over peaks in the direction of Wonder Pass.
Packing was quick work, and after leaving a note I was on my way leaving my three sleeping companions behind nestled in their down sleeping bags. As soon as I was making my first steps I knew I had made the right decision. The cool air filled my lungs, and I began to make my way along the path which arched the lake.
There is a peaceful serenity to the early morning. The calm blue of the mountain lake, the rushing of the icy mountain streams, the sound of rustling inside the wooden cabins, the way the yellow flowers reflect the sun so they shimmer gold, and the way the morning frost makes the wooden bridges sparkle silver. The green trees look soft, so much so that I could believe they were only moss climbing the rocky mountainside.
Slowly I ascend to the pass with light purple and bright pink flowers to mark the way. When I turn, I see the valley sprawled out before me and countless rocky snow brushed peaks disappearing into the distance. At last I reach the pass which opens up to a few short trees scattered across the rocky field only to see a view which matches that behind me. The rocky mountains raise before me like a wall.
I stop to soak in the morning sun and gentle breeze while sitting among the casual majesty which is Assiniboine National Park.
- Samantha Zawistowski
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MotherlandExpedition
Instagram: @motherlandexpedition
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Chapter 2
Day 20-39
Destinations:
- Big Sur, CA
- Sequoia Nat'l Park, CA
- Kings Canyon Nat'l Park, CA
- Yosemite Nat'l Park, CA
- Pacifica, CA
After a nice stay in Pacifica we jetted down Highway 1 to catch the sunset at Big Sur. We originally intended on staying in a campground in Big Sur, but seeing as we were a little more broke then we first planned we took off the same day to Sequoia National Park. Winding turns and steep cliffs with dense fog made for a very entertaining voyage down the coast. Being us, we also decided to whip up some guac in the back seat. We may or may not have hit an In-N-Out as well. I'm over it. After adventuring around Sequoia for a day or two we took a 3 night - 54 mile trip in Kings Canyon Nat'l. We saw three bears, had our packs ravaged by some mule deer, almost lost a member of the crew before realizing he was a few hours in front of us. Day 3 of the trip was the biggest challenge as we took off for 21 miles, started moving around 5:30am and went past sunset into the dark, finishing around 10-10:30pm. After the 4th 10+ mile day as exhausted as we were, we took off to Yosemite. With one rest day we took off on a 6 night 70 mile trip, starting in Wawona. Much of it didn't feel like Yosemite for the better part of the first 4-5 days until we encountered many stunning views of Yosemite Valley on the final part of the trip. We conquered Red Peak, Clouds Rest, Half Dome, and a lot of post-lunch storms, bringing us sporadic rain and hail. By the time we got out we all eventually ordered a large pizza and some sides for ourselves, such a surreal feeling to feel our stomachs again. We shipped up to Tenaya Lake on Tioga Road for a day as well as perusing around the Valley in order to rest up a bit. Overall, the trips in California have been to die for. Astonishing rock formations with dense, beautiful forests will simply never get old. A lot of wonderful memories have been made here. Looking greatly forward to heading up to NorCal and Oregon in the next week and change.
- The Mother X Crew
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MotherlandExpedition
Instagram: @motherlandexpedition
Destinations:
- Big Sur, CA
- Sequoia Nat'l Park, CA
- Kings Canyon Nat'l Park, CA
- Yosemite Nat'l Park, CA
- Pacifica, CA
After a nice stay in Pacifica we jetted down Highway 1 to catch the sunset at Big Sur. We originally intended on staying in a campground in Big Sur, but seeing as we were a little more broke then we first planned we took off the same day to Sequoia National Park. Winding turns and steep cliffs with dense fog made for a very entertaining voyage down the coast. Being us, we also decided to whip up some guac in the back seat. We may or may not have hit an In-N-Out as well. I'm over it. After adventuring around Sequoia for a day or two we took a 3 night - 54 mile trip in Kings Canyon Nat'l. We saw three bears, had our packs ravaged by some mule deer, almost lost a member of the crew before realizing he was a few hours in front of us. Day 3 of the trip was the biggest challenge as we took off for 21 miles, started moving around 5:30am and went past sunset into the dark, finishing around 10-10:30pm. After the 4th 10+ mile day as exhausted as we were, we took off to Yosemite. With one rest day we took off on a 6 night 70 mile trip, starting in Wawona. Much of it didn't feel like Yosemite for the better part of the first 4-5 days until we encountered many stunning views of Yosemite Valley on the final part of the trip. We conquered Red Peak, Clouds Rest, Half Dome, and a lot of post-lunch storms, bringing us sporadic rain and hail. By the time we got out we all eventually ordered a large pizza and some sides for ourselves, such a surreal feeling to feel our stomachs again. We shipped up to Tenaya Lake on Tioga Road for a day as well as perusing around the Valley in order to rest up a bit. Overall, the trips in California have been to die for. Astonishing rock formations with dense, beautiful forests will simply never get old. A lot of wonderful memories have been made here. Looking greatly forward to heading up to NorCal and Oregon in the next week and change.
- The Mother X Crew
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MotherlandExpedition
Instagram: @motherlandexpedition
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