Backpacking in Lost Creek

We made a one-night venture into the Lost Creek Wilderness Area, hiking along the Wigwam Trail south of Bailey as a warm up for the season and an introduction to camping for Laika. It’s only the boys’ second backpacking excursion, and it was our first time with Laika in a tent, so we didn’t want to push too hard. We couldn’t have asked for nicer weather, with warm temperatures, sunny skies, and a light breeze to help keep things comfortable.

We intended to hike about 3 miles, but a minor snafu with our wine container held us up on the way in. For the first time in 15 years, we had a leak. We had to stop and completely empty my backpack for a thorough wipe down and drying before we could continue. It worked out OK though. We ended up stopping at a nice little campsite reasonably off the trail and near a rushing stream. There was plenty of room to let Laika and the boys explore.

This was the first time we brought marshmallows for roasting on a backpacking trip. You can probably guess who made that request. Given the proximity to the summer solstice, that kept the boys busy until dusk, and a convenient bed time.

Laika handled things very well for a first timer. She was very well behaved along the trail and at camp. As we expected, she was a little worked up in the tent. It was just too hard to pick who she wanted to snuggle with, and given it is “only” a 4-person tent, there wasn’t a lot of room for a dedicated dog bed. The boys slept through it all, but Lara and I had to dish out a few belly rubs during the night. She only sat on my face once, so we’ll call it a success.

There was a little more exploring, and a brief hike further up the trail this morning before breaking camp and heading back home. Everyone had a good time, and we’re looking forward to our next adventure sometime in July.