Woohoo, first backpacking trip of the year and it was awesome. =)  “V” was the official lead for this trip and because it was intended as an “Intro to Backpacking” he also mentored a number of us on how to lead the rest of the crew.  Speaking of, here we all are just before getting started on our trek.

Our crew before hitting the trail on Saturday

This was actually the first backpacking trip I had done without Ksenya (she already had plans for that weekend and wasn’t really interested in an intro backpacking trip) so I was eager to meet new people and see how the whole experience went going into it without knowing anyone (except “V” of course).  =)

One of the girls I really clicked with and ended up sharing my new tent with was Magda.  Magda’s been on several day hikes that I’ve been on however we’ve never really chatted much.  Turns out she is super cool, very outgoing and happens to play ultimate frisbee (I had brought my frisbee) so we had a lot of fun on this trip.  Magda also provided much entertainment for the rest of us as she thoroughly tested her hypothesis that a frisbee could be skipped over a smooth water surface.  For the record it can’t but it was sure funny to watch her try to get it to obey her wishes.  =)

Super cool chick and killer ultimate frisbee player, Magda, relaxing at the edge of China Hole

One of the coolest things about this trip was the amount of wildflowers in bloom along the trail and filling every meadow.  It was difficult not to stop every two seconds to stop and take a picture.  The nearly 30lb pack on my back made that a bit easier to resist as it is incredibly difficult to keep kneeling down and getting back up with that kind of weight trying to pull you over.  I think that’s probably how I strained my knee but it’s all good.  =)

A bug's eye view of some beautiful purple flowers and the blue cloudless sky in the background.

Super cool wildflowers (star lilies) in varying states of bloom

After the hike I worked to identify the flowers I had seen on the trip and came up with this link which is super helpful.  I had been trying to identify the Star Lilies for quite awhile and hadn’t been able to until now.  A very friendly ranger at the station told us we could bring our pictures to them to identify after our hike but by the time we were done, I was ready to head home to see Marshall.  I love the hikes but it’s great to get home to my family.  =)

I’m not sure when the next backpacking trip is or where it will be scheduled for.  Ilya is going to lead a hike to Henry Coe on Easter weekend so I won’t be able to make that.  “V” is also leading a trip to Yellowstone which would be awesome but it’s already full.  Maybe later in April or early May.  We’ll see.  Until then, here are some links to the photo albums from the trip.  They will have to sustain me until the next backpacking trip. 

• My photos
• Sam’s photos
• Saurabh’s photos – (really awesome photos)
• Magda’s photos – (awesome pictures of red-headed woodpecker)
• Video of Saurabh, Magda and me playing frisbee

After playing frisbee with Shaurabh, Magda and Justin I took the opportunity to snap a shot of me on the flower covered abandoned airstrip.