My First Solo Backpacking Adventure

I completed my first solo backpacking trip!  The goal was to compete all 26 miles of the Pinchot Trail of the Pinchot (Lackawanna) State Forest in a couple of days.  Of course part of attraction was being steeped in the essence of the outdoors, but I was also eager to practice my bushcraft and log my first solo excursion.  Come sit by the campfire as I tell the tale of my first solo backpacking adventure.

The Thornhurst Tract of the Pinchot State Forest is located on the Pocono Plateau, a relatively flat, glaciated upland dominated by oak-heath forest with an abundance of swamps, peat bogs, and spruce-tamarack stands scattered throughout.  The trail, however, ventures through a variety of forest types with a diversity of forest herbs and an abundance of wildlife.  Besides sources of fresh water and prime places to camp, I saw native trout rising on Painter and Choke creeks.

The characteristics of the Pinchot trail provide a good test bed for a beginning backpacker or a seasoned outdoors person who is getting their trail legs.  Although I spend a great amount of time outdoors, I haven’t been backpacking for over three years, nor am I accustomed to a thirty pound pack, and I was testing out some new gear.  The trail is comprised of a North loop and a South loop, so a hike can be shortened if needed.  For Pennsylvania, the trail is relatively flat, offering a more forgiving hike.

My plan was to leave sometime Tuesday afternoon and complete the trail by Thursday evening.  From the trailhead, I would hike about five and a half miles and camp at Painter Creek the first night.  The next day, I would complete the north loop and half of the south loop, over ten miles, and camp at Choke Creek the second night.  On the last day, I would hike about ten miles to complete the south loop and arrive back at the trailhead.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

For how much thought and preparation I had put into this excursion, you would think that I would arrive at the trailhead sooner than 4:40 pm.  Nope, I arrived later than anticipated, but I was in no hurry.  I dropped a waypoint for the trailhead on my GPS, shouldered my pack, and hit the trail.  I figured that I had roughly three hours to get to camp.

Within twenty minutes, I was already distracted.  I found a toad!

The only people I would see for the rest of the day were a father and son camping on Sassafras Hill Trail, not far from Pittston Road.  I bumped into an older man as he was filtering water from Spring Run.  A quick hello was our only interaction.  Up from the stream is where I found the son.  He was more talkative and identified the man at the stream as his father.  He asked where I was heading and I told him of my intentions of completing the loop in a few days.  Considering they were, more or less, car camping, he seemed impressed that I was taking on the endeavor.  He noticed that the day was getting late and said that I best be on my way or that I’m welcome to take the camp site behind theirs.  The deal was sweetened with the offer of beer.  I thanked him but said that I was hoping to complete half the north loop or I would have a lot of walking tomorrow.  We said goodbye and I carried on.

With much ground to cover, I stepped up my effort and pushed forward.  Often, I got distracted by the fauna and flora or the landscape in general.  I was delighted to find pink lady’s slipper orchids along the way.  They were too beautiful not to photograph.  Additionally, I was in awe over the abundance of forest herbs I was seeing.  Trillium, Solomon’s seal, Indian cucumber root, and false Solomon’s seal were everywhere!

After 8 pm, I arrived at Painter Creek camp.  Since I was losing light fast, my first task was to set up my hammock and afterwards, I was ready for dinner.

I excitedly gathered small branches to boil water on my woodgas stove.  I had no trouble getting the small hemlock twigs to light.  Soon enough, my stove was doing its thing and I had gasification.  The pot of water should have come to a boil quickly, but a slight breeze was redirecting my flame.  Too bad, I never made a windshield for my stoves!  After gathering more fuel and what seemed like a good thirty minutes, the water was getting hot and was on the verge of a boil.  The last stick I fed the stove bumped the pot stand and sent the pot tumbling to the ground.  What a sinking feeling!  My only recourse, if I wanted a hot meal, was to filter water down by the stream and start again.

Persistent, I donned my headlamp and headed to the stream for fresh water.  My water filter made quick work of the chore and quite honestly, it was fun. I made my way back to camp for the next attempt.

Fed up with the woodstove, I decided to employ my alcohol stove.  Within minutes, water was boiling and I was preparing dinner.  Reconstituted, freeze dried food always tastes great on the trail!  And I had fresh water!

The night was peaceful.  The babbling of the stream was heard off in the distance.  Occasionally, a bird would wake from its sleep and sing a few notes before heading back to bed.  Although I was comfortable and relaxed, sleep did not come until the wee hours of the morning.

An orchid standing watch over the trail. A precious gem that no one had disturbed. Perhaps a lantern that guides the footsteps of those who belong here.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

I woke to singing birds, but I could not leave the comfort and warmth of my hammock.  I knew I had the longest hike that day and a few more hours of sleep were needed.  When I got up, I felt tired and not rested.  Not wanting to putz around with the woodstove, I boiled water with alcohol and made some oatmeal and tea.

At 9:40 am, I broke camp an enjoyed the remainder of the north loop.  I was making good time and felt strong.  The plan was to arrive at Choke Creek camp by 5 pm.  I pushed ahead, but stopped to admire the sights along the way.

Stop to imagine a life that was. The remains left on the trail, not even a scavenger wants. What were the final moments?

After 5 miles and the completion of the north loop, my morale began to tank.  I grew steadily tired as the distance increased.  Somehow, I diverted from the trail and followed a snowmobile trail.  The maps that I carried were not of quality.  I know I was ultimately heading in the correct direction, but I didn’t know that I was taking an unnecessary detour.

Tannery Road turned out to be a dry and dusty place with plenty of truck traffic.  Later, I would find out that the tri-axles were carrying rock to improve another road I would be walking.  I knew that part of my travel would be hiked along this road, but my unfortunate detour doubled the distance.  I came to the intersection where the trail met the road.  Here, I decided to get into the woods and have some lunch, hoping to recharge.

My food choice was not the best decision I could make.  I ate too much protein and paid the price.  Sure, the tuna and Asiago cheese tasted good going down.  My stomach, however, felt terrible for the next couple of hours.  Moreover, my withdraw from caffeine surely played a role in my decline.

I was worn down from the lack of sleep and the energy expenditure from hauling thirty plus pounds on my back.  The hottest time of day was upon me and I was traversing an area with little overhead canopy.  No longer was I placing my steps deliberately and confidently; instead, each step was tired and painful.  A dry and miserable place, I navigated a tunnel of rhododendron, looking for something more forgiving.  The smell of dry pine reminded me that I could desiccate like an amphibian.  I focused on my goal, to get to Choke Creek.

Along Choke Creek Nature Trail, I met the only other hikers I would see in the state forest.  A man and woman hiked the opposite direction as me.  The only contact was a quick hello in passing from the woman.  The guy looked miserable, but made eye contact.  I wonder if she dragged him out!

Shortly after 3 pm, I found an impoundment that was engineered by beavers.  Walking a short distance, I arrived at Choke Creek.  My morale lifted when I saw a few large rocks in the middle of the stream.  I removed my boots and socks and placed my tired feet in the cool water.  Life began to serge throughout my body.  Although I wasn’t a hundred percent, I had the energy to find camp.

Many camp sites are found along the Pinchot Trail.  They aren’t sites that you would find in a state park, but they are permanent.  Most of them are right beside the trail.  I am rather picky and would not settle for any site.  The sites I favored had to have some privacy and be adjacent to a water supply.

The first site I favored was near the southern terminus of the loop.  I only wished that it had more privacy from the trail.  I walked down stream and onto an island.  There was a beautiful camp, however, I found two camp chairs hanging from a tree.  I was angered that someone would try to reserve a site in a remote region.  Not until the following morning would I find out that the site was unoccupied.  Someone probably left the comfortable chairs for others to use.

I continued farther down the trail, looking for other sites to camp.  I never found another I would be happy with for the evening.  Although close to the camp I thought was occupied, I decided to go back to the first site I liked.

Exhausted, I sat down on a chair made of stones and did not move for some time.  After regaining strength, I filtered water to drink and made tea.  I had depleted my water reserves prior to reaching camp.  A snack and some tea boosted my morale.

The nuances of our modern life hold little meaning when necessities are not easily had. I found great joy to bathe naked in the creek, bring water to a boil, and traverse mileage on foot with everything I own. The taste of tea or a nip of whiskey would take me to another place. The highs and lows of the trail remind me of the human condition and that is arbitrary depending on where you are standing.

Feeling much better, I set up camp and made dinner.  The alcohol stove proved to be the best method to boil water, especially when tired and hungry.  As the light began to fade, I enjoyed a hot meal and fresh water.  A quick dip in the creek was also a refreshing way to end the day.  I hoped to get a good night sleep.

I lay in my hammock in preparation for sleep.  I started to read a book that one of my professors wrote.  It was not the genre I was hoping for.  Instead, I decided to read about the trail on the DCNR map.  The stream murmured in the background and a barred owl called in the distance.  At some point, a small mammal protested my encroachment into his territory, obnoxiously calling before running out of breath.  Soon, I put the map away and turned the lantern off.  I drifted soundly to sleep.

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Although I slept well, I slept in late; I needed the rest and I did not mind.

I absolutely enjoyed my time spent at Choke Creek camp.  Next time, I may bring my fly rod; natives were active the entire time I was there.  While eating breakfast, I heard the hiss of air over her wings as a mallard splashed down into the pool.  Unfortunately, she did not want to share camp with me.  She swam to the upstream boundary of the hole, then took flight, probably hoping for solitude.  I disturbed a deer with my camp activities; abruptly, I was scolded with a snort.

At 10:45 am, I broke camp and started the remainder of the adventure.  I was rested, but my body felt the mileage.  I continued on in good spirits, wondering what the day would bring.

Having plenty of time to complete the final mileage, I decided I would stop often and enjoy.  Getting the pack off of my shoulders and giving feet a rest every mile or two extended my energy reserves considerably.  The last couple of days, I had placed time limits on myself.  Coupled with the distractions I always find, I was always hustling.  I came to the conclusion, at least at my current fitness level, not to exceed ten miles a day.  Doing so will compromise my energy sustainability and enjoyment.

About mid-afternoon, I began the greatest elevation change the trail had to offer.  I was on my way to Stone Tower.  The assent was gradual, primarily on logging roads.  I arrived at Stone Tower shortly after 3 pm.  The ruin and area were interesting.  My brief research could not determine what the structure was in the past.  The ridge was mostly open with flat rock and blueberry bush.  A fire ring showed signs of recent use.  After my exploration, I continued on my way.  The rest, for the most part, was downhill from here.

The remainder of the hike was enjoyable until the last sections on Tannery Road and Bear Creek Road before the trailhead.  So, the last mile was less than ideal and not so pleasant on tired feet.  I’d rather walk on rocks than asphalt any day.

Upon coming up to the trailhead and conclusion of my trip, just like every time I am outdoors, I reflected back on the experience.  Although I was merely fifteen miles from my home, I was able to explore and gain a new wilderness experience.  With a day pack, I can hike twenty miles; I believe I did well with a thirty pound pack and relish the idea of doing more.  Pinchot Trail proved to be a wise choice, considering this was my first backpacking trip for the year and I was implementing untested equipment.  I enjoyed my first solo backpacking excursion and cannot wait to get back out again!

Postmortem

Since coming back, I’ve been asked about my experience sleeping alone in the woods and if there are any items that I would leave behind or what I would do differently.

While I love the company of others, I equally or more so enjoy the solitude when alone in nature.  After spending so much time in the forest professionally and recreationally, even in the nighttime hours, I was not concerned about spending the night alone in the woods.  However, I am happy that I proved this to myself.  The experience was peaceful and wonderful.

What would I do differently?

The jury is still out on the woodgas stove.  The alcohol stove was so much more convenient, even if I was hauling fuel.  One ounce of fuel is more than enough to get two cups of water to boil in under eight minutes.  Both require a windshield in breezy conditions.  I haven’t given up on the woodgas stove just yet.

I would alter my strategy to stop and rest more often to sustain my energy.  Although the poor night sleep didn’t help, pushing hard that first night and again the second day wore me down.  When hiking only with a day pack, I can do twenty miles in a day with the right intensity.  If I go too slow or too fast, the mileage will decrease. I believe it is the same for backpacking.

I would leave much of the protein at home!  Trail mix contains plenty of protein during the day.  I’d rather save the meat and cheese for a hearty dinner.