Backpacking
 

Other than skating, my main Summer activity is backpacking. Usually I do stuff in the Colorado Rockies. High elevation hikes keep you in shape in the off season. Lately I've also been getting into the Southeast Utah canyon country. Lots of cool shit, Anasazi ruins and whatnot. Here's a couple of pics from a recent trek to see "The All American Man" rock painting near Salt Creek:

Me and the old lady:
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The Man:
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Hand prints, these were like 3 inches tall! The indians were small people.
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Checking out the Canyon:
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My snowboarding buddy Keeler:
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Lots of fun. Any other backpackers here?

I grew up just south of Denver, and have been leary of backpacking around Chicago...

After living here for 4 years, I took the plunge and went up to Michigan's UP. Actually, it was fun. The weather was cool in the dead of the summer, there were no boats, planes or cars to be heard for the 4 days we were hiking. One day, a plane was flying nearby, when we started to hear it, we were all like cavemen "Huh? What's that? What's that? Oooga-booga!"

Was great to get out int othe wilderness and unplug for a few days. Must say, it wasn't Yosemite back-country, or anything remotely close, but was awesome to live out of a pack. 3 days, 4 nights, 24 miles, and only 12 weeks out of knee surgery!

Nice! That sounds like fun. The UP sounds cool. I've always wanted to do a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters...is it sorta like that?

I know what you mean about being leery about backpacking in different places. I was used to packing around the mountains, so I wasn't too sure about doing the whole canyon thing. I figured it would just be hot and dry and sandy and miserable. But I was totally wrong...it was sweet! I've heard from other people that have done cool trips in places that you wouldn't normally think of going backpacking, so now I'm open to anything. I think it's just awesome to be in the wilderness, no matter where you are :)

Not really boundary waters material... we were on the shore of lake superior for 2 nights, then hiked inland to an inland lake. But yeah, kind of that atmosphere of the "northwoods" lots of mosquitos and snipe ;)

Oh I got ya. Cool.

Yeah, gotta watch out for the snipe.

did a back packing trip this year in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. I've been bugging my buddy for weeks to get back out for another weekend trip but his work schedule is a mess.


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Cool! Looks very green. Are bugs bad out there?

I love backpacking. I have a couple pictures from my 45 km trip, 3 nights.

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Theres something about backpacking that makes it so good, being out in the middle of nowhere and sharing the quiet moments. Its always nice sharing a small joint at the top of a mountain!

in the summer yes the bugs are bad. we went early spring when it was still pretty cool.

And soaking wet from what I hear.