Spring Break gave us an opportunity to bring our daughter to a place we have been to last year. It is a small lake in the Salmon-Huckleberry wilderness that we discovered last year.

This lake is a nice roundy lake in the top of an old volcano caldera cone. Some of the views from the rim as we descended into the lake are spectacular, as you can see!

Looking down into the mists of time....

Mt Hood is always beautiful

My wife and I

Last year we had great weather for our trip, but this year it rained wet and frozen mix. The morning left us with patches of wet, frozen snow on the tarps and ground. It was great!

The wetness was actually an advantage as I wanted my daughter and wife to practice more bushcraft skills. We were able to start, maintain and cook over a fire with EVERYTHING soaking wet. Instead of tinder, we found dry branches and made a large pile of shavings, while I split a bunch of wood via batoning. I had brought a baggie of bannock mix. We added water and mixed it to a think consistency, rolled it into a snake, then wrapped it around an alder stick and cooked it over the fire. Amazing how great simple things taste in the wilderness!

Setting up a classic tepee fire lay

Getting ready to light

We have fire!

A froggler we found haunting our camp site

I will be filming some videos and posting articles on much of my backpacking kit, including my Hennessey Hammock with mods, my Jacks'R'Better quilt sleeping system, different tarp pitches I use with the tarp, my alcohol and canister stove systems, etc.   Until then, let me know how you like the pix and videos! Thanks for visiting our blog!

A week before Spring Break we were out scouting to see which roads were open and which closed in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness. We wanted to get in there for a backpacking trip the next week, as the younger daughter was available to join my wife and I.

We first checked out a small round lake in an old volcano. My wife and I had been here last year for an overnighter and loved it. Daughter #2 loved it also, so the trip for Spring break was set. There are some impressive vistas over the lake to Mt. Hood as you walk in over the edge of the caldera cone. The lake itself is quiet and has several secluded camp sites around it, mostly on the North side.

the view from above, before switchbacking in behind the cone.Mt Hood would be visible in the middle if not for the mist.

Another view over the edge of the cone

Looking up at the highest part of the cone

Looking down toward the lake from the switchback

The creek that runs past the campsite from a spring, into the lake

The lake

The youngling does not want to leave

The youngling is ok now

Looking back down as we leave

 Next stop was another small lake in the same area. The road is pretty rough out there, but nothing a little care and high clearance can't overcome. It is quite lovely this time of year, wet and windy and also quiet. The frogs are not out yet, and there were not many birds in the tall grasses at the edge of the lake.

My best friend at a camp site

An elaborate fireplace

Looking down at the lake from a camp site

In the forest near the lake

Squirrels have eaten the pine nuts like corn on the cob

What a lovely bunch of mushrooms