South Kelsey Trail to 8 Mile Creek
Our camp on the river bar at 8 mile creek
Over the Memorial Day weekend we decided to take our annual backpacking trip. This past winter there was record amounts of snow which made some of our annual spots inaccessible. We decided to look for trails that are at lower elevations. Our original plan was to do the Rogue River Trail, but the day before we were about to leave Sonny’s friend recommended a spot in the Siskiyou Wilderness. South Kelsey Trail to Gunbarrel Camp.
There were a couple of reasons we decided to do this trail instead of our original plan. The first reason is we really enjoy backpacking in less crowded regions, while this is a popular trail it is not nearly as popular as the Rogue River trail. The second reason is we recently stayed at an Airbnb outside of Gasquet near the Smith River, it is truly a beautiful area. While we were at our Airbnb we did some small hikes and discussed how we both wanted to explore this area a little more. The last reason was, it was a shorter drive. I know it sounds silly, but hey sometimes its nice to only have to drive 2.5 hrs vs 4.5.
After a nice peaceful drive up the coast and along a winding road beside the South Fork of the Smith River, we arrived at the trailhead around noon. There were a handful of cars in the parking area as well as a couple of people getting ready to hit the trail.
Looking down from the trail to the river below
After gearing up we hit the trail. The first part of the trail you are pretty much traversing from the top of the mountain to the bottom where the river is. Once you get to the base you are pretty much on a pretty flat trail through the woods.
The first notable spot along the way is Buck Creek Shelter. The Shelter is made of wood and has three sides to the covered building. On the open side of the building is an old forest service style camp stove. From the shelter you can walk down to the river and I have read that there are some nice places to swim.
Zoë & Sonny on the trail
About two miles after Buck Creek you will come upon the Summit Valley trailhead. From what I understand this trail is pretty steep from what I hear, but I am sure the summit has some spectacular views.
Next to the Summit Valley trail is Elkhorn camp. We stopped here for a quick break and to check out the area, but we didn’t stay long due to the large amount of mosquitos. Elkhorn had a decent sized camp spot, that sat a little ways above the river.
From here the trail remains relatively flat with a couple spots with a decent incline. Our original goal was to get to Gunbarrel camp, but when we arrived at 8 mile creek we would have to ford across the river. This was technically doable with the water coming up to about waist high, but with the water being as cold and swift as it was we decided that we would rather just camp at 8 Mile camp.
At 8 Mile camp there are 4 camp sites. One on the river bank and the other three on a narrow and shaded flat above the river. Since it was Memorial Day weekend we definitely were sharing the space with other backpackers (no biggie).
Sonny reading by the river
We really enjoyed our time at 8 mile camp. It was beautiful watching 8 mile creek converge with the South Fork of the Smith. The water was an amazing turquoise blue color with amazing visibility. I would imagine that this would be a great spot to swim in the summer.
Either way, we all agreed that we would definitely like to do this trail again, with the goal of making it up to Gunbarrel camp next time.
A quick selfie on Buck Creek Bridge
At the trailhead ready to drop down into the river valley
Finding Your Inner Wild: A Guide to Embracing Nature
As humans, we have an innate connection to nature. However, with our strenuous work schedules and other obligations, it’s easy to become disconnected from the world around us (it happens to the best of us). Whenever I am feeling stressed, anxious, or simply need a change of pace, that is the time I look to nature to help me connect with my inner wild. Here are a couple of things I like to do to reconnect with my inner wild that help me become more grounded and find the peace within myself.
Make Time For Nature:
It is easy to get caught up in your daily grind. For myself, I have noticed that since I started working from home I have had a hard time creating a work-life balance. My goal every day is to spend at least a half hour outside. How do I carve out this time? Sometimes it’s as simple as eating my lunch in the backyard. In the evenings (if I don’t work too late) I try to take an evening walk with my husband and dog. Sometimes we make hot tea and go for a walk at the beach. On extra busy days, sometimes all I can manage to squeeze in is feeding my crow friends. On the weekends Sonny and I try to go on one hike or a drive if the weather is bad. I find the more time I carve out of my schedule to sit and breathe in the fresh smells, sights, and sounds of nature it helps ground me and create a better sense of balance in my life.
Disconnect from Tech:
With technology being so easily accessible these days it is easy to get distracted. I know from personal experience that I had planned to do something and the next thing I know I have wasted an hour out of my day watching videos, scrolling through photos, and reading the news. When I am outside on hikes or a drive with Sonny, I try to not spend time on my phone. I try to spend my time in nature completely disconnected from my phone. Though it is easy to want to take a photo of a beautiful sunset, respond to a text quickly, or mindlessly scroll away when you are taking a break, I always try to keep in mind why I am outside. All of those distractions will be there later. While outside, it is natural to want to share a picture of something amazing that you saw, but sometimes the real beauty comes from just sitting there and basking in it.
Practicing Mindfulness:
If there is one thing that I truly enjoy it is a mindful moment. Mindfulness is the practice of being present and fully engaged in the moment. While out in nature take the time to hear the birds sing, the river flow, the ocean tide coming and going. Feel the sunshine on your skin, the raindrops trickling down your cheek, the river rocks underneath your feet. Practicing mindfulness allows you to disconnect from the daily distractions that are occurring in your life and instead it allows you to feel at peace and gives you the ability to find your inner wild.
Embrace Adventure:
I am a Sagittarius, so I tend to crave adventures. Some of my best adventures are oftentimes planned at the last minute if planned at all (when we went to Fiji I just randomly purchased plane tickets and then had less than a month to find lodging etc.). One of the easiest and most price-point-effective adventures is camping. I love camping because I can decide on Thursday or Friday that I want to break out for the weekend and it is pretty simple to get everything ready in no time. Hiking or hitting a bike trail is a great way to find an adventure and there is little to no preparation that goes into it. Adventures in nature are very freeing and it allows some people to step outside of their comfort zones. Nature has plenty to offer for anyone looking for an adventure.
Learn Something New:
The outdoors has so much that it can teach us, from healing herbs to bird identification. One of my favorite things to do when I am hiking is to try to identify healing herbs. I have always been interested in plant medicines and while we are hiking there are plenty of herbs that I like to try and identify. I love learning about their healing properties and I try to keep a journal of my findings. Nature has so much that it can teach us if we actively engage and try to learn. The more you know, the more you’ll appreciate the natural world.
By reconnecting with nature and finding your inner wild, you’ll improve your mental and physical well-being, gain a new appreciation for the world around you, and embrace a more sustainable way of living. So take the time to step outside and explore all this beautiful world has to offer.
Homemade Backpacking Meals- Beans & Rice Part 2
Well, if you are like me, then a proper burrito needs both rice and beans. Burritos are my comfort food! After a long trek up a hillside, the ultimate dinner reward (for me) is a burrito.
Feel free to add additional veggies to the rice if you like.
Spanish Rice
Prep Time- 5-10 min.
Cook Time: 15-20
Equipment Needed: Pan w/lid & Dehydrator
1 Cup Long Grain Rice
1 Tbs Oil
2 Cups Veggie Broth
0.5 Cups of Salsa (homemade or from the store)
Put rice and oil in a pan and cook on medium heat until the rice is golden brown (if using onion add that as well)
Add veggie broth and salsa (at this point, add additional veggies if you like. Sometimes I will add corn, shredded carrots, or zucchini ).
Turn down the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 15-20 min. Once most of the liquid has been absorbed turn the heat off, stir, and let sit for 10 min.
Once done, thinly spread on a dehydrator sheet with holes.
Dehydrate at 150 degrees F for 10 hours or until completely dried out
Place rice in a ziplock bag and freeze.
**Since oil is used and has the possibility of going rancid, I always put it in a bag and freeze it. I do not know the shelf life, but for me personally, I only make what I think I will finish within 4-6 months.
How to Prepare Rice Backpacking
(Enough for two small burritos)
0.5 Cups of rice
Water
Place rice in a pan, then add water that goes about a half inch above the rice.
Let the rice soak for about 20 min. (Perfect time to play cards, absorb nature, set up camp etc. As Nas would say, “The world is yours”
After it has soaked add more water so that it is about a half inch above the rice.
Simmer on medium heat covered.
If you are planning to add beans take a little bite of rice to make sure it is almost cooked (if not add a little more water and simmer). If ready add beans and additional water and cook until done.
Once it is cooked, eat it as is. Add it to a tortilla or dip your tortilla in it. But most importantly, enjoy!
Homemade Backpacking Meals- Beans and Rice Part 1
Vegetarian “Refried Beans”
Well, if you didn’t know it already, Sonny Wong and I love backpacking. With the onset of spring, I like to start preparing backpacking meals for our summer backpacking trips. Preparing food for backpacking is pretty easy, especially if you are making the food for dinner and then dehydrating the leftovers, and it’s a fantastic way to save cash!
We originally started making our backpacking food for a couple of reasons:
To save money (we have 4 kids)
I am a vegetarian (though Sonny’s not) and there’s not much aimed toward vegetarians or vegans
Ability to control what you are putting into your body
Eating the same MRE gets old
To help reduce our food waste
A couple of years ago Sonny and I were planning a trip to Zion National Park. During one of our planning stages, we were discussing food for the trip, and we discussed trying to make some food to bring ourselves. For me, the vegetarian/vegan options are pretty limited and become painfully redundant when you end up eating the same meal day after day after day.
Sonny’s dad had given us his old dehydrator so we thought we would give it a try. Rather quickly, we discovered that we wanted to upgrade our dehydrating ability. The dehydrator we had received from his dad didn’t have solid sheets or mats with holes, which pretty early on we determined were needed. Being on a tight budget I was able to find an eight-tray “Food Mill” Dehydrator that cost about $110. The “Food Mill” hit most of the features I was looking for reasonably priced, controllable temperature gauge, fruit-leather sheets, and breathable trays that can go on the metal racks.
Since the purchase of our new dehydrator, we always brought homemade backpacking meals on our trips. While sometimes we still purchase MREs, we break up the monotony of store-bought packs with our own. We prepare everything from “snacks” like breakfast oats, trail mixes, and fruit leathers to “fancy dinners” like chana masala, Thai curry (with noodles or with rice), and French onion lentil stew. After a lot of experimentation, we have decided that with dehydration, the options are limitless!
In this 2 part series I am going to share with you my beans and rice recipe that is perfect for backpacking The reason I am starting with rice and beans is because we made it for dinner the other night and we had a fair amount of leftovers. Instead of putting them in the fridge, I decided to put everything in the dehydrator. *Please note the recipe below has been modified for backpacking prep and most likely will not be suitable for both dinner and backpacking prep.
Vegetarian Refried Beans
Prep Time: Overnight + 15mins
Cooking Time: 6 hours
Equipment Needed: Crockpot & Dehydrator
1.5 Cups of Dried Pinto Beans
4 Cups of purified water (for soaking)
3.5 Cups Veggie Broth
3 Cloves of Garlic minced
1 small yellow onion chopped
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp of Salt
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
Rinse pinto beans (pinto beans are known for having small rocks, be sure to look through the beans and discard any rocks you may find before cooking (the last thing you need to do is break a tooth!).
Place dried beans in the crock pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Let them sit overnight
The next morning drain the beans.
Add chopped onion, minced garlic, spices, and veggie broth to the crockpot.
Turn the crockpot to high
After the beans have cooked mash with any of the following: Potato masher, inversion blender or fork
Beans should be mashed with little to no chunks (this makes it easier when reconstituting the beans)
Once done spread thinly on a dehydrator sheet (I prefer using the mat with holes)
Dehydrate for 10 hours at 150 degrees F
If completely dry remove from the dehydrator and put into a glass mason jar or food storage bags. *We typically store in a glass jar and bag up what we need just before the trip.
How to Prepare for Backpacking
(Makes two small burritos):
3/4 Cup of beans
3/4 Cups of water
Put in pan over burner and cook until done. Put it in a tortilla with some rice or eat as is.
If you are planning to eat with rice, I suggest cooking rice first, then add beans and water to rice (once the rice has almost completely cooked down) and mix them all together.