To hell and back
Trip Start
Sep 06, 2007
1
5
6
Trip End
Sep 17, 2007
Riggins, Idaho, United States
Friday, September 14, 2007
Last night I talked Zac's ear off after coming home from a three-day solo backpacking trip. Yes, I went solo through wilderness I've never been in. And I took the minimalist approach - no book, no iPod, no magazines, not even a pad of paper and pencil to sketch. I figured there would be plenty to see and listen to while I was in Hell's Canyon. I was wrong and nearly went crazy spending all that time alone.
During the trip, I saw only five humans - three on the first day and two on the last day. I spent at least 48 hours without seeing anybody.
Despite my temporary insanity, the trip was well worth the solitude
Basin Lake
. I visited the Seven Devils, Earth's monument to evil. The place kind of looks like Dragorlad or Mt. Doom from 'Lord of the Rings.' Tall dark, evil mountains created by fault blocks tower over 9,000 feet into the air.The mountain range is three hours north of Boise in the Hell's Canyon Wilderness area. About half-a-dozen wildfires burned areas around the Seven Devils in the last few years. The hike is brutal with softball-size rocks littering most of the trail. You also gain elevation, then drop elevation, only to gain more elevation later. I started into a burn area where the fine soot found its way through my nostrils and into my lungs.
Some of the folks I talked to at the trailhead said the area is in the worst condition it's been in years. Dozens of dead trees fell onto the trail. Many of the creeks and lakes are dry. And even in the non-burned areas, there were as many trees dead lying horizontal as there were standing up.
On day two of the trip, I hiked to some of the lakes that surround the Seven Devils. I visited six lakes on an 11-mile hike. The views were gorgeous. Some of the lakes were blue, others were green, and each lake had a unique view of the mountain range.
I stayed one more night before getting out of the high country and the canyon. To get out of the canyon from my campsite, I had to climb nearly 2,000 feet in about three miles. There was no way I would be able to make it out after a long day of hiking.
While pacing my campsite out of boredom, I came up with hundreds of Brian-isms to help me pass the time. Here are some that may help you on your next backpacking trip.
-'Pee to drop weight. Drink to gain strength.'
-'Take a picture, catch your breath. View the picture later, have your breath taken away.'
-'A bear in need is a foe indeed.'
-'Cold is a state of mind.'
Comments
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the third brianism is the best... did you see any bears, or find evidence of their presence in the morning?