Hiking the Indian Peaks Wilderness exceeded expectations. This is my fourth backpacking trip and I’m finally getting the hang of it. Three years ago, I carried waaaaay too much when backpacking to Sawtooth. I needed help lifting my pack to my shoulders and taking it off. I resembled Cheryl Strayed in Wild, who carried, Monster, almost twice her weight. Mine was pretty dang overpacked last year too considering it was only an overnighter.
No matter how well you plan, you never know what to expect when backpacking especially in the wilderness. If you’ve never backpacked, hikers bring everything they need, including food, water, shelter, bedding, and clothes along with all the extra gear and essentials.
This time, I wanted to make smart choices to save on weight. For instance, when picking out bowls, I chose a thin takeout dish as opposed to melamine plastic to save on ounces. I took the bare minimum of clothes and still didn’t wear half of them. Luckily, the weather cooperated.
We started up the Hesse trail to Lost Lake, which is a favorite place of mine. I wrote a short story a while back and then found this incredibly similar place to the one in my imagination. Weird!
Passing the Lost Lake fork in the road, we headed into the Indian Peaks Wilderness to Woodland Lake. This was around a 2000 foot in elevation climb, but parts of it were flatter so we made pretty good time.
On our way up, we came upon some other hikers. One shushed us and pointed. A moose and its calf grazed in the wetlands near the stream. How cool is that?
We didn’t get very close since moose are known to be aggressive especially when with calves.
Once we reached the lake, I felt that same flying feeling after setting down my pack Ahhhhhhh……..
Danny, Dan, Courtney and I had plenty of time to eat lunch, set up camp and explore. I even took a nap! In my defense, I woke up at 4:45 and it was almost a six mile hike from the car gaining an elevation of almost 2000 feet. Excuses, excuses…
Dan had time for a little fishing before sunset. He caught several cutthroat trout, but tossed them back into the wild to swim another day. Lady loves the water and played a game of “catch the fishing line.”
Courtney and Danny walked over to watch the fun.
We camped under the second night of a full moon. It actually felt warmer than during the day when howling winds chilled us from the mountains. It got me in the mood to write a spooky camping tale.
The next morning, Courtney and I explored beyond Woodland Lake to Skyscraper. We had thought it was miles away but was a short jaunt upward.
I was glad for Courtney’s ski pole while hiking out. Loose rock still slipped out from under me a few times.
We were happy campers once we made it back to civilization!
Would I do it next year? Sure. I would add hiking poles to my backpack and leave my underwear at home. LOL!
Where would you like to backpack? I would love to hear about your latest adventures!
Click for more adventures on the Wild Ride!
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Thanks for sharing
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It was a Wild hike. Thank you, John!
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The hiking part would be fun, but for me, the thought of having a heavy pack on my back the whole time would spoil everything. Maybe I could send a drone up to the camping spot to drop off the supplies?
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Hahaha! What a great idea!!
Packs do weigh a hiker down, but it feels so good when you take it off. Sort of like when you stop hitting yourself. 🙂 I bet my pack was at least 1/3 lighter. Next time, I’ll leave even more behind!
Thanks, Anneli!
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That’s what I thought immediately as you said that. Hitting your head on a brick wall – it feels good when you stop. lol
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EXACTLY!!!! 😂😂😂
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Do you know about Ray Jardine’s book Beyond Backpacking? It’s about ultralight backpacking, ways to get your pack weight really low so that you can enjoy yourself more. My husband is a huge fan of his philosophy. I’m still trying to get healthy enough to go backpacking again, but we hike quite a bit and have seen moose up in the Indian Peaks area ourselves. It’s so beautiful up there!
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I bet it’s peak color this weekend.
Backpacking is super hard on the knees, so poles and a light pack are really important. I’ll have to buy that book, thanks! I hope you are back on the trail with a pack soon, Kit!
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Thanks, but it’s going to be a while. I have chronic conditions that limit my energy. So we make do with car camping for now.
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Car camping is a blast too! It’s all about getting outdoors. 😎
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That’s how I feel.
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Great photos and information – pinned!
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Thanks so much, John!!
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Thank you so much for the vicarious backpacking trip, Susie. I can now cross this off my bucket list. When are we going to raft some class 6 rapids? I can’t wait!
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Glad you could make the virtual hike, Al.
Oh, man! That would truly be a Wild Ride. Yeehaaa!!!
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I was lost in those photos. Where can I read your stories?
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Thanks, Uma!
If you search flash fiction the first page has one, The Housesitter, but click to the second page and you’ll find a lot of my short stories. People were stealing them so I stopped writing them and got rid of the category. https://susielindau.com/?s=flash+fiction
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Trust people to steal them! I will soon begin reading.
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So that doesn’t bother you?
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Bother me? I have long waged a war against the trolls of the Internet and now I don’t even think of them. How far can someone as desperate and pathetic as to be copying someone else’s stories go?
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There’s a homework site that steals my images! I really should go back to blogging them….
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Looks beautiful there. I love hiking but my knees are not as good as they used to be. I remember when I was fit enough to carry huge rucksacks like those. Great memories! 🙂
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I bet! It is hard on my knees so I try to go as light as possible. Day hiking is so much easier! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Gloria and for sharing!
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This looks incredible! Nice photos! I think I would have needed a nap to after walking six miles.
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I’d love to backpack right there! Looks fab, wild, challenging & spooky nights are exciting 😊 I’ve never got on with hiking poles, maybe I need another go. Great photos, loved this 👍
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Thanks so much, Sam!
Poles only help me when I’m trekking down hill. They would add extra weight but alleviate stress on my knees. No knees, no adventures!!! I did take some nighttime video for a Halloween post. It was crazy spooky!
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Leave your underwear at home? Sounds like a crazy night out! The hike looks awesome though, fabulous views and the weather looked perfect.
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Thanks, Jonno!
It was perfect. We had to cancel the weekend of June 22nd because of snow! It’s cooling off now… and the owls are hooting…
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What no little do white sitting snug on your backpack top? HaHa (That one’s smart enough to stay burr free at home?)
Looks like a beautiful hike and spot. (Love the dog backpack! They can haul their own water – Mom’s tired! And gonna get some poles, too.)
Sad but smart to shutter your flash fiction – stealing is stealing. Copyright is copyright. It is infuriating – getting them to stop is so difficult.
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Thanks, Phil! Nope. After her unsavory camping experience, I didn’t bother bringing her along. What a nightmare to have to carry her too!! You never know with white poofy dogs.
Yeah, the trade off with not being ripped off has been a lot less micro fiction being written. I can’t abide cheaters!!!
Have a fab weekend!
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Beautiful hike! Great post! Thanks for sharing!!!
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Thanks so much and for stopping by, Diary Gen-X girl!!!
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This makes me want to give backpacking a try. With someone seasoned of course.
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You should! Make sure to read up on lightweight packing. I learned the hard way!
Thanks, Eboney!!
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That is great advice. Thanks.
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Every ounce counts!!
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Very nice
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Be careful please. India is terrorist state you must google RSS before going to india.
Bigg Boss 13
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Indian Peaks is in Colorado, USA!
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So nice right there wow
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It is! The trees are at peak color in the mountains now.
Thanks, Ronnie!
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Beautiful country, Susie. Would love to get out there in the fresh air! Glad you had such a memorable trip.
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You would love it, Paul! It really is a gorgeous place even when it’s misty like today. We love rain! Let me know if you ever come out to the Boulder/Denver area.
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That looks like a great spot too. But, if I always thought about backpacking in Hawaii. Bound to be some mysteries to discover there still. 😉
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**correction** ‘But if I were going to backpack, I always thought….’ (All thumbs today).
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Oh, I bet! Kawaii has some pretty crazy cliffs and terrain! We took a helicopter trip to see that side of the island.
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I am an indoorsy kinda gal, but I have such respect for the Great Outdoors people. Such an adventure that I lived vicariously through this read! Thank you. 🙂
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Thanks so much for stopping by, Selina!
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Hi susie how are you doing,visit my page and contact me,my number is there, I have something to discuss with you
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