Week 4
For my final week, I planned a backpacking trip near Mt. Hood. I organized a trip itinerary, researched the area, and created a collaborative packing list. We drove out to the trail and headed up to Lower Twin Lake, where we would be camping. I chose this trail because its super beginner-friendly, especially for backpacking which can be significantly harder than hiking because of all of the added weight. It was a quick two-mile hike up to the lake. Once we got to the lake it was beautiful and clear, so we set up our camp right away and ate lunch. Soon after there were some pretty heavy winds that started blowing over the lake, making our camp much colder than forecast. It then started raining and the weather wasn't showing signs of calming down. With that, we decided to pack up our camp and drive somewhere warmer and more comfortable. We ended up going to the beach and doing a beautiful hike in the morning, Neakhani Mountain, which gave a great few of the ocean. This hike is awesome because the main trail totals about a 4-mile hike, but you can hike up the front side and down the backside of the mountain and get closer to 6 or 7 miles in. Overall, it was an adventure-filled week! On Wednesday I also decided to go for a 10-mile bike ride on Leif Erikson, this was great because the weather was beautiful and the trail is super accessible and doesn't have any steep hills.
The first goal I set out to accomplish in my project was to spread community through the outdoors. I worked on this skill by inviting all who were interested to come on my trips. This was great because it allowed me to bond with my friends in a very direct environment, with no phones or assignments that were distracting us. Every week I had to work with my friends about the trip, what to bring, and what to anticipate on the trip, which also improved my clarity when communicating. Something that I didn't anticipate happening was the community I would create on the trail. There were countless experiences where we could meet fellow hikers or campers, passing on advice about nature or something we shared about ourselves. Overall I think nature is one of the best ways to build on old friendships and create new ones because of the isolated environment and natural beauty.
My second goal was to become more independent in the wilderness and learn how to create my own trips successfully. I think this is the area that I have had the most growth. I remember week one I was so confused and overwhelmed when I started trying to find campsites in Oregon. I knew there were countless sites, but for some reason, I could only find the same 10 on google maps. This frustrated me immensely at first and I felt like I wasn't going to be able to plan a trip successfully. Luckily the more I researched and reached out to fellow outdoors folks, the more I found. I was able to pick the first campsite, and once that happened it was pretty easy to gather a group and make a packing list. I have found that the more hiking and camping you do in Oregon, the more new spots you will notice. As you drive out to different sites, especially along 26 going to Mt Hood, you will notice tons of different trailhead signs for intriguing hikes and camping trips. I now feel completely confident in my ability to plan a trip quickly and efficiently. I know how to find campsites(pro tip: if you go on the website The Dyrt and look up a campsite it will show you related campsites which will give you about 10 more options!), communicate, and collect gear quickly.
My last goal was to be a sustainable outdoor recreator. I started working on this week 1 by doing some research about how to sustain the outdoors. A big problem facing the outdoor recreation areas right now is that they get so many people coming through that most of the ecosystems start to die. When people do things like take something from the trail home or bushwhack off-trail it contributes to the deterioration of that area. I learned most of my information from the Leave No Trace website, which laid out the 7 principles of traveling sustainable. This site was great because they also offered youtube videos showing how to do each of the principles, which was really helpful. Once I did my research I was able to apply my knowledge to the trips and inform those who traveled with me.
Overall I would totally recommend this project to a peer. As someone who already liked the outdoors, this project gave me the time to relax and enjoy nature. I also learned some really valuable information and how to plan trips on my own which is a skill I will use the rest of my life.
Katie, in all, this was a very successful senior project! You learned much about your subject and yourself, you set reasonable goals and accomplished them, and you provided a service to others. I've said this before. You're giving yourself a gift that will last you a lifetime. I'm excited for that and for all the adventures that await you. Happy trails!
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