I am suspended a few feet of the ground, a slight swing in my hammock, surrounded by impeccable views. My pack is a few feet away. It contains the essentials + a few items that elevate the weekend to new heights. This weekend, I experimented with an idea that has been brewing in my mind for a while. It is a simple idea if rightly executed could cause exponential enjoyment. With the essentials accounted for, it was time to put the experiment to test. It was time to make backcountry pizza. Months prior, I made a stovetop pizza in the front country. It was simple and delicious. I asked myself, "How can I make this happen in the back country?" The answer was simple: Buy the right ingredients, bring the right gear, enjoy with good company. As the date approached to set out to Pear Lake for my final trip as a Trip Leader for Poly Escapes, I thought to myself, "This is it! This is the backcountry PIZZA trip!" After a beautiful six mile hike, we set up camp at Pear Lake. As soon as we arrived, half of the group jumped into the chilly waters. If anything could make backcountry pizza taste better it is enjoying the pizza after a chilling dip in an alpine lake. Before the pizza party began, I had to find the perfect hammock spot. Check! Campsite number 1 has the perfect trees + impeccable views! Now we can pizza party. First, assemble the ingredients.
With the pizza party prep completed, the experiment could begin. Shape the dough into a large disc, the size of the frying pan. Cover the frying pan with oil and place over the flame. Place the dough on the pan. Cover with a lid. Let sizzle. The dough is like a giant pancake. You wait until the dough is golden.. Then flip! Cue patience once more.. As soon as both sides are golden.. Flip again! With good backcountry food packing etiquette, you unpack your double bagged pizza sauce from your ziplock baggies. Pour the pizza sauce over the golden dough and spread the sauce with your spatula. String your string cheese and place atop the pizza, sprinkle some cheese blend, and arrange your salami delicately on top. You are a pizza artist! Cover with a lid.. Cue patience. Lucky for you, you are in the backcountry! Look around, smell the fresh air! Look at your perfect hammock home! Look at the glassy lake below, the change of colors in the sky, the granite faces! Looklooklook, the cheese on your pizza is melting! It's working! Cue backcountry pizza party! The final piece of the pizza party can ensue. Invite your good company to surround you. Cut the pieces and share goodness with one another. Food is essential. Pizza is essential+
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It's odd to become accustomed to expecting the unexpected.
The Rough Fire has caused ongoing damage in the Sierras since July 31st. There has been multiple road and back country closures since the incident, including the Roads End trailhead in Kings Canyon NP. This became increasingly relevant to me because my last scheduled Poly Escape trip was planned for a backpacking trip hiking the trail known as, "Paradise Valley." Paradise Valley is accessed by the Roads End Trailhead. We changed plans. Then the plans changed again. Then once more. Until finally we decided on Pear Lake in Sequoia NP. There was a minor warning about smoke in the area, but we decided the trail would be a great beginner backpacking trip for participants signing up for an adventure to the Sierras. I have traveled to Pear lake many of times before, but this would be the first time without snow. In the winter time, the land is blanketed with snow. The lakes are frozen over. The air is a little more thin. This time, we knew to expect clear trails, amazing weather, and a six mi hike with 3,000 ft elevation gain. My personal excitement revolved around the opportunity to finally experience the "Watchtower" trail. During the winter months, the Watchtower trail is closed and visitors must take the "Hump" trail instead. Upon arrival to Sequioa NP we stopped at Foothill Visitor Center to self-register for our backpacking permit. We continued down the road until we reached our night's destination, a walk-in campground at Potwisha Campground. It was the rowdiest campground I have ever been to! The noise did not settle until 3 am. Upon awakening, I reached for the instant coffee and a packet of hot cocoa. It was a mountain mocha morning. In 45 minutes of mountain driving, we gained more than 5,000 ft in elevation. We reached our trailhead, Wolverton, distributed group gear amongst the ten of us, talked about LNT principles, hot spots and blisters, and hydration then hit the trail. It was a steady climb. We entertained one another with riddles and discussing the popular topic of the group: movies&music. The first three miles of the trail were in a dense giant tree forest. You have to lift your neck back, squint your eyes, and slow your step in order to see the tops of the trees in the towering Sequoia forest. Nearing mile 3, we reached the Watchtower. It was a dramatic change in scenery. We stood at edge of the cliff with panoramic views of the intricate layers of the granite mountain faces. We took an extended break to enjoy the Watchtower views. A series of unexpected events brought us all to this point. We had an ongoing joke over the weekend, "xyz..exceeded expectations." To go beyond what you expected is to experience the unexpected. Time and time again, my expectations are exceeded. Standing 1,800 ft high, there is no question why this granite face was given the name Watchtower . The striking overlook set the stage for the remainder of the trip. At the start of my second year at Cal Poly, I decided to make the commitment to join Poly Escapes.
I spent my freshman year experiencing a variety of organizations: real food collaborative, Chi Omega, nutrition club, club water polo, Cal Poly Chocolates Enterprise. Every organization was special in its own way, but, after spending the summer after my freshman year working at Camp Jack Hazard, I was reminded how much I loved working in the wilderness. Two of my roommates and I decided we would all sign up for the Poly Escape's training program. One of the first requirements to become a leader is to go on two trips as a participant. My friend and I signed up for the High Sierra Lightweight trip. The goal for this trip is to pack a base weight of 12 pounds and hike 17 miles to lake Hamilton on Saturday and hike 17 miles back out on Sunday. At this point of time, the most miles I had ever backpacked was about 4 miles in and 4 miles back out. Needless to say, as the trip date approached I was becoming increasingly nervous. To make matters more worrisome, my friend could no longer attend. There I was, a beginner backpacker, a unsettled second year, trying to prove myself worthy of being a trip leader but really feeling utterly nervous about how I was being perceived. I decided, Nope! Not going to happen. I started to make excuse after excuse, I made commitments for that weekend so I could get out of the trip. I relaxed a bit with the decision made. I told myself it was better to experience an easier backpacking trip with poly escapes And then my phone rang. "Hello?" "Hi Ashley. This is Nancy." Oh no.. I had not met the infamous Nancy yet but I knew she was not someone you want on your bad side if you were planning on being a trip leader. She was the outdoor recreation coordinator. She is a badass. She is the boss. I can happily say that I now have a great relationship with Nancy, but at the time I was the insignificant second year-wanna be trip leader-that cancelled participation for a trip that needed participants in order for it to go out. "Hi Nancy. What can I do for you?" "Well Ashley, I see that you have put in a cancellation request for the High Sierra Lightweight trip. This does not look very good if you want to progress in the co leader program" "Yea Nancy.. I made other commitments for that weekend though" "Can you tell them you cannot attend" "Well yea I can do that" "Okay think about that and let me know if you change your mind. Remember you made a commitment to this trip first and as a co-leader you need two trips before you can become a trip leader" "Alright I will go" just stop torturing me!!! So I went. And you know what? It still remains one of my favorite Poly Escape trips. The trail traces along the mountain ridge and cascading granite leaves your speechless. The physical demand of the trip was difficult, but I did it! To my surprise, I wasn’t the only one huffing and puffing and fixing blisters. We all preserved through it as a group. We got the unique experience to hike half of the trail on Sunday solo. Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed or need a pick me up, I close my eyes and I picture the first few steps of the solo hike with the morning sun rays beaming on my skin, I taste the mountain air and see the colossal granite walls surrounding me. It was the perfect first Poly Escape trip for me. I am feeling extra reminiscent of the trail because in just a few weeks I am signed up to lead a group of participants on what may be their first lightweight backpacking. It's amazing to come full circle. To return to a place and expect it be the same is to assume you have not grown, learned or changed. It would be assuming the world around you is not a dynamic, incredible moving entity that does not abide by your expectations. I stood at the shore overlooking the glassy lake. In the distance I saw the shadowy figures atop the stand up paddle boards. Just moments ago I was teaching them the techniques and now they were exploring the far off edges of the lake.
A participant approached me and asked, "Have you been here before?" "Yea, it's one of my favorite trips." "Do you ever get bored of coming to the same places?" "Never!" I began to think.. Is there really such thing as the same place? It is the same longitude and latitude, yes but every time I return to a place I have been before, something unique is discovered. To return to a place and expect it be the same is to assume you have not grown, learned or changed. It would be assuming the world around you is not a dynamic, incredible moving entity that does not abide by your expectations. So even upon returning, I am always grateful to observe the landscape with a new perspective and with new people. To see the landscape change with the season and with time. On this trip, we soaked up the sun, enjoyed the lakeside breeze, played with the forces of the water and the boards, grounded our feet into the sand as we performed a group yoga session, and smiled big, knowing the experience of the weekend to be infinitely unique. |
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January 2017
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