Wilson and the Great Drought of 2017
And I think this chair is broken
Prior to embarking on a dual camping/ hiking excursion Natasha and I took a road trip to Portland. We were on a mission seeking a teardrop trailer and happened upon this one outfit located in Silverton an hour farther south. Purdy Adventure Teardrop Trailers piqued our interest. Was it Instagram? I am pretty sure the webs led us to them. Per usual we took all of twelve minutes in determining to invest in what would become our second home.
This particular adventure would find us back in familiar territory, that of Mt. Baker- Snoqualmie National Forest more specifically Denny Creek Campground with access to Franklin Falls. This was a Home Team event. Without going into too much detail, Home Team comprises the following: Natasha, Madeline (Natasha’s daughter and soon to be my stepdaughter) and myself. In short Home Team is my family. Madeline just turned six the month before and already rocked her very first hike with us on a 2.6 mile trek to Twin Falls. About a week prior we had witnessed this girl single-leg lunging up trail stairs practically as tall as she was so we knew she had the goods to hike. This would be Madeline’s first camping trip with us and we were practically beside ourselves with excitement. Wilson (the dog) was basically down for whatever as long as water was close at hand. Our twelve year old Boston/ Frenchie mix had recently been diagnosed with Cushings Disease, typical symptoms being excessive thirst and frequent urination among other horrendous ones. At first we thought for sure he was diabetic but Alas! it was Cushings and until we got a handle on it with the proper medication it scared us to death. That’s a whole other story.
Camping at Denny Creek with Home Team was outstanding. At this point Natasha and I had become freakishly efficient with both setting up and breaking down our camp site and bringing Madeline and Wilson up to speed with our operation was sheer joy. The very minute we touched down I unhitched our trailer from the Jeep while Natasha guided us into place. Madeline helped unload our camp chairs and set them up. And Wilson, well, he got to lay around and drink a well deserved dish of water. Our carefully choreographed movements on site spoke to how well we all worked together. Getting a lay of the land next, we all strolled the campground to get a feel for our new surroundings. We came upon Denny Creek proper and lingered for a bit appreciating the sounds of gentle waters rushing by as well as all the trees and mountains seemingly within reach of our collective outstretched hands. Wilson was certainly taking notes. He also took advantage of this little pit stop to refuel. Given his current state, Natasha and I jokingly commented “so this is how it ends” referring to Wilson lapping up all the water and just maybe drifting off into sweet oblivion. Madeline loves rocks. It seems everywhere we go, with or without Mads, rocks make their way out of nature and into our home.
Back at base camp we continued setting up, snacking and meeting our newest outdoor friend. Madeline’s “chick munk” loved potato chips. Now I know we must be good stewards and not feed the wildlife but it was too cute to see Madeline’s interactions with that little buddy. When it came time to grill hot dogs and sit down for dinner, Madeline surprisingly stepped up her game. Who would’ve thunk it? Here in or midst was what we later referred to as “our littlest care provider.” Again, too cute! She alone, or at least with very minimal help, handled all the logistics for dinner. Everything from place settings to ensuring we all had drinks, Madeline was spot on with making her first go at it truly an authentic camping experience.
After dinner I struck up a camp fire. It’s all in the kindling really. As the fresh blaze cracked, popped and shot tiny embers here and there Madeline was all too eager in starting to place the marshmallows onto the two pronged skewer. The look on her face after first biting down onto the S’mores was priceless. Providing her signature approval move, a crucial thumbs up, alone made this entire trip worth it. By this point in the evening it didn’t even matter I was relegated to the broken camp chair, life was good. Relaxation achieved!
It was an ideal night as all the stars in the heavens glimmered down. The night ended with much anticipation of hiking to Franklin Falls the following day.
Wilson’s early morning bolt for the creek spoke to his resourcefulness. I woke to the sounds of his licking the condensation off the inside of our trailer’s door. “You owe that man a cold drink,” is what I heard in my mind referencing Cool Hand Luke. The same instant I opened our trailer’s door Wilson launched himself into the early morning light as if to Mecca. Scrambling for my flip flops, I bee-lined after him. He was moving at a clip. Instinctively he knew. I pictured a reel playing over and over in his mind. “Come to the water” was his refrain. Adequately hydrated, we made our way back to camp where Madeline and Natasha were just coming to.
No fluke here, Madeline was up and at em’ making us breakfast sausages. The only thing I did was fire up our Coleman grill. Natasha and I were sipping coffee prepping for our hike to the falls as our littlest care provider struck again. While taking care of her adults she failed to feed herself. This led me to chasing her around the entire set attempting to shove bits of sausages directly into her mouth as she laughingly evaded me at every turn. She cared more about feeding us and her campsite chipmunk than her own self preservation. Finally providing the child some much needed protein after no small feats of heroics in the chase, we stepped off to attain Franklin Falls.
First timers to all this outdoorsy stuff need to seriously consider Franklin Falls. Two miles total, kid friendly and well groomed, this trail is fully equipped to provide all takers an initiation into the natural world. Located in the Snoqualmie region about an hour or so outside of Seattle it is well worth your time. Be mindful should you choose the descent down to the base of the falls. If conditions are wet that narrow rock may become slippery. The payoff for such a doable hike is spectacular. Gear up accordingly and go have fun outside. If you are like us and looking to exit the hustle of the city, Franklin Falls is at your fingertips.
But first I needed to about face and double time back to the Jeep. “Jon! Where’s the spray? Run get the spray!” The bear spray was missing and Natasha wasn’t having any of it. I essentially sprinted to and fro not wanting to waste a moment. Adequately prepared for our two mile round trip to Franklin Falls, we began what would prove the most pleasant walk. One enormous tree with roots for days highlighted this hike early on so naturally we stopped for pictures.
The gradual descent down to the base of Franklin Falls requires a little technicality. The rocky terrain gets narrow and you should be careful especially if accompanied by children. Madeline was absolutely fine and actually enjoys rock climbing. Wilson made it down to the falls fine and dandy. He had absolutely no business attempting the return trip back to camp. As we started the rocky ascent Wilson abruptly came to a halt. “No worries” I told Natasha, scooping the boy into my arms. “Be careful” she said as our dog and my wits alone were my only means of balance on this precarious ledge. The hike back to camp was just as pleasing. I barely noticed the additional twenty pounds I was cradling. There are some beautiful spots to stop all along the trail. At one point we stopped and dipped our feet into the cold rushing waters of Denny Creek. More spirited folks may even want to try the rock slide.
If you told me to take a hike I would gladly take you up on it as long as I was with Home Team. Time outside is always time well spent. You don’t have to be John Muir reincarnate to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. If inspiration is what you seek look no farther than outside your front door. It certainly helps if you live in the Pacific Northwest of these United States but I would argue you can find beauty no matter where you reside. If you are on the fence about hiking, camping or any combination thereof just find your people and try.
