Being a Mom is
difficult. Being a single Mom, that’s even more of a challenge. How can I find
the time, energy and the guts to take my kids out doing my most favorite
activity ever? Backpacking with 2 kids, now that’s a challenge, single parent
or not. But this was a challenge I felt ready to take on and conquer. We had
already done a 2-night backpacking trip with some friends in Canyon lands, Utah
during the previous spring break. I knew that they were capable of hiking
multiple miles as long as we took plenty of rest breaks, and that I gave them
lollipops every time we stopped. My son Phoenix, and daughter Coral, were
finally old enough during this trip to carry their own packs for the first
time. It didn’t take nearly as long researching kid gear as it does for my own
gear, and within an hour, with the kids stamp of approval, I ordered the REI Comet for my 9-year old, and the Osprey Jet 18 for my 7-year old.
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| Coral and Phoenix |
I procrastinated for a
month or so in the summer before I finally made set plans for an over night trip
with just me and my kids in the majestic Bitterroot Mountains in Western Montana.
I choose a trail that would lead us to a small lake to camp next to, with a
larger lake named Glen Lake only a short distance from there, thinking that
besides the fact of needing a water source, a lake would be a great destination
to keep reminding my kids about while they climbed uphill. The hike was a
little less than 3 miles from the trailhead to Glen Lake, with a 1,080-foot
elevation gain. We have gone on plenty of day hikes, and I have found that my
kids can’t go much more than 5 miles a day trekking around mountains without
having a complete break-down, so finding Glen lake at a 3 mile hike sounded
perfect for my little adventurers.
They were super excited about our upcoming excursion, and to also to use
their packs once again.
We
headed out of Missoula towards Victor on an early Tuesday morning in August. We
made it to the trailhead around noon, and all three of us were giddy with
excitement while we did our final pack inspections. With Phoenix being the
youngest, he was carrying the least, and was toting his pajamas, extra socks, his
chap stick, a deck of cards, water bottle, mousy (a small stuffed animal mouse
that has seen more mountain summits than some adults I know). He also insisted on carrying all 12
fruit leathers just in case he got hungry, which happens every 45 minutes on
the dot. Coral was psyched and very proud of everything she could carry in her
pack. She had been practicing at home, stuffing her pack with various snack
foods, clothes and toys and walking up and down the stairs. For this trip, she
was hoisting her own sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pajamas, extra socks and her
watterbottle.
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| Coral gazing out at the Bitterroots On the Glen Lake Trail. |
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| Kids playing cards at campsite. |
I helped them buckle
their packs and tie their shoes, handed Coral her trekking pole and then heaved
my own pack on my back (Here’s a parenting tip: always make sure the kid’s
shoes are tied before everyone has their pack on. This will save you ten
minutes and a bit of sanity). Coral and Phoenix were already running ahead of
me towards the trailhead, and I couldn’t help feeling like the luckiest Mom in
the world. I was literally beaming with pride. Now, I’m not going say that the
hike went off without a hitch, because that would be an outright lie. While
doing different outdoor activities with my kids over the years, I have learned
the #1 rule in parenting outdoorsy kiddos, and that’s to not push them over
their limits. It’s not worth it on so many levels, one reason being stuck in
the middle of no where with a kid who is laying down on a trail, kicking and
screaming that they hated this trip and that they wanted to go home. I’ve been
there, and learned my lesson. We have a rule that was put in place the 2 years
prior while hiking up to a fire lookout in the same area; when the trail starts
to get steep, stop and take a breather at every other switch back. And that’s
what we did for the last mile. It may have taken an hour longer than I
expected, but we had no other place to be. This is exactly where we were
supposed to be, and all 3 of us arrived at Glen Lake in high spirits and with
huge grins. For the rest of afternoon and evening, we splashed around in the
lake, collected firewood, ate hotdogs and marshmallows (best dinner ever!), and
played the card game war until dusk.
After I doused the fire
with water, and lay down next to my kids in our blackdiamond mega mid, I
couldn’t help but feel proud of myself.
I wasn’t letting being by myself keep me from sharing these special
moments with them. To be completely honest, we were helping each other with the
task of being, and staying strong to do stuff like this, and I wouldn’t have it
any other way.
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| Enjoying marshmallows, and each other. |
