I don't really know what my first hike was, though somewhere in the Gorge or on Mount Hood at about age 4 or 5. But after reaching the ripe old age of eight in 1970, my folks deemed me old enough to carry my own backpack. It was July, and the destination was Hike No. 43 in the classic 100 Oregon Hiking Trails: Serene Lake. This trip still stands as my earliest hiking memory, and made me a hiker for life. All but my oldest brother were along - here's our pre-trip pose with packs on... in the driveway... I'm the little guy...
The trip started from the Frazier Turnaround, reached by a primitive CCC road that was just as rough in 1970 as it is today. Back then, my dad was navigating an aircraft carrier-like 1967 Plymouth Fury II station wagon over that road!
Once at the trailhead, we saddled up in packs (again) ranging from cutting edge (my folks and older brothers had spiffy orange Kelty packs) to retro -- my sister and I had military surplus canvas packs, thankfully with "modern" aluminum frames! The same held for tents: my folks slept in dad's nylon climbing tent, while my older brothers carried two army surplus canvas pup tents for the kids.
Here's a rest stop at the two mark on the switchbacks below Serene Lake - that's me running around causing trouble, no doubt...
The hike was uneventful, and soon we arrived at the north shore of Serene Lake, with plenty of day left for exploring, a very quick (and cold) swim, wading in search of crayfish and a picnic on a talus slope above the lake (I'm over on he left, being annoying, I'm sure...)
Finally, it was time to set up. We camped on the west shore of the lake, where at least one rustic picnic table existed. The canvas pup tents came with heavy metal stakes, but no poles - we used sticks for that. They also had cotton ties for closures, a detail that would prove problematic as evening approached.
As evening approached, the infamous mosquitos of the Rock Lakes basin descended upon us with a vengeance. Dad sprayed the kids down with Bug spray, and built a campfire to make our dinner. The fire did a good job of keeping the bugs away, so we stayed up late, roasting marshmallows and making s'mores in the warm, bug free circle.
Bedtime brought on a sequence of memorable events that are now family lore. I was paired with the oldest brother on the trip, and the first unpleasant discovery was just how impossible it would be to keep mosquitos out of that pup tent! More drama followed: at some point during the night, I woke my brother up to tell him I was going to throw up.
Our recollections vary on what happened next, but I distinctly remember being ejected from the tent like a projectile, and spending the next 20 minutes hunched in a patch of huckleberries paying the price for all those s'mores. At some point, I was allowed back in the tent, but only after losing another pint of blood to the mosquitos... and my dinner.
Despite my long night at Serene Lake on that first backpack trip, the die was cast, and I was addicted to hiking for life. That's why I LOVE to see parents with young kids out on the trail -- they're setting them on a very healthy, satisfying path.
So, I've mentioned my souvenir from this trip to many folks over the years, but thought I'd post it here: I still have our sacred family copy of the Lowe's classic guide, and sure enough, there is a mummified mosquito preserved on the Serene Lake page... check it out!
Here's the opposing page, with a shot of Don and Roberta Lowe and one of Don's signature maps:
So, there you have it - my first backpack!
Tom
