***See Below for Corresponding Photos***
Recently I got the bug to go out and do some hiking/camping or backpacking. I bought all of the necessary equipment this winter and was waiting for the appropriate weather to head out. Finally last week I saw an opportunity with decently warm temps for mid-February and planned on heading out on my own. I mentioned my plan to my RA, Tim, who jumped on the chance to spend sometime in the outdoors. While researching places to go I found out that in Minnesota's state forests it is perfectly legal to set up camp nearly anywhere one would like. Not far from the Mississippi River in Southeast Minnesota we found a state forest that had a camp site near the road. We decided to use this because Tim did not have the gear to pack up into the hills.
One of the intriguing factors of this particular spot was topography or elevation change. It was common to climb several hundred feet in elevation over a very short span, This was bluff country. Saturday morning Tim and I set out for the campsite and had our tent up and had gathered firewood by noon. After a short break we headed off into the woods on the North side of the road. Through the gaps in the tree cover we could see the top of a bluff and decided on that being our destination. An hour later found us winded, but looking over a large stretch of the Mississippi River Valley. After a rescue mission for Tim's missing water bottle we headed back into the brush to continue our hike. We made a large loop and eventually found ourselves back at the vehicle after about three hours. Along the way we came across lots of sign of deer and small game and continuously heard the hoot of a nearby owl. After a campfire and some brats we headed to bed as we listened to the not-so-distant chorus of coyote howls. With lows in the mid-20's I woke up freezing and decided that nothing but a long hike would help to warm me up. I set off for one of the peaks that looked over the valley floor that Tim was still sleeping on. A half-hour later I was sitting on jagged rock, looking for miles, catching my breath and watching the sunrise light up the east-facing slopes. After taking some photos, I headed back down and started preparing a fire as Tim woke. It was a great, and very cold, way to spend a weekend.
Early this week my roommate, Collin, found himself with the same bug that I had this winter. He went out and also bought the necessary equipment to do some backpacking. This weekend promised lows approaching 40 degrees in the same area and Saturday morning found myself and Collin driving to the same state forest but with a much different agenda. We arrived at the same parking lot but did not camp there. We packed up our bags and headed off into the woods. After looking over some ariel photos I saw some very open spots on the top of a ridge next to the peak I had climbed not six days earlier. After an exhausting, sweaty, one-hour climb through thick cover Collin and I reached the ridge, set our packs down and set off exploring the area for the prospective campsite. What we found could not have been any better. In the midst of a long line of planted pine trees reaching forty feet into the air we found an open area barren of snow and ice. All we had to do was cut down the dead branches that reached their long arms into the middle of the site and brush away the pinecones. We kicked the needles away to expose dirt in order to have a safe fire ring. After an hour of setting up tents we collected enough firewood to last the evening. The setting was absolutely perfect. The pines provided shelter from the elements while keeping us free of the omnipresent snow, ice and mud. At one o'clock we grabbed our walking sticks, which we made with a machete, and set out for an adventurous hike which lasted about three hours and covered between 5-6 miles of fields, pine trees, deciduous forest and prairies. We made it back to camp a little after four and had a snack and drank lots of water. Collin and I each took a break in our tents and right before sunset we went our separate ways to get some pictures and check a few things out. Earlier on our hike we heard what sounded like a coyote pup howling in the woods, the problem? This time of year there would be no coyotes making that high-pitched of a sound. About this time a hunter decked out in full camo and carrying a high-power rifle came walked by a gave us a polite wave. Throughout the evening we heard that same lost coyote pup howling from all over the area. No shots were heard telling us that each of the canines in that part of the woods made it another day.
At sunset we ate brats over a fire of which we had collected all of its wood. We kept it small and made it last well into the night until the wind began to pick up. I stomped out the last of the dying embers and tucked myself into my sleeping bag. I woke up the next morning much warmer than I had been the last trip and we hurriedly packed all of our gear because the forecast promised rain and snow in the coming hours. Needless to say, the trip down the steep hill was much more enjoyable and in less than a third of the time it took us to find camp, we had reached my vehicle. Although I enjoyed last weeks experience, this week's expedition was incredibly rewarding! From carrying all of our gear up hundreds of feet, to finding a suitable campsite, to cutting and sawing our own wood the hard work made the entire trip that much more enjoyable and also left me a little bit more sore. On the way back home I mentioned to Collin that if he saw any bald eagles near the road I would love to try to get some pictures. On the way to camp we made a stop and saw dozens of them populating the Mississippi Valley. Shortly after I said this we saw a pair sitting in a tree next to the river. I grabbed my camera and snuck towards the eagles. Soon I could see 30 or 40 eagles on the ice, in the trees and flying in the air trying to pluck fish from the river. I snuck to within only several yards of our national bird and was gifted with some of my favorite photos I have taken. The last two weekends have been just as educational as enjoyable and I cannot wait for my next opportunity to experience God's creation in such an intimate way.
