First overnighter

Our intention had been to work into camping with Petra slowly, beginning with car camping, but an opportunity presented itself that we couldn't resist (as much as I tried!). Our friends Bill and CL were going backpacking with their 6 month old son Griffin, since they'd already car camped and were ready to move away from over-crowded campsites back into a real wilderness experience. I resisted and fretted like any new mom with all those founded and unfounded worries that present themselves (where will she sleep? what if she gets bit by a snake? what if we drop her in a lake?). We took care of my worst fears by carrying her sleeping sled into the wilderness with us, and kept the trip very manageable by limiting it to one night on a short, easy trail.

Joe found a trail in the Mt. Jefferson wilderness that was a mellow 2 mile hike to a beautiful lake. Bill and CL hiked in Friday and saved a spot right on the lake, and we joined them Saturday. Our spot on the lake gave us a great view of Three-Fingered Jack, that volcanic amputee in the Cascades. We camped right next to a huge scree pile where we could hear pikas (Pika's namesake critters) chirping and scurrying around. It was a little cramped in our little two-man tent, even with Pika sleeping outside, but pretty cozy. Petra slept as well as she does at home and much better than her parents, who made room for her to sleep by curling up in the toe of the tent.

All in all, a pretty relaxed weekend hanging out by a lake. I'm glad we did it.

See more photos here.