George Crosby-Manitou State Park
Last weekend Steve & I got away for a little R&R. I hadn't been camping since last summer and we hadn't backpacked yet together with our new wedding gifts (gear!). I had the one weekend in June off and it timed perfectly with Grandma's Marathon here in Duluth which equaled a perfect weekend to get the heck out of dodge.
Our plans were to leave "early" but we still didn't really leave til mid-afternoon on Friday. That's how we operate. We loaded up our new packs (REI's "Venus" and "Mars" - aren't we cute?) and hit the road. Steve had an inspection to do in Tofte so we took the long way but I didn't mind driving up the North Shore with my honey and enjoying the view.
Of course we DID have to stop for Dairy Queen in Two Harbors.
The clouds were ominous and the weather radio reported that a string of storms were moving in. As we got closer to the state park the rain came. And I mean it CAME. It poured. For a while we were stopped on the side of this dinky overgrown (and so beautiful) county road) sort of under a tree in case it hailed. Which it did but only about pea-sized and didn't amount to much. Anyway - by the time we got to the park it was POURING. We waited it out for a while....and when it let up we headed out.
Crosby-Manitou is a rugged park. It is only for hiking, backpacking and canoeing/kayaking. There are no drive-in sites, no RV's, no toilets (okay, there is one pit toilet by the boat launch), it is very very peaceful. Our site was 1.75 miles in and right on the Manitou River.
The forest we hiked through was OLD growth - and so beautiful. It was like being in a rain forest (of course by this time it was raining again). The cedars are plentiful and gigantic. The ferns lush and green. The roots everywhere, slippery & trecherous at times! GAH!
The hike was up and down and up and down and finally DOWN DOWN DOWN...I immediately began dreading the hike out. I am not used to backpacking and 30+lbs on my back were taking their toll on me. Thank god for my "trek stick."
Our site was very secluded and beautiful. Unfortunately it was also very very wet! That night we were able to sit under a hastily erected tarp and eat our warmed up brats & cold beans and then basically go to bed. The fireflies were awesome though and that gave me hope!
Saturday dawned GORGEOUSLY. Not a cloud in the sky.
Everything began to dry out and it turned into a lovely day. We lounged around, I sat in the hammock & read quite a bit, we hiked for over 4 hours, we hiked back to the car where I enjoyed an ice cold diet coke from the cooler (yes, I'm an addict - ha!), I learned that lemon-eucalyptis bug dope actually DOES work (no DEET! yay!) and we lounged some more in the hammock together (it's a double - whohooo!) when we got back. We sat by the river (where we filtered our water - which was SO GOOD!), we made spaghetti for dinner and ate chocolate bars by our roaring fire. I laughed as Steve got buzzed off his margaritas (he packed in margaritas!) (and okay, I was a wee bit jealous too) and we went to bed.
Sunday was not as promising. Gray, cool.....intimidating clouds ahead. We packed things up like our tents, bags, sleeping pads, etc early on. We made "breakfast"
(a giant pancake blob w/apple chunks & pre-cooked bacon (my new favorite backpacking food!) and then the rain started. OH MY GOD. It downpoured for over 2 hours! We scrambled to get the last few things in our packs and then we stood under the tarp for a while. By then we were already wet, the ground had pools of water - our packs were dirty and wet (and extra heavy!)...so we left. It poured the whole time we hiked up. Up the MOUNTAIN to get out of the site (I thought I was going to keel over), all the way along the creeks and hills and valleys - the whole time. Back at the car - still pouring.
I have never been so wet in my life. Everything was soaked through - every single layer. We threw our packs in the backseat and hopped in the front on some towels I through in. (whew). We stripped down with the heat cranked and attempted to dry off...which sort of happened. Nothing like sitting nakedly in your fogged up car! ha. (no one was around - it was raining WAY too hard!) We brough extra clothes thank god because EVERYTHING in our packs was soaked.
We were going to car camp Sunday night but after that hike out I said "no" let's go home. Which we did.
But first we stopped for pie at the Rustic Inn. Mmmmmm, pie.....
It was fun but it'll probably be my last chance to actually backpack for a while. I don't think my soon-to-be-expanding belly will appreciate a pack, and I don't think I'll be able to do it anyway. I am up for some car camping though. :) Hopefully over the 4th of July. Hopefully there'll be ice cream and no rain.
Our plans were to leave "early" but we still didn't really leave til mid-afternoon on Friday. That's how we operate. We loaded up our new packs (REI's "Venus" and "Mars" - aren't we cute?) and hit the road. Steve had an inspection to do in Tofte so we took the long way but I didn't mind driving up the North Shore with my honey and enjoying the view.
Of course we DID have to stop for Dairy Queen in Two Harbors.
The clouds were ominous and the weather radio reported that a string of storms were moving in. As we got closer to the state park the rain came. And I mean it CAME. It poured. For a while we were stopped on the side of this dinky overgrown (and so beautiful) county road) sort of under a tree in case it hailed. Which it did but only about pea-sized and didn't amount to much. Anyway - by the time we got to the park it was POURING. We waited it out for a while....and when it let up we headed out.
Crosby-Manitou is a rugged park. It is only for hiking, backpacking and canoeing/kayaking. There are no drive-in sites, no RV's, no toilets (okay, there is one pit toilet by the boat launch), it is very very peaceful. Our site was 1.75 miles in and right on the Manitou River.
The forest we hiked through was OLD growth - and so beautiful. It was like being in a rain forest (of course by this time it was raining again). The cedars are plentiful and gigantic. The ferns lush and green. The roots everywhere, slippery & trecherous at times! GAH!
The hike was up and down and up and down and finally DOWN DOWN DOWN...I immediately began dreading the hike out. I am not used to backpacking and 30+lbs on my back were taking their toll on me. Thank god for my "trek stick."
Our site was very secluded and beautiful. Unfortunately it was also very very wet! That night we were able to sit under a hastily erected tarp and eat our warmed up brats & cold beans and then basically go to bed. The fireflies were awesome though and that gave me hope!
Saturday dawned GORGEOUSLY. Not a cloud in the sky.
Everything began to dry out and it turned into a lovely day. We lounged around, I sat in the hammock & read quite a bit, we hiked for over 4 hours, we hiked back to the car where I enjoyed an ice cold diet coke from the cooler (yes, I'm an addict - ha!), I learned that lemon-eucalyptis bug dope actually DOES work (no DEET! yay!) and we lounged some more in the hammock together (it's a double - whohooo!) when we got back. We sat by the river (where we filtered our water - which was SO GOOD!), we made spaghetti for dinner and ate chocolate bars by our roaring fire. I laughed as Steve got buzzed off his margaritas (he packed in margaritas!) (and okay, I was a wee bit jealous too) and we went to bed.
Sunday was not as promising. Gray, cool.....intimidating clouds ahead. We packed things up like our tents, bags, sleeping pads, etc early on. We made "breakfast"
(a giant pancake blob w/apple chunks & pre-cooked bacon (my new favorite backpacking food!) and then the rain started. OH MY GOD. It downpoured for over 2 hours! We scrambled to get the last few things in our packs and then we stood under the tarp for a while. By then we were already wet, the ground had pools of water - our packs were dirty and wet (and extra heavy!)...so we left. It poured the whole time we hiked up. Up the MOUNTAIN to get out of the site (I thought I was going to keel over), all the way along the creeks and hills and valleys - the whole time. Back at the car - still pouring.I have never been so wet in my life. Everything was soaked through - every single layer. We threw our packs in the backseat and hopped in the front on some towels I through in. (whew). We stripped down with the heat cranked and attempted to dry off...which sort of happened. Nothing like sitting nakedly in your fogged up car! ha. (no one was around - it was raining WAY too hard!) We brough extra clothes thank god because EVERYTHING in our packs was soaked.
We were going to car camp Sunday night but after that hike out I said "no" let's go home. Which we did.
But first we stopped for pie at the Rustic Inn. Mmmmmm, pie.....
It was fun but it'll probably be my last chance to actually backpack for a while. I don't think my soon-to-be-expanding belly will appreciate a pack, and I don't think I'll be able to do it anyway. I am up for some car camping though. :) Hopefully over the 4th of July. Hopefully there'll be ice cream and no rain.
Comments
Hope you are feeling good.