Our Journey Living in Nature – Part 19 – 19 days alone in the backcountry of the Clearwater National Forest, Idaho.

September 4, 2018 – Tuesday – Departure day for the backcountry –

Day 1

I heard Dick and Gary getting up at around 6:30 am and figured we should be getting up soon.

I heard them taking the horses and one mule to the area for prepping. While Dick and Gary had breakfast, I told Dick I would brush and clean the hooves of the animals, to help speed up the process. After they had finished breakfast, Dick got the horses and mule saddled up. And the eight horses and one mule got into the stock trailer with no incident loading.

We then followed Dick, Gary, and the pack animals to the trailhead about 45 minutes away. Dick parked on one side of the road to unload and get the animals loaded with their packs. The trail we were going on started right off the roadway. I was parked across the street and watched for traffic. Dick continued giving Gary packing lessons, and that took more time getting us out of here. We were finally ready to get on the trail at 12:00 pm. I gave Gary my keys to the truck so he could take it back to base camp.

I was talking with Dick on the order that might be best for me and the boys, and with the other pack animals, Dick and Gary handled all the pack animal. I was going to be in the back of the pack, but didn’t think that was a good idea and told Dick. He said I could lead if I wanted to. And I felt comfortable with that. Then the boys could be in front of me so I could watch them.

I got situated with my horse, I then let the boys go from their leashes. They quickly took advantage of their freedom and began running up the creek and were running around all over the place, getting the horses all excited, and me yelling at the boys to come. Dick told me it was okay. I hope he was right. I just didn’t want the boys to spook the horses or them getting kicked.

I chose to walk my horse a bit before mounting, and called to the boys to come to me once again. The boys were running in the bushes, and at one point Takota was heading down a steep embankment, I called to him to come, but he had a difficult time getting back up. I was getting quite nervous about this whole situation. It was new to the boys and me going up with the pack of horses. I always chose to walk a good ways ahead of the pack string on other trips so I could focus my attention on the boys. Once I got them going in the right direction, this is when Takota got a pretty good nip by my horse on the neck by getting to close to her. He didn’t cry out, and I didn’t see any bleeding. It seemed he was fine. I was hoping we would make it safely. There was a lot of commotion in just starting our ride that made me uneasy.

I mounted my horse, and the boys were walking on the trail in front of me. Things started to calm down. We quickly began going up very steep terrain on a very narrow trail. Our only path was staying on the trail. We would meet disaster and possible death if any of us happened to take a wrong step off the embankment. And we had eight miles to go to get to our camp. The boys began to focus staying on the trail and everything seemed to be going better. The boys were doing better, as with my horse. I took a deep breath and began enjoying the ride. It was nice being back in the saddle again.

Soon after we got going, and were gaining some high elevation, our first horse wreck happened. I heard a commotion behind me, looking back, and saw horses falling down the steep embankment, and my tent rolling a good distance down towards the creek. If it would have gone down to the creek, that would have been a big problem in getting it. I really couldn’t see what was going on, but luckily they did somehow recover my tent and got the horses and mule back on the trail. The mule saved the day. He was able to keep the horses from rolling down the hillside with my tent. This is one reason why many outfitters prefer using mules for packing. They have better footing than horses.

I was thinking this is a bad omen, and maybe it is time to turn back. I was all for that, but we continued on. Being on a steep narrow trail, climbing switchbacks, and with pack animals, it can be a very dangerous situation. I think what happened was a pack slipped, causing one of the horses to fall down the embankment and bringing the other horses down with him.

My horse and Gary’s horse were trying to munch on vegetation along side the trail which was a big pain in the butt. Otherwise my horse was doing pretty good.

In the beginning of our trip on the trail I was having doubts of the safety of me and the boys (more so for the boys). And even if we would make the 7.5 miles to our camp in the high country, would our gear make it undamaged? In the very beginning things quickly began unraveling. Dick warned me it would be a steep climb, and mostly up hill with a series of switchbacks. What was nice about the switchbacks most was in the shade of the forests. I have been on many switchbacks in my time, and all of them have been exposed to the hot sun.

In my mind, I was thinking, “it is only a four hour ride.”

We began our ascend around 3,000 ft elevation. The camp we are going to is at 5,961 ft elevation.

The pack horses were getting tired. During the whole ride we had to change lead horses because they didn’t want to lead anymore, and Dick had to constantly adjust the packs that continued slipping which meant we all had to get off our horses to help. Getting off and on horses on very narrow trails and steady ascends didn’t make it easy. Most of the trail were steep drop offs on one side and steep uphills on the other. Most of the ride I couldn’t see how the boys were doing, and would yell back, “how are the boys doing?” Gary said, “they were doing fine.” They were following in back of the pack string. But I was still concerned about them.

The 4 to 5 hour ride turned into an 8 hour ride. During the rest stops for the horses, or the adjustments of the packs, we would stop at areas with grass, and of course the horses and one mule would start grazing on the grasses. They preferred grazing then moving on. The boys were doing well, but were very tired. They ended up being in the back of the pack most of the time. I would check in with Gary on how they were doing and he always said they are doing fine. But I was concerned about them. At one point my horse decided not to go any further as the leader. I think she just wanted to stop and graze. We found a place where Dick and I could switch places and Dick would take the lead. His horse went for a short distance then his horse stopped. Dick had to get off and walk his horse for distance, then he would get back on his horse. He would do this for a few times. We were all getting very tired. I was not very happy, and it was the worst pack ride I have been on. It was a grueling and hard ride. It was the ride from hell. But we did finally arrive safely.

We finally got into camp at 8:00 pm exhausted, and pitch black out. Once I was able to crawl off the saddle, I found it hard walking because I was so stiff, and especially on uneven ground. Eventually the blood started blowing again, so I could walk.

Dick was obviously familiar with the camp, but Gary and I were not. Dick took charge, telling Gary where to tie up the horses and then began unloading all the gear off the pack animals, placing it in one area to then unpack. While they were doing that, I looked around for a place for the boys and I to sleep for the night. There were three level pads in camp that stepped up hill from one another. I picked the upper tier to put our bedding down, and eventually our tent. Once the the gear was unpacked, I went through what we need for our bedding for the night. The boys had already crashed out. The boys did well on our very long trip up here.

Dick was talking about them going back tonight. I thought he was crazy. Both Dick, and Gary were tired, and the pack animals were tired. It would have been far too dangerous in my mind to go back down tonight. I told Dick they should rest the horses and themselves here tonight. I finally convinced him to stay, and start out early tomorrow morning being fully rested. They could use the packing tarps for bedding. It was warm enough out where they should be comfortable roughing it.

While we were in camp, I heard a very loud and very strange sound I did not recognize just up from where we were, and asked Dick what it was? He said, “it was an elk.” I was totally surprised in the sounds it was making. The elk may have shown his disapproval of us being here. They were very eerie sounds in the dark ambience of the forest. I decided to have my loaded pistol, and rifle close by to scare off any critters.

We are in a pretty remote area, but I thought I heard human voices in the distance.

Once our stuff was laid out, the boys and I quickly fell asleep dreaming of the adventures that lay before us on our 19 days alone in the Clearwater National Forest.

September 5, 2018 – Wednesday – Day 2

We woke up to our new camp with a pile of gear that has to be organized into a camp. I am grateful we had arrived here safely. Around 6:30 am, Dick and Gary began packing up for their ride back to base camp. I took the boys on a short walk and when we returned, Dick, his side kick, Gary and the horses, and one mule were ready to leave at 8:00 am. I wished them good luck and safe travels back to base camp. Watching them ride down the trail with the pack animals, vanishing out of sight into the landscape, the boys and I were once again alone in the backcountry. It felt good being alone in this vastness in nature with the boys. We always felt at home. I was also thinking, and hoping our return ride back to base camp will be much smoother?

Looking at the pile of gear I have awaiting me, and looking at how I want the camp laid out, I began organizing. I know where the tent will go, so that is the first thing to get set up, but first, my coffee. I determined were I will have the kitchen which will be on the second level of camp. I needed water for my coffee and for the boys, so I found the spring next to camp, filled the water containers then back to camp. The spring offered only a trickle of water. I was thinking, I hope it is a reliable water source? It seems it could dry up at any time. I helped the path of water by creating a small pool for the water to collect so it would be easier to fill up the water containers, and removing debris and mud, and small stones to increase the flow. It was still a trickle.

While sitting in my chair, sipping my coffee, I relaxed in the moment, breathing in the fresh mountain air and scanning the area of our new home. Last night there was nothing to see, but only the strange elk sounds coming from the darkness of night that decided to move on elsewhere. It felt good to be back in nature.

I ended up writing in my journal most of the morning, then ate lunch, and skipping breakfast. I did feed the boys breakfast.

Evening Entry

I started putting up the tent at 1:00 pm. The tent just barely fitting the flat pad it was on. And then began organizing the rest of our camp. I found nothing damaged from our ride getting here, so that was good. I fed the boys, organized their food bags into daily portions, and slowly turned an empty space in the forest to our home. Dick realized it was a bad idea not to separate the dogs food into smaller portions for weigh distribution, and for keeping track of the food portions each day. He thought the weight of the 30 lb. bag of food would work better top loaded on the pack, and it actually made it worse for balance. That was one of the causes of us constantly having to get off our horses to rebalance the packs. It is all about keeping the weight of the packs balanced. From my little experience horse packing, it make sense using panniers vs. how Dick packed things to minimize shifting, because it is easy to balance the weight In the panniers, then letting the panniers help support and keep balanced any top weight added. Maybe Dick should start using panniers next time. It would take far less time packing as well.

I got the camp pretty much done. And built up the existing fire ring with stones that was partially there already. I gathered some firewood next to camp from downed trees that will provide us with most of our firewood needs. I was pleased with getting camp organized in only a half day.

Next to our kitchen area there was a small bush with a single black/ purplish berry on it. It was a huckleberry. So does that mean there could be more around? I will have to search the area later. I also was thinking, this could be the last one of the season? There was also an abundance of blueberries around.

The boys and I had chicken for dinner.

I look forward to sleeping in the tent tonight.

We did have some yellow jacket come to visit while cooking dinner.

This evening we had a nice campfire. And hit the sack around 8:00 pm.

September 6, 2018 – Thursday – Day 3

It was a beautiful and warm sunny day. It was 68 degrees in the morning. We heard birds chattering, the flies buzzing, lots of mosquitoes out. The yellow jackets will appear when I start cooking. Life in nature is abundant.

During the night it was quiet, not even a mouse stirring.

I thought I heard quail this morning when I was dressing in the tent. I then heard it right outside the tent at the entrance. I unzipped the screen door, and one grouse flew off and the other stood right in front of me just watching me, then flew off a few moments later. They were only a few feet away. We also have some tree squirrel activity. The plan is doing some hunting for small game such as squirrel, grouse, and rabbit. We now know we have squirrel and grouse for possible meals. Maybe even marmot. We also have two lakes a couple of miles away for fishing.

I will spend about a week just observing the area for plants, trees and animals. Unless a critter gets close for an easy shot.

Before breakfast we went on a small walk on the trail heading in the westerly direction and that will take us to Black Lake only two miles away. Black lake is suppose to be great fishing, but a tough hike getting to it, with a steep hike getting down to it and getting back up. I was told there are 6 lakes retentively close to us, but difficult hikes to get to them. I am not sure it is worth the effort.

I had the boys on leash at the beginning of our walk, then I let them off, and of course they took off to explore. It was like being in a huge playground for them to explore. And I did my own exploring of the area to see what I could find. Along the trail there were more blueberry bushes with ripe berries for a quick snack. I wasn’t seeing any huckleberries around though. I would also come across red twinberries, and take some small nibbles of the berries. They aren’t the best berry for taste, and it is said, they can be somewhat toxic. The black twinberry is very bitter.

When we go on our walks or when I sit in my chair looking out into nature, I not only look, but I listen, smell, and feel nature. I open my mind to stillness, to silence within and without. Labeling and judging nothing, but empty thoughts that I replace with silence, and awareness, then experiencing pure awareness – pure consciousness coming through, and then nature opens up to the observer in a wondrous and magical way. Nature tell us her story through the plants, the trees, and animals. We see them in the markings, the tracks, and other signs that nature shows to those who have this pure awareness.

We came across a small meadow, and then turned around back to camp. Once at camp I called to the boys, and they weren’t finished exploring, They do return to camp when they know I am back at camp. I will keep them tied up in camp so they don’t run off to chase any critters they may see.

I have the coffee brewing. We are having bacon and eggs for breakfast. The smell of bacon will surely attract the yellow jackets.

The boys finally came back to camp after making a thorough inspection of the area, and found a comfortable place to settle down for a nap before breakfast. Overall the boys have done really well in staying in camp during our time in the backcountry. I am proud of them.

Dick wanted me to call him today for a safety check between 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm. Since I have a Satellite phone, I thought it would be a good idea for a safety protocol.

While doing some writing in the journal, I looked down by my feet and saw an arrow head. I picked it up to look at it closely. It could be an original by native people here (possibly from the Nez Perce) or someone made it who was good at knapping in our modern day world?

Around the camp, and near by I have been hearing a lot of twigs cracking, but I am not sure what critters are doing this? There seems to also be lots of good bird activity around us, but with the heavy forest canopy it is hard to see any birds. I did hear a woodpecker earlier. I have also noticed mushrooms beginning to come up. Nature is such a magical place to experience, especially when we have a deep awareness with nature. For me, once I began practicing bushcraft skills back in 2009, I not only appreciated what nature provided me to survive with the proper skills and materials, I gained a deeper appreciation and understanding for nature, as with a much deeper respect for what she provides to us. The life giving force nature gives us. It is in the Oneness we experience in and with nature.

It is sad that most of us have lost this connection with Mother Earth, and all around the world within the modern civilizations we have created in a materialistic, and synthetic world. We could have regained this connection back by the traditional indigenous peoples of the world, but instead we chose to try to eliminate them because we saw them as ignorant, primitive, and useless. Not knowing they held the wisdom of our planet, and the sacredness of what she provided to us. When they thanked Mother Earth for all that she gave to them, the modern day man thought it to be sacrilegious to the European’s God. And many still think this way in today’s world. This is why we find our world in such a mess – a world without a deep connection to all of life.

I think I will hold off making breakfast until after calling Dick. And In the mean time I will gather some precious life giving water at the spring. This small, and slow flow of water, reminds me to slow down, and give gratitude to all of life’s forces.

Afternoon Entry

It is 2:11pm, and we are getting high clouds coming in. It is 70 degrees out.

When I was beginning our late breakfast I heard a moose call, and the rubbing of it’s antlers against a tree near by. This is a dangerous time to be around moose during the rutting season, as with elk. I hope Mr. Moose stays away from our camp. I was exciting to hear the moose, but also a little bit tense about it. It would be nice to see the moose at a good and safe distance as not to disturb it. And I just don’t want the boys irritating the moose. If I have to, I will discharge my pistol with warning shots.

We took a walk across the trail so the boys could do their business. I found a cluster of black berries and red twinberries in the area.

Back at camp, Nanook and Takota, sensed some movement in the brush, across the spring drainage. I also saw movement but did not see any critters.

Because it is starting to cool down early, I got a nice campfire going. It is clouding up pretty good. I wonder if we will get a chance of rain?

In describing our campsite and area we are in, we are on a slope (not to steep, maybe a 20 degree slope) of a mountain with three flat terraces making up our campsite. The tent is at the upper terrace. And we have our kitchen and living area on the middle terrace. Both giving us a good view of the trail below us for any critters that might pass by. Most of the lower terrace has a stack of logs on it that are used for tents for hunting camps. We will just use the two upper terraces. It feels like a comfortable area that is pretty good size for our needs in getting around. The trail will also lead to Black Lake, and back to where we came. From our campsite we are in a tree canopy of somewhat sparse woods that keeps most of the sun’s rays out, and keeping the site cooler. If we look straight out from camp, we see the foliage of the trees blocking any view we may have of the deep valley below us, and of the surrounding mountains that rise above us on each side of the valley. And if we look down following along the slope, it soon disappears into the distant valley below us that closes us in from much of any view. We are directing adjacent to a small meadow to the left of us (looking out from our camp) that gets good sunlight. This will provide us some openness to the sunlight in an otherwise dark enclosed place that can feel a bit claustrophobic. We have our trickle of water from the natural spring for our water source a short distance away to our right, and past that a nice patch of huckleberry bushes, that we will soon discover. And a good source of firewood from downed hemlock next to camp. We also have some fir trees around that are mixed with the hemlock in the area. The wooded areas are thick in some areas, and heavy in tall brush. We don’t have to deal with a lot of downed logs to walk over as we did in our last two camps. Although our view of the mountains, and surroundings area are very limited unfortunately. Overall, it is a nice camp. But it would have been nice to have a good view of the mountains, or a view of a mountain lake, as with better access to a lakes for fishing. We are in very rugged and steep mountainous terrain.

Evening Entry

It is 5:00 pm, and the skies have cleared.

The day went fast today. Most of the time was spent writing in the journal. During this time in camp we experienced many sounds of nature. When we first got here, I heard unusual sounds of a bird, I thought it may have been quail. A bit later I realized it was grouse. It has an amazing repertoire of calls.

Taking our evening walk, I realized the huckleberries and blueberries are just coming out, and they are all over the place, especially the huckleberries. I enjoyed feasting on the huckleberries every chance I had. We have a large patch of huckleberries just across from our spring. They are everywhere. It will be hard sharing with the bears if they do come through. And with this abundance of berries, I would be surprised if we didn’t see any bears fattening up for winter.

September 7, 2018 – Friday – Day 4

We got up at 8:00 am. I slept pretty well. The boys always sleeps well in nature. It was a beautiful morning in nature. We got a little rain shower that lasted for about 15 minutes during the night.

I took the boys to the small meadow so they could run around. And I brought a plastic bag for berry picking.

Back at camp, I noticed the campfire was still smoldering, so I decided to have a morning fire.

I put a few small branches with some old man’s beard on a smoldering log and some hot ash, then blew, and we got fire. Then it was time to put on the coffee. For breakfast, we will have bacon and eggs. Our ice block seems to be doing well in the warm weather we have been having. We will get a new block of ice on our resupply on the 12th of this month.

Because we will be staying here for a total of three to four weeks, I wanted to keep the pack animals to six. I probably have a total of a week and a half of food left for me in both perishables and freeze dried foods, and two weeks supply for the boys (a 60 lb. bag of kibble).

I have more freeze dried food and kibble at the base camp that Dick will bring up as with more perishables to last us for our stay. There is a lot of planning for these trips just to be in nature.

Before we left base camp, I broke up the food supply for two trips and gave instructions to Dick on what to bring.

What I didn’t mention on this trip, and my last two trips was that I brought two bear proof panniers with us, and the ice cooler that we use is bear proof in keeping our food supply safe from bears, and for food storage. I also brought canned soups and package soups, and an assortment of canned smoke oysters, clams, and scallops to add to the soups.

When I was preparing breakfast, Takota was focused towards the direction of the meadow to the southeast of us. I did not see or hear anything, But I rely on the boys senses to let me know if anything is out there. After breakfast Takota is still focused on the meadow. Nanook seems unconcerned. Usually Nanook picks up on the sounds of critters more that Takota. Whatever it is, it is staying hidden. I haven’t heard any coyotes, or wolves. I know we have elk and moose around, but they also stay hidden.

It is now 1:00 pm, and 67 deg. We have a pleasant breeze coming through camp.

Afternoon Entry

I took the boys for a walk and checked out the huckleberry patch next to our camp. And they were everywhere. So we stopped to pick some berries. Nanook like them, Takota didn’t. He couldn’t get the grasp of eating these tiny berries. It was just too difficult eating these little berries. And the berries would just drop out of his mouth. I was watching Nanook watch me picking these tiny berries, then I watched him go over to the bushes with berries and he began gently picking them with his front teeth. I was very impressed with Nanook, and his learning abilities. He was getting quite good at it. Takota too made a little effort in picking them, but quickly gave up. It was to much work for such a little reward. On the other hand, Nanook enjoyed the delicious and succulent berries as much as I did.

Evening Entry

It seems we are getting a thin layer of clouds coming in our area. Will any thing come of it as far as moisture? One never knows while up in the mountains, what the weather will bring?

At our camp it is nice being in a forested area to keep the heat down, giving a feeling of the comfort the trees bring. But it also blocks most of the view of the mountains, and to feel and experience the scope, and the scents of grandeur of the area, and of the open sky. The small meadow next to us does provides us with some open area. But basically we are stuck on the side of a mountain as we were at our first camp. It wouldn’t be a place I would want to stay at for long term. I would think it would get too claustrophobic over time.

We had another nice campfire in closing this peaceful evening.

September 8, 2018 – Saturday – Day 5

I woke up at 6:00 am, then fell back to sleep. We got up at 8:30 am. It was sunny out, but I could tell it was getting cooler. It was 56 deg.

Last night after dozing off, but still half awake about an hour later, we heard an elk near by voicing a call. It seems to happens when I am half asleep. It is always a beautiful and wild sound to hear in nature. One of many calls of the wild.

This morning before getting up, I heard a deer, or elk, or moose walk next to camp. I looked out the tent window, but there was no sight of it. I hope the creatures of the wild are feeling more comfortable with us being here.

During the night we were getting small gusts of wind coming through camp, and making the fir needles fall on the tent, then rolling off sounding like rain drops.

I let the boy out without theirs leashes on, and they knew it was time for a walk. I was going towards the meadow, but the boys had other ideas on where they wanted to go, and headed in the opposite direction. So I followed them. They went on the trail we originally came on so I followed them. Since they were on it once before they were familiar with it. They then veered off on another trail, and I stayed on the main trail. I called to them, but they didn’t respond. I then heard a squirrel chirping and I figured the boys were harassing the squirrel. On the trail I was on, I disturbed a big bird that then blew off. By it’s size, I figured it may have been an eagle.

I turned back to camp continuing to call the boys. I heard their pitter patter of foot steps running towards me, with both of them out of breath, and with their tongues hanging out. I am sure if they could talk, they would share with me their adventures they had just encountered. I got a kick always seeing them so excited.

I stopped by the huckleberry patch next to camp, I gathered these plentiful and delicious berries, and began filling the plastic ziplock that I had with me with these wonderful and tasty delights. I gave Nanook a few berries, and then he was on his own forging the berries. Takota did the same, but I don’t think he was too successful.

I got enough to satisfy my breakfast needs and headed back to camp that was just across the drainage to prepare my coffee, write a bit in the journal, and then fix breakfast. On my short walk back to camp, the boys were already lying in camp, relaxing before breakfast. I am sure they were thinking, “this is the life!”

It was beautiful cool morning to be in nature. We had a pleasant breeze coming through camp. I find that feeling and experiencing nature deeply, any troubles I might think I have disappears in these moments. Nature becomes pure bliss to ones soul.

While writing in my journal I got a glimpse of a bird flying in my sight of vision, flying low and stealthy through the trees. It then quickly disappeared into the thick foliage of the trees. It was probably a hawk with it’s amazing flying skills. I then heard what sounded like a moose rubbing it’s antlers against a branch. Many things that happen in a nature, happens very quickly, and one always has to be aware of their surrounds to catch these amazing encounters, whether it is a sound, something one feels, or sees.

While I am writing, or just taking a pause to look out into the woods in front of me, and just feeling the sun, or feeling the cool breeze across my face, or listening to the sounds of nature in the forest. One becomes alive and feels the magic, and wonders of the land. Unfortunately most miss theses things because they are trapped in their heads in thoughts. They may get glimpses of this beauty and then find themselves back in the heads. They don’t know what being silent is.

I remember one instance while I was on the Island Kauai. I spend some time just quietly looking out into the beautiful blue ocean from the beach. It was in the morning. There was a yoga class beginning, a few people walking on the beach. When the yoga class began chanting the “Om” sound, I saw two whales breaching together in the distance. I looked around and I was the only one on the beach seeing this amazing sight. Even when the beauty and wonder of nature is all around us, most don’t see it because they are busy in their minds. Many times looking down to the ground, missing what is all around them.

Even practicing silence in nature for over 9 months, I still get caught up in the mind at times. But when that happens, if I can shift these thoughts or feeling into just being aware, and without labeling, or judgements, they will have no power over us.

Although I face many imagined challenges, I would rather not be anywhere else, but in nature with the boys.

Our first propane bottle was depleted last night. We didn’t cook on the first night. The second night we had chicken, the third was steak, and the forth was steak. We now have freeze dried foods and packaged soups until we get our next resupply.

Yesterday, I didn’t get much done but for writing all day.

We will see how this day goes?

The bearings for our site per the GPS is:

N 46 deg 53.133’

W115 deg 30.977’

Elev. 5961 ft.

We are just west of Lower Twin Creek. The partial view of the mountain peak is I believe, Avalanche Peak. We are in the Mallard Larkins Pioneer area.

Because we are at a relatively low elevation in the high country for altitude sickness. I was not to concerned, but still I should have been more aware of the dangers of that possibly occurring. Especially at my age. But so far, so good. I really wasn’t too concerned. But we always have to be aware of these things, as with dehydration, and hypothermia.

Afternoon Entry

I was looking at the topo map this morning to see what was above our camp. The elk we heard on our first night here and on other nights they seem to like to hang out in that area. It looks that there might be a relatively level area and maybe signs of elk up there as far as scat, and hoof prints. It many also give us a good view of the mountains. So before I started a campfire and dinner, the boys and I took a hike up there to explore for a bit. It is relatively steep, but not to far. I am guessing it has about a 30 degree slope with overall low vegetation, grass and dirt ground covering, some downed logs to contend with, the short hike did get my heart pounding some. I had to watch my step so as not to fall or twist an ankle. The hike was about a quarter mile. The boys followed, making their own paths. When we reached the top, the view of Avalanche Ridge was a little bit better. The boys reached the top before I did. It was nice up there, it did have a level area surrounded by woodland. I walked the area, and didn’t see any signs of animals, so I called the boys and we returned back to camp. I realized we were in a very rugged area. On our walk down I mostly traversed getting down. I took my time getting down selectivity choosing my path. It was a good work out.

It is 5:15 pm with a thin layer of clouds. The temperature has cooled down. The warmth of the evening fire feels good.

The morning was spent writing until 12:15 pm, then fixed breakfast, sharpened the axe, did some quiet observing, chopped wood, and gathered water, and did a small amount of video. Overall it was a good day.

The boys and I heard some noise in the woods, and I thought maybe it was hikers? It may have been grouse? Grouse have amazing vocabulary with the many sounds it makes talking to each other from a distance. It is a joy listening to them.

Evening Entry

At 6:00 pm, the skies are clear once again. And cooling off to 50 deg. After taking the boys on their evening walk I heard the grouse in the same direction but further away. We then heard another grouse responding with calls, and this one was coming just behind our camp about 20 feet away. And then two others followed. They walked to the spring and then turned back into the forest. I then saw them walking on a downed log near camp at the meadow. They would have made an easy target. But I was enjoying them so much, I didn’t want to shoot them, but just in enjoying their company.

Then here comes the other grouse coming to meet the three, while talking with each other. This was our evening with the grouse family. I am finding it being more enjoyable watching, and listening to wildlife, then ending their life. I have food, so I don’t have to take a life by killing for food.

September 9, 2018 – Sunday – Day 6

We got up at 8:15 am. It was 52 deg. The skies were somewhat overcast.

Last night when we were in bed, we heard the bull elk making it’s loud bugling sounds from where we hiked to yesterday afternoon. Then we heard the sounds from a distance. It could have been a different bull elk.

This morning we took our walk towards Black Lake. We arrived at the first small meadow, then a second one, then reached an unused camp. I saw some of the trail markers that Dick had used to mark the trail that led to the camp. I also saw markers to the right side. Some made no sense to me. We took the right side of the meadow that took us to the camp. On the way back we took the other trail that crossed the meadow and led to the main trail that we took walking in. At one point the trail did disappear on the right in heavy brush, and I had to guess where the trail might continue. I will have to bring the map and marking tape next time.

On the way back I saw Nanook in a boggy pond getting covered in mud. It was about 2 feet deep. Once he got out, Takota jumped in. They both came out muddy and smelling like a bog. Takota’s got his face covered in the muddy water, and he looked like a wolf. I was hoping they wouldn’t get stuck in the muddy bog where I would have to rescue them? They did enjoy playing in the mud.

Back at camp the boys were sniffing in the meadow next to camp flushing out the grouse one by one, and I went to the huckleberry patch for a fill of berries. The grouse flew down the hill just a short distance below camp. After a short while they were communicated with each other then came back to the meadow. I did hear other grouse on our walk this morning.

While we take our short walks, I take my time to feel the trail and the area, and getting to know it. That is part of the excitement with exploring the area, as with the critters we may encounter. If one gets off the trial and is not paying attention, it would be easy to get disoriented out here. I would like to go to Black Lake, maybe in a day or two. I will take a pack with some emergency gear. Or maybe check out the other areas in the opposite direction towards the Nub. I also want to tag with tape the areas better towards Black Lake. We actually haven’t seen any birds, but flashes of them, or hearing them with the exception of the grouse.

It is 12:00 pm and it is starting to cloud up, but does not look like rain. Weather is important in paying attention to here, and being aware of what it is doing.

I didn’t really feel like making breakfast this morning. But I thought I would for the boys.

I had a little stomach upset probably from the tomato sauce I had with dinner last night. I brought some apple cider vinegar with us, so I will have some of that to see if it helps. Today I will clean my 20 ga shotgun, sharpen my knife, and do some reading on trees.

The weather is beginning to clear up.

Although it has been getting colder at night, I have been staying warm with my 20 deg sleeping bag, and if needed, my wool blanket. Dick told me there is a 20 degree difference here, but we have been having pretty comfortable weather here.

Evening Entry

It was a beautiful day today, partly cloudy.

It is 5:00 pm. We had a quiet and peaceful day.

The boys are fed, and I am about to eat. I am about to do a check-in with Dick, and a confirmation on our resupply day.

September 10, 2018 – Monday – Day 7

This morning I thought I was hearing tree squirrels making a bunch of noise, but I think it was actually the grouse making the noise. Last night and this morning I heard the elk from a distance away, deep down in the valley below, sending out it’s mating calls.

The boy’s and I headed for an evening walk at 8:15 am. The trails here are about 10” to 12” wide. We walked for about a mile then we turned around. Back at camp the mountain breezes were kicking up giving a chill in the air. It is partly cloudy.

After picking my morning bag of huckleberries, I got coffee going. It is quiet here with an occasional bird calling, and the sound of the wind moving through the trees.

This sound of the wind through the trees can have a calming effect if one really listens to it.

I did bring some long johns, and heavier pants and shirts for colder weather. I am prepared for colder weather, but not for a bad snow storm if one hits us unexpectedly.

I was reading a book about a forest rangers life in these parts, and the weather can turn bad anytime. So it will be a good idea to leave on the 24th of this month. I would hate for us to get stuck up here. I would imagine the trail we took up would be very dangerous in snowy conditions going up or down, and maybe even impassable. Hopefully we will continue getting nice weather up to our departure day. I wouldn’t mind a little dusting of an inch or so, and the boys would love it.

It would be nice to have a fire this evening, but the wind is still pretty brisk.

We still have not seen much wildlife here, only heard them. It seems this might be another disappointing trip for observing wildlife. But one never knows when they will present themselves, as did the pack of wolves in our first camp in the backcountry. It was a little nerve racking because I was concerned about how they would react to my dogs, but it worked out well. And it was a magical moment in nature for me to be so close to these incredible creatures of the wild, although I didn’t get to see them. Seeing moose would be incredible, but a bad time, and dangerous in the rutting season, or the majestic elk, or the mountain goat. But even getting to hear them in nature is magical. At least for me. I try not to expect, and just be in the present moment. So far, I am not tired of this place, or the experiences we have had. I have a saying, “When one doesn’t expect, one will never be disappointed.” Just being in the present, nature can show us so much of her beauty, awe and wonder. There is a balancing act when bringing dogs out into nature and seeing wildlife. Wild life will tend to keep their distance, or some will attract the dogs if chased. If one does not want to see wildlife, bring barking dogs or let the dogs chase wildlife away. The nice thing about the boys is, they don’t bark, and if I know wildlife is near, I will tie the boys up. I have also learned, if one keeps a quiet camp, and becomes part of the area, they may not see you as being a threat. Animals will become more present around a camp, and feel more comfortable. And these are the magical moments that can occur. It is us humans that create most of the noise in nature.

When I find I am too much in my head, I feel uneasy in those times. But if I allow myself to be silent, to feel my surroundings deeply, I feel a peace, and nature becomes a magical place to experience. This is why I prefer to go out into nature alone.

It is 11:20 am and it is time for breakfast.

I wasn’t able to contact Dick yesterday, so I will call him again today. We will just hang out in camp today. We will get our resupply on Wednesday. I wouldn’t mind staying here longer if I had the money to prolong this trip. But I would also be concerned about the weather in October, or even in late September.

Afternoon Entry

I went to get some water from the spring, and stop to pick some huckleberries. I looked in a different area, focused on the berries. When I looked up to head for camp, I couldn’t see the camp or my big tent. I was looking in the wrong direction of my camp, and being totally disoriented to where I was in the thick forest. I quickly got oriented to land marks, and headed in the direction of our camp. I could have also howled to the boys to find the right direction to camp. The point is, it is really easy to get disoriented and lost in the wilderness if one is not paying attention to where they are in relationship to camp at all times. It is a good idea for everyone in a camp party to have a warning device, such as a whistle to tell your party that you may be lost.

I have noticed with the huckleberries that they pick up the flavor in the berries with the environment they are in. This is probably with other types of berries as well.

I have noticed there is another type of berry in the area that is plentiful, and it is the black elderberry. There are a bunch of the plants very near our camp. A good source of nutrients rich in vitamins A, C, calcium, potassium, and iron.

All the trees in my area are the Western hemlock, but for some fir.

I got a confirmation tonight that our resupply is on schedule for Wednesday.

The beauty of the clouds are rolling in and out like the oceans waves.

September 11, 2018 – Tuesday – Day 8

It was a bit chilly in the night and a little cold in the sleeping bag.

We have clear skies with a temperature of 48 deg at 8:15 am when we got up. It is still 48 deg at 10:15 am. As far as I know, it was quiet during the night from any creatures. They were not disturbed by our presents here. The birds were active on this beautiful morning. We went for a short walk and made a stop at the huckleberry patch. Nanook and I were picking the berries. Nanook is getting quite good at gathering them. And he sees me with a bag full of huckleberries, and begs for me to share with him.

It will be nice getting our resupply of food. I am looking forward to getting my protein bars. It is a nice snack food to have up here.

Last night I had a bad dream that everything I got in my resupply was wrong.

Today I noticed some birds enjoying the huckleberries as well. I am not sure of the species of bird. I think the grouse are also enjoying their fill.

The clear skies are turning into possible rain clouds. The dark clouds are floating by us. It may be iffy if we get any rain.

I may have to cut down on my coffee. I am not sure if I will have enough for the rest of my time here.

It seems a lot of my focus here is eating those delicious huckleberries. I have forgotten about the blueberries. The most popular between the two is the huckleberry by far. Nanook would have to vote for the huckleberry as well. I read that the huckleberry leaves, and dried berries make a healthy tea. It seems like the grouse are enjoying feeding on the huckleberries as well. With the abundance of these tasty morsels of huckleberries, I am surprised I haven’t seen any bears around. Maybe the boys presence are keeping them away? I thought for sure the bears would be feeding on the berries around here for their winter fat stores.

I picked some leaves of the huckleberry and made a tea. It was okay, but I am sure it was a healthful drink.

I was hoping we would see snowshoe hare around for a game food, but haven’t had any luck seeing any. I am sure the boys would spot them right off if they were around. As for grouse, if I did shoot a grouse for a meal, it would be near camp. It would be too easy to lose them in the thick brush in this area. Squirrel is also a possible game animal. Unfortunately, I am starting to enjoy having the company of these critters around. The grouse have a family here. I would hate to break up a family by killing one.

One of the birds I hear could be a jay or a woodpecker. It is hard to see any birds in the forest canopy.

It is 12:42 pm and I definitely feel the coolness is in the air. The signs winter is nearing, although it is only 46 deg out.

I haven’t mentioned the mosquitoes much, but they are still here, and being the irritates that they are. Not many yellow jackets around.

I just heard an elk calling in the distance. Even if we can’t see the creatures in the forest, the sounds gives a sense that we are among natures – that nature is alive and well.

Afternoon Entry

It is 1:44 pm. I decided to get a fire going to take a bit of the chill away that is in the air. And giving warmth to my body on this cold day. We have been burning all hemlock, and it is a nice wood to burn.

We have seen a marten on the trail in the past couple of days that catches the boys attention and mine. I then saw the huckleberry bushes moving and wondering if the marten is also enjoying the tasty berries.

I haven’t been sleeping with the sleeping bag liner since we have been here. It might be time to use it to add some additional warmth.

Ferns next to trail path

September 12, 2018 – Wednesday – Day 9

I slept well and stayed warm with the liner through the night.

I woke up at 3:00 am with Nanook snoring next to me. I gave him some loving rubs. Looking outside through my tent window, the stars were out. I felt a peace and calmness within. I had some crazy dreams before I awoke at this early hour of 3:00 am. But I felt good, and relaxed, and at peace with myself. Sometimes I don’t experience these crazy dreams during the night. Maybe it is having Nanook beside me? When I was young, but not too young, I had learned to play with my dreams. I had dreams in color, I had dreams that I was flying at will. I had dreams where I was the watcher of the dreams, One dream I had in the early morning was so vivid that when I woke from it I was not ready to stop dreaming and fell back into that dream to continue the story. And other dreams strangely enough, I had dreams I would be getting into fights and always being the victor of these fights. These fights were always in self defense. The few fights I did get into were always in self defense. And I never got the worst of it. Some of these dreams I had were awakening dreams – dreams that had awakened my spirit within.

We got up at 8:15 am, and the clouds began moving in. The temperature was 46 deg.

We took a short walk, and returning to camp I got some water at the spring, then started the coffee perking and a fire going.

11:38 am, I tried to call Dick on the radio with no response. I expect him to be here around 12:00 to 1:00 pm. We started to get a few drops coming down and I prepared camp for possible rain. And then we were getting blue sky and clouds. Then the sun was out warming the day. Although it is now 50 deg, the warmth of the sunshine feels good.

I fixed breakfast for the boys, and will get mine going very soon.

One thing the boys are good at is letting me know if people are coming, or if critters are around. I am sure they will hear the horses before I do, if they come. They don’t bark, but gives me body language if they are alert to something.

When we are in the backcountry I am always alert to forest fires. And hopefully we don’t get caught in one.

Afternoon Entry

Dick did arrive at 1:00 pm sharp. It took two pack animals for our resupply. I am amazed it costs so much more getting packed in in Idaho, then it does in California. Almost three times as much. This trip cost me close to $2,700 so far. Dick seemed to have gotten everything I requested. Dick and I talked a little bit, then he was on his way.

I got our food packed away, gathered some firewood for tonight and filled the water containers.

Evening Entry

I went for a walk with the boys, and I just followed them. They took a trail that they explore once in a while, and they took off running. I followed them for a bit then turned around back to camp. I called to them to come but they did not respond. I figured they would come back when they were ready, since they were so good at coming back to camp. I was getting a little concerned about them, so I called them again with no luck. I thought I would try howling to them, After a few howls, I saw Nanook trotting up the trail towards me, Then Takota following behind, with a look on his face, saying, “What’s up?“ I was always happy to see them coming back to me. When I howled, they were back with me in 5 minutes. Maybe howling works better than calling them with a voice command? Before we went on this journey, I would howl to them and thinking I could use it as a command for them to come if we got separated. This is the first time I tried it, and it seemed to work. Once we were together again, we headed back to camp for dinner. The feeling of gratification I get when I see them coming back to me, just warms my heart. I feel a deep bond with them and I believe them with me.

At 6:00 pm, it is 42 deg.

While getting water, I was thinking our water source that is only a trickle, was a joke, and I was not sure how long it would last. It wasn’t the only water source, but Dick said it was the best. We have not had any issues with water so far. We do have other small springs coming down the hill next to camp, that we could probably use if the one we use goes dry.

September 13, 2018 – Thursday – Day 10

We are all stocked up with food and good to go for the rest of our time here.

We awoke at around 7:00 am, the boys greeted me wanting their loving attention. We got up at 7:45 am. It was 44 deg.

I had all the tent window flaps closed as with the door flap and it kept me nice and warm. The tent we are using is a Cabela’s Big Horn III. It was a nice tent and has served us well in the backcountry.

I wanted to go on a hike going further towards Black Lake. I was thinking about the hike for some reason all during the night. On this hike I wanted to be a little more prepared for the unknown. It wasn’t that the hike was anything special, I just wanted to be a little more prepared because we were going further, but not knowing how much further. I also wanted to mark the trail with colored tape. I brought with me, bear spray, the Spot locator, binoculars, map, a shoulder bag, and my 22 cal rifle, if we see any small game along the way.

With gear ready, I told the boys, “show me the way?” I sometimes direct them, and sometimes they direct me. I have realized they are really good in finding hidden trails in the overgrown brush, and they would wait for me to catch up. The boys love to explore the countryside. Sometimes Takota felt adventurous and he would take the lead, other times Nanook would take the lead. Or they would walk site by side next to me. I would learn later at our winter camp, Tokota was able to read what Nanook was sensing being right next to Nanook, like he was reading Nanook’s mind. That was pretty amazing to me.

While walking the trail I knew where the huckleberries were on the side of the trail, and would grab a snack on the way.

This morning the boys stayed relatively close to me, not wandering too far from me. We took a different trail which is the actual established trail and we did not go through the camp we went through last time. It was a higher trail above the camp. When I was not sure where to go when the trail disappeared, I would watch the boys and just followed them and they would find the trail. Not all the time, but I would say in most cases.

When we were roughly a mile out I noticed the weather. It was completely overcast, but didn’t look like we would get rain for the moment. I decided it might be a good idea to turn around and head back. The boys were close and followed me back.

Back in camp, it is 11:11 am and the sky turned a dark gray, it looked like it could start to rain any time. It is getting chilly out at 41 deg. I have a fire going using only the thick bark of the hemlock. It was nice smelling and it burned well. I got my coffee going, and the boys are waiting for their breakfast of kibble, bacon, and eggs from our new supply of food that we got from yesterday.

We didn’t get far today on our hike, but discovered the trail that will take us to Black Lake. If we didn’t have to bushwhack so much, we would make better ground. Although we are in very rugged country, with a steep mountain landscape, very narrow trails that can quickly disappear into thick vegetation, or walking along side steep mountain slopes, it is beautiful country filled with many forms of life that can easily blend into the landscape without even being seen, or heard. I hope we can explore more of this area. We didn’t encounter any creatures on our walk, only the sounds of the grouse.

The bark of the hemlock is burning good and we have a lot of it in camp. I might as well use it.

I have found myself being more reluctant to hunt any small game. If I don’t need to, unless for a survival situation, I can’t see taking a life.

It is definitely getting colder each day and we did get a little rain, so I decided not to cook breakfast. We took cover in the tent with the rain falling a bit more.

A little earlier before going into the tent, and while they were eating their breakfast, Takota was interested in something on the trail, then Nanook noticed it. I was thinking maybe a moose or elk? I looked down on the trail below, and it was a marten hopping along the trail. All three of us were excited to see this little creature near our camp. It was the first time we got to see one of these beautiful creatures in real life. I am not sure where he came from. It must be near since this is the second time we have seen him or her in the area. It might be attracted to the abundance of huckleberries.

Afternoon Entry

It is 3:35 pm and have been picking some huckleberries for a snack in the light rain we are getting. It is 38 deg. I suppose we could get some light snow. I am prepared for it, with our tent, clothing and warmth of the sleeping bag, liner, and a wool blanket.

The clouds are hanging along the mountain side. It is beautiful here, and peaceful. All is quiet in the forest. I am not too concerned about the weather, with the exception of our departure day and the rugged terrain we have to go through going back. The good thing is we do drop quickly in elevation, so snow might not be much of an issue. I hope?

We are relaxing next to a nice warm fire. It looks like the clouds are clearing out and being replaced with lots of blue sky.

Evening Entry

The temperature is at 37 deg. It should be a cold night. I am sure the boys are enjoying the cooler weather. It is time to button up as they say. It is beginning to get dark at 7:30 pm under the canopy of the hemlock. And that means it is almost time for bed.

September 14, 2018 – Friday – Day 11

I woke up again at 3:00 am after having some dreams.

Last night I took the boys for a short walk before bed to get any business done. Nanook was quick about it. And Takota just took his time. I had their leashes on and Takota seemed to get tangled up in everything, as he does so well. After we were back in the tent, I was looking for my thick wool shocks to wear, and couldn’t find them. I was getting frustrated not being able to find them.

This morning when we were getting up, my pants from yesterday were still wet, so I grabbed a clean pair of pants, and changed all my pockets out into the clean pair of pants. I then thought I had lost my keys, but forgot I had put them in my pants already. I did find my wool socks on a pile of books I had out. I also misplace a screw driver I was looking for last night. And it was where I usually have it. All of that frustration I was experiencing was for not. A pure waste of energy.

As for my socks I couldn’t find, all I had to do is get another pair from my bag, it was no big deal. But I made it a big deal. I apologized to the boys for yelling in frustration. I tend to get angry when I misplace things.

When we left for our walk this morning it was sunny and 47 deg. Another beautiful day in the backcountry. We just did a short walk, then back to camp. I got water, made coffee, started a campfire, then time for breakfast for me and the boys.

During the night it did get cold. I blame it for not having my wool socks on. Now that I know where they are I will have them for tonight, unless I forget where they are again.

The grouse have not been around camp for a few days. Will they come back?

With me, Nanook, the marten, the grouse and the birds, the huckleberries are beginning to dwindle in supply. They will be gone very soon I suspect. I will miss having these flavorful treats.

Takota lost his bandanna on our walk this morning, so we will have to go out today to look for it, and gather some firewood.

September 15, 2018 – Saturday – Day 12

I awoke many times during the night for some odd reason.

Takota and I heard a sound from one of the containers, which means a critter is in our camp. It was about 3:00 am. At first I thought it could possibly be a bear. But a bear would probably be much louder if they smelled food. I thought maybe it is our neighbor the marten. I kinda made sense it is the marten. I just listened to the sounds this creature was making until I fell back into a restful sleep. Takota did the same.

I noticed Takota’s left eye was swollen again this morning. I will have to keep an eye on it. He could have scratched it?

It was 8:00 am when we got up and went for our walk. It was partly cloudy with a temperature of 43 deg.

On our walk I was watching Takota closely, and he seemed to be doing fine. His eye seems to clear up when he is up and about. After our short walk, I made coffee, and got a fire going.

There has been a lot of bird activity going on. I heard grouse in the berry patch across from the spring, but could not see them hidden under the huckleberry bushes. I heard some chirping from the trees, and it was a gray squirrel coming down a tree. It was the first one we have seen.

When I was about to start cooking breakfast, I heard a sound coming from behind me, but couldn’t figure where it was coming from. I then saw the marten about 12 feet from me, running to a tree. I was now only a few feet from him. It climbed up the tree behind our kitchen area. It was making a cooing sound, like a baby. It peeked around the tree trunk to look at us, and when I got too close to it, it gave me a vicious growl of it’s disapproval saying, “Not too close buddy, I am vicious.” I did get some photos, but most of them ended up blurry. The marten must have been our visitor early this morning that we heard.

It eventually climbed down from the tree and scampered off to a different area of the forest. I saw this as a special gift from the forest.

I am not sure if this marten was the same one we saw the other day or not. Maybe a sibling? Either way it was special.

A mushroom I have seen on dead fall is the Red-belt conk I believe. Another common mushroom I have seen in this area with a gray cap and white gills. I have seen two others that I have not identified. We are learning more about mushrooms and how they tie into the forest ecosystem, as with playing an important part of their relationship with the forest. I am gaining a greater appreciation for the fungi world. As with the trees and how they communicate with each other. We are just beginning to learn how everything is tied to each other in this web of life. We once knew this many thousands of years ago, but have forgotten. This is why I feel it is important to learn from the wisdom of the traditional peoples that still remain with the knowing of this knowledge and relationship with the natural world. Then maybe, we who live in the modern day world will stop destroying the very thing that gives life to all life – the four elements, air, water, earth, and fire. As with all life on our planet.

I spotted two gray jays in the huckleberry patch, and two others in the trees. It seems this area is coming alive with the forest creatures. Unfortunately we only have a short time left here. This is why I prefer staying in one spot to learn the area. Most people only stay for a very short time, maybe a day or two. They may see more of the beautiful landscape then we do, but what they do see is only a small glimpse of what is actually there. They only touch the surface, and they don’t experience deeply what is truly there before them. When we can experience nature silently, being still, it allows us to go deeper into this experience within nature, and our relationship with her.

A couple of days ago I did find some fir trees in the area mixed in with the hemlock.

Evening Entry

Today we had off and on clouds and blue skies. It is 5:41 pm, at 50 deg. It feels very comfortable.

I did some video in the meadow today, mostly of me talking about our experiences here.

Takota’s eye looked pretty good through out the most of the day. I gave him Benadryl to see if that helps.

September 16, 2018 – Sunday – Day 13

It was a pretty good night, but got cold at times. When I awoke I was experiencing a little anxiety and couldn’t shake it off, Maybe a little writing in the journal will help.

I have my coffee and a nice fire going. It is 11:00 am, and 46 deg. The sky is overcast, and maybe a chance of rain. I also see blue skies in the distance through the trees.

The coffee, fire and writing in the journal seems to help calm my soul from the anxiety I was experiencing earlier.

For our walk today, I thought we would take the trail a bit further that we came in on in the dark. The trail was very narrow, 10” to 12” wide. We had an up hill side and a very steep down hill side that seemed to have no end to it. We walked maybe a mile and a quarter or so. I was getting tired so I decided we would head back to camp. The boys were ahead of me, so I called them to come. I heard their footsteps following behind me. They both stopped next to me for a moment, then continued on, passing me in a trot heading back towards camp.

I saw Nanook stopped, sitting on the trail overlooking the steep valley below. I didn’t think to much about it. I checked if I could see Takota down where Nanook was looking, and didn’t see anything. I noticed the beautiful plants changing into their Fall colors . So I assumed Takota continued on the trail. They knew the trail so I was not to concerned about it. I thought maybe Nanook was just waiting for me. Nanook and I moved on with Nanook running ahead of me, and assuming to catch up with Takota. I thought they were at the creek, and no boys were around, so I thought they were back at camp. They weren’t in camp, so I called to them and howled to them. I did a few things in camp figuring they would soon be running into camp as they always do. With the boys nowhere in sight I headed back on the trail to look for them. I was calling and howling to them. Shortly I saw Nanook running to me out of breath and panting. I thought Takota would be following behind, and there was no Takota in sight. I was getting concerned. Nanook was thirsty so I took him to the creek for a drink, then went back to camp to see if Takota had returned, and no Takota. We then went back on the trial to find his brother.

We stopped at the place on the trail I met Nanook and I asked Nanook where Takota was? He gave me no indication of where Takota was. Then in a tree next to us, a Steller’s jay was perched on a low branch squawking at me. Was he trying to tell me something? The jay then flew to another branch, and then more squawking at me. I couldn’t make sense of this behavior the jay was displaying. The strange thing is, we hadn’t seen a Steller’s jay for 12 days, and this one was talking to us?

We went to a trail split where I thought Takota may have taken on the other trail, but that was unusual, he would have come back by now. My mind turned to fear that Takota got hurt or lost. The very idea terrified me. Would we be able to find him? He could have been anywhere? I told Nanook again, where is your brother? Go find Takota. I repeated this over and over again to Nanook. We were at the split of the two trails where I can see in both directions of the two trails.

Nanook finally gave me the slightest indication with his ears pointing back to the trail we just came from. I thought he didn’t know, but I went with it. We headed back on the trail, and continued to call Takota.

While walking the trail I thought this couldn’t be right. But I was also thinking that maybe Nanook was actually looking or hearing Takota in the thick brush below while sitting on the trail? Maybe Takota was stuck? I kept calling Takota. Once we were getting close to where I originally saw Nanook on the trail looking down the steep embankment, here comes Takota on the trail, coming towards us. He was so happy to see us and I was very relieved and happy we had found him. Takota cried in joy when we joined together once again. He didn’t seem he was hurt in anyway. He probably just got caught up in the thick brush and the steep slope and was having difficulty getting back up on the trail. I saw it as truly a gift we found him. I was so grateful.

We were back together again. Nanook did good in finding his brother, and with the help of the jay.

On our evening walk, Takota had his head buried in a plant that was in the mint family. I thought maybe this plant was the cause of his eye irritation?

I found my hoodie sweat shirt and put it over my fleece top and stayed nice and warm during the night.

September 17, 2018 – Monday – Day 14

Takota woke up through the night, it seemed he couldn’t get comfortable. He had both eyes shut when he was wandering around the tent. It was the first time he had done that. I was getting concerned about him. I tried to comfort him with rubs and scratches that he seemed to enjoy, and he finally settled down and fell asleep beside me. Maybe he scratched his eyes getting out of the thick brush?

I woke up at 7:15 am, again feeling a bit uneasy. I then focused, my energy on excitement rather than discomfort, and I was quickly able to experience that good energy field within.

While I was still in bed I heard animals in a distance. I thought it may be elk in a lower valley.

We got up at 8:00 am, it was partly cloudy at 42 deg. We took a short walk just below our camp, then returned to camp to get coffee ready, a nice morning fire, and writing in the journal.

It was a beautiful Fall morning, and with that little energy change I made it began the day just right.

Evening Entry

I spent doing a video for a couple of hours after breakfast, then gathered and sawed firewood.

Takota’s eye seems to be better.

The boys and I took a walk in the afternoon, and heard elk bugling.

The day was a good day.

The elk are still bugling this evening.

It is 7:00 pm and 42 deg.

September 18, 2018 – Tuesday – Day 15

This morning we had high thin clouds in the area with the sun showing through. It is 47 deg.

Last night Takota again seemed restless and uncomfortable as he did the night before. I placed my wool blanket on his bed, and that seemed to work. Nanook was lying on the bed next to me. Takota then lied on the tent floor. I had a sense Takota wanted to sleep next to me, so I moved the other bed next to me, and that seemed to work. He slept for the rest of the night.

It seemed at night his eye would cause him the most trouble, then clear up during the morning when we were up and around.

Takota was alert this morning listening to the elk calls. After breakfast I will give him some Benadryl to help his eye.

I called Dick and left a message to see if he could pick us up before the scheduled date of the 24th so I could get Takota’s eye checked out.

During our whole journey thus far, I could not image doing it without the boys. They were a great support system for me.

While I was fixing breakfast for me and the boys, I heard Takota playing with Nanook. Or should I say harassing Nanook, because he knew they were going to have a very tasty breakfast of kibble, bacon and eggs.

Takota and Nanook were both resting after breakfast, but also alert, listening to the sounds all around them. We heard more elk calls echoing deep in the distance of the lower elevations of the valley, and through the woods this morning. What an amazing and magical sound.

Evening Entry

I was spending time playing with the video camera today.

Takota’s energy seems to be high. He was full of piss and vinegar today and this evening. Up the hill above camp the boys were hearing and sniffing the scents of creatures stirring around. Although my human scents can’t always detect them, they are around. The forests are always alive with subtle activity that man cannot hear. We hear, but we don’t here, we see but don’t see. We only see the surfaces of things, because we don’t go deep into our experiences within. We only tend to gloss over these experiences, missing so much that nature provides to us. By just being still, and silent, can we hear the voices in nature.

I found myself rushing through things, trying to get things done. I just need to slow down. There is no rush. We have no dangers we have to deal with, such has fires. It is good though to have these things in the back of the mind if they do happen, and prepare for them the best we can. But most of us don’t. We don’t think it will happen to us.

Daily, I check Takota’s eye. And it usually effects him at night, and clears during the day. I don’t know what to think? All I can do is keep an eye on it.

September 19, 2018 – Wednesday – Day 16

When we went to bed last night, he again seemed a little restless. I got him to lie on his bed, and I gave him loving rubs and scratches, and that got him to relax. He did get up during the night, but quickly lied back down. Each time, I would give him loving scratches, as I would with Nanook being on the other side of me.

At around 7:00 am both boys woke me with loving attention. Just before that Takota went over to Nanook to get some tender loving licks. Usually Nanook would give him a growl, then give in, giving the loving licks, Takota expected.

If I woke to bad thoughts, the boys would always bring a shining light to my morning, as did being in nature.

It is a beautiful sunny day, 47 deg.

We went on our morning walk to the small meadow. I had them off leash, but the stayed close to me and was listening to me. Takota was doing fine and his eye didn’t seem to be bothering him.

I hear the Stellers jay chattering away in a nearby tree.

I looked over to the boys and saw them looking intently at something down at the trail. I thought, maybe an elk or moose, or the little marten? I looked down at the trail, and I could not believe my eyes, it was a lone black wolf sniffing along side the trail. He glanced up at us with a cautious curiosity, but did not seemed too concerned. He just continued sniffing. He had a small white mark on his upper chest. I again wished I had my video camera ready. I grabbed my other camera from the tent and began snapping photos. Unfortunately they were blurry. I am not sure if I was shaking from excitement, or the camera was out of adjustment. The boys were very interested in our new visitor.

Our visitor did not seem threatening, and continued up the hill to the left of our camp, occasionally watching us, then behind our camp when he disappeared into the woods. What an incredible sight to see. It was our first wolf encounter that we got to see.

I am not sure if we will see him again. Will he returned to this area? Probably unlikely. Does it mean more wolves are in the area? I will have to keep a close eye on our surroundings. It is hard telling how wolves will react in a pack in our situation? We only had one experience with a pack of wolves that was not threatening, but them being more curious about us. And what would the boys do if they were off leash and saw a wolf, or pack of wolves in a close encounter? So far our experiences have been non-threatening with wolves. Have we just been lucky?

Much later I talked with a so-called wolf expert from the US Forest Service about our encounter with the pack of wolves in the Sawtooth, and he told me they were probably just curious about us when they came to visit us in camp. It was very interesting how this pack responded to us. They checked us out, and they chose to leave the next morning. Did they leave the area because we were there? Or were they just passing through? These were good lesson for me with the boys on how the wolves responded to us in both situations. I believe if the boys showed aggression towards the wolves by barking, it could have been a different scenario that may have played out. I also believe if we show respect for all creatures in the wild, the outcome will be a good one in many cases. And it does not mean being foolish around wildlife either.

Evening Entry

We have not seen any sign of the lone wolf since this morning. But the boys will be on alert if he comes back.

Takota’s eye seemed to be doing pretty good.

The elk have been active here during the mating season, hearing them call for a mate. It has been part of the experience here for us.

We had a nice fire, and experiencing the cooler weather of Autumn in the high country.

I wonder if we will hear any wolves howling this evening?

September 20, 2018 – Thursday – Day 17

I slept pretty well. Keeping the window openings of the tent closed helped keep the tent a bit warmer. We weren’t having any problems with condensation in the tent for the whole trip. And since the boys enjoy the cold, I try to keep the inside of the tent on the cooler side. Takota seemed to have slept well during the night.

At about 8:00 am the boys came for their loving attention of scratches and rubs by me. This attention always started my morning out right. And then stepping out into nature. There is nothing like it.

The weather looked cold and overcast so we stayed in bed for another hour. When we got up it was 40 deg. We took our morning walk just down the hill and over the trail, making it a very short walk. The boys are always sniffing, and listening to the sounds in nature while on our walks.

The huckleberries are almost gone from our consumption, and the other critters who enjoyed them. I am surprised no bears came through. The Steller’s jay is still squawking near camp. The skies are now clearing up. We occasionally are getting a cold Fall breeze coming through, that always feels refreshing to us. On our walk I was looking down at the ground to see if I could discover any stones carved by man. I did find one that was very crude, but looked like it could have been an arrow head, spear head, or cutting tool probably from the ancient people that were once here. I thought about what it would have been like living with these peoples? I set the stone back on the ground where I found it.

While getting water at the spring I noticed a track in the mud that was possibly a bear track. It may have stayed clear of our camp due to the scent of the boys, if it was indeed a bear.

It is quiet and peaceful in our place in nature.

I forgot to mention, we had a guy and gal backpacking that crossed our camp. I talked to them for a little bit. They came from Black Lake. They said, it was a steep climb from the lake. It would have been nice to check it out, but it was not meant to be. They were the only people we saw up here in this remote area.

I will begin organizing our gear for our departure in two days. I just hope it will be a better ride back to base camp?

I called Dick, and Gary answered. Gary told me Dick can pick us up on Saturday or Monday. I told him Saturday. I also mentioned that I was hoping he would come along to help out.

September 21, 2018 – Friday – Day 18

At 6:00 am, it was a beautiful morning. The boys were quietly sleeping until they heard me saying. “Good morning kids.” They both rolled over at the same time, for their belly rubs. Nanook thumping his tail on the tent floor. Takota let me know he was ready with a whine followed by a yawn.

We got up and went for a nice walk. I gathered some lichen covered branches, and old man’s beard for our morning fire. The sun was rising above the tree covered mountains. It was nice seeing the morning light within the darkness of the forest where we had our camp.

At camp I got the fire going, the coffee perking, I wrote in the journal, and just enjoyed the quiet, and peaceful moments in nature. One of the books I was thinking about writing was on those moments of reflections that I had on our journey.

Afternoon Entry

It was a nice last day sunny day with a nice Fall breeze. The temperature was 58 deg, at 12:05 pm.

I got most of our stuff organized to pack out by late afternoon. The only thing left is the tent and our sleeping things, and I will get that done in the morning. Today I removed the stakes and guy lines of the tent to make it faster taking down the tent. I don’t think I will have to worry about strong winds taking the tent down tonight.

I should have time for breakfast and finishing packing tomorrow before Dick arrives. It will take him sometime to get everything packed up and loaded on the pack animal. I hope he comes early enough so we can head down the trail before dark. We will be doing a lot of walking with the horses due to the steepness and narrowness of the trail. Doing it in the darkness can be dangerous, for us, for the dogs, and for the pack animals. I was concerned about

Takota doing this hike down, with his eye problem.

This was our last backcountry trip, at least for this year. I hope we will have the opportunity to have more. In the back of my mind I thought about our winter camp. I was not ready for it mentally. I hope it will work out with the land owner staying on his property for the full winter?

Overall we enjoyed our stay here. There were some challenges we had to face, like getting up here, Takota getting lost, and is eye problems, but other then that we enjoyed it up here. We had good weather overall. A pretty nice campsite, We got to experience moose, elk, a wolf, grouse, a marten, and some jays. Nanook and I got to feast on an abundance of huckleberries. And it was just nice being up here. We didn’t have to deal with burnt out areas which was nice. And we had no people here. Each of our three backcountry trips offered us different challenges to learn from, as with learning about our relationship with nature.

September 22, 2018 – Saturday – Day 19

This morning it sounded like light rain falling, but it was only the needles of the hemlock falling on the tent. The wind was blowing pretty good this morning that I was not expecting. Even with the guy lines not staked, the tent did not flap around much.

I had a difficult time sleeping with my concerns about leaving today. I did not have much confidence in my Outfitter to get us down safely. I was especially concerned about Takota. Can he make in down on the rough and narrow trail we will be going down on with his eye problem safely? Especially if we have to do it in the dark? Even if everything went well with Takota, will it go smoothly with the packs not slipping and staying firmly on the pack animals? I could only image dealing with this in the dark, having to try and adjust them at night on these steep, and narrow trails we will be on for 4 hours? But nothing is ever certain, dealing with pack animals, heavy packs, and in steep, narrow trails, and in rough mountain country, with steep switch backs, and doing it at night.

We got up at 7:00 am. I had time to finish packing up, and fixing a quick breakfast. A light rain began falling while we were getting ready to leave. Hopefully it remains only a light rain? I had camp completely broken down by 12:00 pm. And then wait for our ride back to base camp to come soon. I figured Dick would arrive in camp by 1:00 or 1:30 pm. They arrived at 2:15 pm. I was not happy with that. I knew we would be doing a good part of the ride back in the dark. I did understand that Dick had a lot of work getting the animals ready, trailered, then getting them to the trailhead. I am glad Gary was there to help, although he couldn’t do too much. He also had to bring my truck with them to the trailhead. Maybe Dick had real help for our trip down.

I wouldn’t be too concerned if we had a better trail to go back on. But we will have serious drop offs to deal with for most of the ride. It will be slow going. And I am really concerned about Takota.

We only had a little light rain in the morning, then the rest of the day was mostly overcast.

We did not get going on the trail until 5:30 pm. I was not happy about leaving so late. We could have cut half that time if Dick brought a well seasoned packer with him to help.

I thought we were taking a different trail heading back, but it was actually the same trail. I didn’t realized it because we arrived in camp at night when we first arrived here. I should have known this if I just looked at the map I had. A bad mistake on my part.

Dick and Gary mounted their horses. I told Dick I would walk my horse for a bit. The first part of the trail was easy. I then let the boys off leash and mounted my horse. She was the same one I rode up on. I was the last one in the pack. I thought if I walked the boys and my horse together, my horse would do better with them. That was not the case. My horse really did not like my dogs. And that is when I let the boys loose, and I got on my horse.

When I let the boys off leash, they were off and running down the trail. Takota seemed to be doing fine with his eye, but we hadn’t hit the toughest part of the trail, and in the dark.

The first part of the trail ride was relaxing and pleasant. I was actually enjoying it. The horses were doing fine and the boys were doing fine. The boys stayed close to me and I was keeping a close eye on them, especially Takota. I wish I remember going up on this trail, because we could have had that as part of our walking trail.

My responsibility was not only watching the boys, my horse, but also watched for any issue with the pack animals in front of us.

The first incident, Gary’s horse did not want to go any further. A familiar pattern with these horses. My horse was doing fine, but she did not like my dog’s flanking her. She got very nervous, and she was ready to kick or bite at them. So I had to keep the boys a safe distance away. I also moved my horse to get her focuses on moving forward and getting out of that defensive stance. This did happen a few times, but nothing bad happened.

Once we reached one section of the trail where it was getting steep, we dismounted and walked the horses. Dick said we would be walking most of the trail off the horses. Things then started to get bad. When Gary dismounted his horse, he fell. His bad knee gave out on him. He luckily did not get hurt. One has to remember this guy is 75 years old. He is still pretty strong for his age, but he is more likely to get hurt doing this. I don’t know what Dick was thinking bringing him along.

Some of the views we had were spectacular with the setting sun dropping behind the mountains.

Dick went through the protocol of riding in the dark. He said, “some people tend to get disoriented at night on the horses. And will fall off their horse.” Luckily I don’t have that problem. I have ridden horses at night and they do pretty well finding their way at night. We had to be careful not to shine our lights in their eyes. We also had to keep a good communication with everyone. That is something Dick seemed to forget. I had some difficulty walking my the horse, on the trail because of my cataract in one eye. I had to take it very slow. The boys were doing great overall, as with the horses. The boys seemed to find their place in front of me, and behind the pack animal that was not at least bothered by the boys. It was the same pack horse the boys followed getting up to camp originally. So things seemed to be working out.

The further we went the more difficult the tail had become. Dick had three pack animals and he was in the lead, Gary was in the middle with three pack animals, and I was drag, or at the end of the pack line.

One thing, and maybe the only thing good about my horse was she was not crowding or pushing me on the trail. Gary’s horse was really bad at that, and on three occasions pushed Gary off the trail which could have been very dangerous. The last time Gary ended up in thick brush on a very steep slope, luckily that stopped him from sliding down further. But making it very difficult getting out of the thick brush and back on the trail in the pitch black darkness. I couldn’t help him because I had no safe place to get to him. I used my head lamp to give him extra light. He did finally get out, but it must have been exhausting for him. Dick allowed himself to get further in front of us making it difficult to communicate with him, and that was really pissing me off.

I then saw one of Gary’s pack horses collapsing on the trail, so we yelled at Dick that a horse was down. He finally heard us and came up to help. I had no idea how serious it was? I told Dick he had to stay closer to us. I am guessing the pack slipped and the horse lost balance. We were lucky the horse fell where he did. If it happened on a steep embankment, that could have been very bad. Dick was able to get the horse up, and we and the horses had no problems for the rest of the ride, with the exception of just being very tired.

I was getting hot, and sweating with all the rain gear I was wearing. I had to start stripping this clothing off. It was getting very uncomfortable. I was also wearing the wrong shoes, (Riding boots) for all the down hill walking, and my feet were getting very sore, and killing me. We finally made it down to the trailhead. We went to my truck, and I put the boys inside so they could rest. I then watched for any traffic to warn them to slow down near the horses and stock trailer while Dick and Gary unloaded the packs, and loaded the horses in the trailer.

We walked most of the trail down and it was exhausting. I have to say, the boys did great under these circumstances.

We did have some moon light to help us out on the trail, when the clouds weren’t covering the moon.

I would have to say it was another ride from hell, but we all made it down safely.

Back at base camp I asked Dick if he needed any help with my gear? And he said, he will cover it up for the night. So the boys and I headed for our tent that was luckily still set up, and crashed for the night.

September 24, 2018 – Monday – back at base camp.

The night was off and on sleep wise, being awaken by the sounds of horse hooves around the tent, and munching on grass. A light rain was also falling off and on through the night. Otherwise me and the boys slept well. I was really proud of the boys for being so well on both our trail rides on this trip, and on our 19 days in the backcountry. They were a pure joy being with and sharing this experience with.

We got up at 8:30 am, it was chilly outside. I took the boys for a walk then headed for the tent cabin for some coffee and burnt pancakes that were prepared by a helper of Dick’s by the name of Rick who likes to talk too much. He should have been named, Gabby.

The day was partly cloudy, but beautiful. Each time we leave for another area, we know it will be in nature. It will be winter soon, right around the corner. A new adventure, but I am a bit concerned about our winter camp.

Takota’s eye was looking good this morning.

I took a well needed shower, got everything packed up. I talked with Gary for a bit before we headed out. I was looking at our next campground and I was looking at the campground near Orofino at the reservoir we camped at before. It would take maybe 4 hours to get to. So we checked out a small campground not to far from here called Aquarius campground on the North Fork of the Clear Water River. It was a short drive to get there. It looked like a nice campground, and quiet. There were only a few campers there. The camping fee was only $5.00 per night. On our way to the campground I saw a bald eagle perched on top of a large rock in the middle of the creek. It would have made a great photo, but I didn’t stop.

It was cloudy with possible rain. I set up our tent then headed for a small town of Pierce about an hour away to get gas, and to the market there for some food. It was a nice drive going through beautiful countryside, showing it’s Autumn colors of reds, oranges, and yellows in it’s landscape. One area that wasn’t so nice, was where the forest was clear cut that scarred the landscape.

At the store, we were able to get real food. I picked up some ham and cheese, beer, bacon and eggs, steak, and chicken.

We encountered a couple of deer crossing the road on our way back to camp.

I was told a small reservoir named Deer Creek Reservoir was a good place for fishing, that was close by, and of course the river we were camping at. When we were at Deer Creek Reservoir, an elk crossed the road in front of us. It was a beautiful sight to see.

Back at camp I wanted to get the boys fed. I picked up some wood near the reservoir for a couple of fires. We had ham and cheese for dinner and a nice evening fire.

The sky is clearing, as with it cooling down. It was a beautiful day in the Idaho mountains. It is also time to set up my rod and reel for some fishing.

Tonight I was noticing Takota’s eye was not looking good.

To be continued in Part 20