Out with Kris

 Backpacking McKenzie River 2026 Who: Angie Johnson and I What: Backpacking/Hiking  When: Memorial Day weekend 2026 - May 22nd through 24th Where: McKenzie River, Breitenbush, and Clear Lake We started our trip by parking at the Tamolitch pool TH Friday night. The beauty is there was no one there, so parking was nice. If you have ever been during the weekend during the day, the parking goes all the way out to the street and down both sides.  To say the least, this parking situation was a dream.  To add a little bit of clarity to this hike, I am coming off a knee injury that has limited my hiking for the last year, and my first backpacking trip in over a year. This is Ang's first backpacking trip ever, so all will be a learning experience. I personally thought this was a great beginner's trip. Friday night, we threw on our packs and hiked south 2.39 miles to one of my favorite spots and arrived in the dark. I forgot my headlamp, but thankfully Ang had one, so it all w...