BSA T586 1st Backpacking Trip
Its been a crazy adventure trying to get these boys out for their first backpacking trip, but it happened! And I am sooo grateful that it did. Our original plan was to go out to Ecola State Park and hike that area enjoying the beach and offer up plenty of options of trails and sleeping options. But, it turned out that Hood to Coast was happening at the same time, and they were ending their walk/run the same time we were scheduled to show up. Which meant we wouldnt find any parking, and it would take HOURS to get there on top of our 2 to 3 hour drive. Not ideal for such a short trip. So...we decided on a different location.
OPAL Creek! Let me just say that this trip has been on my bucket list for years, but has never worked out for numerous reasons, mainly because it is such a short hike.
Check out this video about Opal Creek.
Well, though it was short for hiking, it worked out great for backpacking. Especially for our first backpacking trip that we wanted to make sure fit some important needs for the boys,
Well, Opal Creek met all that, for sure.
We hit the trail at 10:30am and took off to about the 2.5mile mark where we ran across a big bridge. We were unsure which way we wanted to go from here, as our book, and our map didnt show the trails as they were. Thats ok, were all about adventure, right? So since we knew that Jawbone Flats was up the road a little bit further we thought we would take that route to a camping spot. Jawbone Flats is only another half mile, so it worked great for lunch.
Enjoying a few stops along the way at different equipment sites, you could really get the feel of Jawbone Flats as the Mining Camp it once was. This town mined Copper, Zinc, Silver and Lead and was quite thriving in its time, now the population is 12 and accommodates travelers with the option of renting cabins.
After lunch we headed up the trail and over to Opal Pool. We took a few detours, as we thought we might find our camp first. It turned out that the camping was on the other side of the river from where we came up, so we went back to Opal Pool. Crossed the bridge, went to the right and scouted for a camping spots. There are definitely lots to chose from, but from the advice we were given, we were lucky we got there early, as they fill up fast. So fast, that even with our start, there were only two spots left, and one that would work for us.
So after 4miles of hiking, we set up camp, made dinner, refueled up water, and enjoyed an evening of going over Backpacking Merit Badge requirements.
Route alternatives. If you are interested in setting up camp first, cross the bridge at the 2.5 mile mark, find a camp spot. You can always check out Jawbone flats on a side tour or a day trip.
Another option is to keep going up the trail from Jawbone Flats to the left and head up to Beechie Saddle, or
pass Opal Pool and keep heading up Battleaxe...lots of options in this area. I highly recommend grabbing a map of the area and finding out where you want to go. Lots and lots of options.
That being said, we did find out that Opal Creek Trail does end, and does not make it up to Opal Lake. As of this point, I am not sure if you can find a way to Opal Lake without driving.
The next morning, we had a slow start, but eventually we got off to Opal Pool where Dylan, one of our fearless leaders took the plunge, and one of the boys, Dallas got in the pool. Their verdict? Its cold!! After a short stay at the pool, we took off back towards camp where we played on the natural water slide, here quite a few boys decided to enjoy the activities of sliding. Including Dylan, Dallas, Ethan, Mannis, and Minogue.
The final verdict?! They love Opal Creek. After the slide we went back to camp, where we were already running late (I mean really, who wanted to leave? We just got started) we quickly packed up camp, opted out of lunch, and hit the trail to head back to the the car. On the way back, the boys decided that we must come back with the whole troop. Which meant car camping. We decided to split up when we got back to the Trail head, and one group would scout for a camp ground, while the other car would head home.
Turns out that their are not an camping spots, that we found, that were reservable. There are plenty of camp grounds, of which big groups could fit into, but....its first come first serve. Its a risk, but totally doable.
**From here down is all about gear and food.
During this trip was a great opportunity to learn alot about backpacking, which was fairly new to all of us. Though most of us have a great Hiking background, only one of us had ever been backpacking before. Plus, we had a lot of new gear to try out.
One of the most exciting pieces of gear to try out was the hammocks. None of us had ever slept in them before overnight, so this was a great chance to try. All of us had different types to try out with lots of different reviews. Some of us have taken naps in them, and new the basics of it, but we had a great time trying to figure out the basics of setting them up, working with bug shields and rain flys. I personally love my hammock, and am grateful, because they are perfect for light weight backpacking. Advantages with sleeping in a hammock.
Food Reviews coming soon.
Check out this video about Opal Creek.
Well, though it was short for hiking, it worked out great for backpacking. Especially for our first backpacking trip that we wanted to make sure fit some important needs for the boys,
- Short hike (2 to 8 miles)
- since this is their first time experiencing this kind of weight.
- and learning how to pack their pack for comfort.
- And because we wanted this to be enjoyable.
- and in case of any injuries, it was a quick out.
- Enjoyable! Not only did we want to this to be an experience of backpacking, but we really wanted to show the boys that their are sites and beauty and adventure out there that they can not find on just your average hike. This is adventure, and its fun!
- Tree's - shouldnt be too hard, right? As we have hammock campers.
- a 1000ft EG so it could meet a Camping Requirement, as well.
 |
| At the Trail Head |
We hit the trail at 10:30am and took off to about the 2.5mile mark where we ran across a big bridge. We were unsure which way we wanted to go from here, as our book, and our map didnt show the trails as they were. Thats ok, were all about adventure, right? So since we knew that Jawbone Flats was up the road a little bit further we thought we would take that route to a camping spot. Jawbone Flats is only another half mile, so it worked great for lunch.
Enjoying a few stops along the way at different equipment sites, you could really get the feel of Jawbone Flats as the Mining Camp it once was. This town mined Copper, Zinc, Silver and Lead and was quite thriving in its time, now the population is 12 and accommodates travelers with the option of renting cabins. After lunch we headed up the trail and over to Opal Pool. We took a few detours, as we thought we might find our camp first. It turned out that the camping was on the other side of the river from where we came up, so we went back to Opal Pool. Crossed the bridge, went to the right and scouted for a camping spots. There are definitely lots to chose from, but from the advice we were given, we were lucky we got there early, as they fill up fast. So fast, that even with our start, there were only two spots left, and one that would work for us.So after 4miles of hiking, we set up camp, made dinner, refueled up water, and enjoyed an evening of going over Backpacking Merit Badge requirements.
Route alternatives. If you are interested in setting up camp first, cross the bridge at the 2.5 mile mark, find a camp spot. You can always check out Jawbone flats on a side tour or a day trip.
Another option is to keep going up the trail from Jawbone Flats to the left and head up to Beechie Saddle, or
pass Opal Pool and keep heading up Battleaxe...lots of options in this area. I highly recommend grabbing a map of the area and finding out where you want to go. Lots and lots of options.
That being said, we did find out that Opal Creek Trail does end, and does not make it up to Opal Lake. As of this point, I am not sure if you can find a way to Opal Lake without driving.
The next morning, we had a slow start, but eventually we got off to Opal Pool where Dylan, one of our fearless leaders took the plunge, and one of the boys, Dallas got in the pool. Their verdict? Its cold!! After a short stay at the pool, we took off back towards camp where we played on the natural water slide, here quite a few boys decided to enjoy the activities of sliding. Including Dylan, Dallas, Ethan, Mannis, and Minogue.The final verdict?! They love Opal Creek. After the slide we went back to camp, where we were already running late (I mean really, who wanted to leave? We just got started) we quickly packed up camp, opted out of lunch, and hit the trail to head back to the the car. On the way back, the boys decided that we must come back with the whole troop. Which meant car camping. We decided to split up when we got back to the Trail head, and one group would scout for a camp ground, while the other car would head home.Turns out that their are not an camping spots, that we found, that were reservable. There are plenty of camp grounds, of which big groups could fit into, but....its first come first serve. Its a risk, but totally doable.
**From here down is all about gear and food.
During this trip was a great opportunity to learn alot about backpacking, which was fairly new to all of us. Though most of us have a great Hiking background, only one of us had ever been backpacking before. Plus, we had a lot of new gear to try out.One of the most exciting pieces of gear to try out was the hammocks. None of us had ever slept in them before overnight, so this was a great chance to try. All of us had different types to try out with lots of different reviews. Some of us have taken naps in them, and new the basics of it, but we had a great time trying to figure out the basics of setting them up, working with bug shields and rain flys. I personally love my hammock, and am grateful, because they are perfect for light weight backpacking. Advantages with sleeping in a hammock.
- Light weight gear. Not much to it, and takes up very little room in your pack. & no poles!
- No hard surfaces to sleep on.
- You still receive the ability to keep dry with a rain fly, and no bugs with netting.
- Also serves as a chair, when set up correctly.
- Not the easiest place to change your clothes.
- Air travels under your hammock, so unless you have an air mattress and/or an undercover, a hammock can be a little cold outside of your sleeping bag.
- You have to have a tree to set it up. Unless you bring poles, which defeats the purpose of lightweight.
- You will be sleeping on your back and wont necessarily be flat. You can sleep on your side, as well.
Food Reviews coming soon.
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