Deschutes River Backpacking

What an awesome weekend! I went with five other women on an overnight, 22-mile backpacking trip along the Deschutes River in eastern Oregon. 

My backpack weighed 48 pounds (FORTY-EIGHT POUNDS!!). Saying it was “heavy” on this trip was an understatement. Our packs ranged in weight from 23 pounds (seriously??) to my 48 pounds (the closest to mine was 42 pounds so I really wasn’t that off the chart). I clearly don’t have the newest, latest, greatest, and lightest backpacking gear and I really need to learn to pack less but I am always fearful I will need something if I don’t bring it. Are four jackets (a rain coat, a wind breaker, a light puffy and a heavyweight puffy) really too much?? What about three different types of gloves (I can’t imagine the thought of my hands getting cold!)?? haha A hoodie… smart wool… stocking cap… extra socks … the list goes on and on … and the weight goes up and up! Yes, I need to pack less. Regardless, I have been able to handle the weight – although it would be nicer to have less of it – and I always consider the heavy pack as “good training”.

It was beautiful, sunny and hot the first day. The heat combined with the weight on my back had my feet tired and burning up. I knew pretty early on that my boots must be wearing out because I could feel the rocks under my feet like they were coming through the soles. At 8.5 miles we stopped so a couple of us could inspect our feet and sure enough, I had blisters. Multiple ones. My boots have never given me blisters before so this reconfirmed my belief that it was time for a new pair. We doctored up and carried on.

We set up camp at Mile 10 in a grassy area close to the river. The wind was blowing and it had cooled down quite a bit. I was very thankful to get that heavy pack off of my back. We gathered up what we each needed for dinner and walked another mile down the trail to eat at an old barn.

After dinner we walked the mile back to camp and sat around sharing stories and laughing until dark. It became cold quickly once the sun went down so we retreated to the warmest place available… our sleeping bags. I have learned to really enjoy having a tent to myself and I’m not as frightened by it as I once was. Having this alone time is so nice after a long day of hiking. I curled up in my bag and let my mind wander. I thought about how different my life is, how fortunate I am to have found friends and groups like this one to hike with, and how lucky I am to be able to physically do it. I feel truly blessed.

It rained a little during the night and the sky was full of clouds when we got up. We hoped the predicted rain would hold off until we made it back to the trailhead but no such luck. The rain wasn’t bad but enough that we had to wear our rain gear. The 10 mile hike out was painful and difficult on my feet, which were tired and covered in blisters – six of them to be exact. Two other women in the group also had blisters. As a result, we took our time and enjoyed the beauty.

It was a fantastic weekend! My boots have been great and have carried me over many, many miles - I loved these boots! - but they are worn out and tired themselves.  It is time for a new pair.