Look for Alaska - Days 13-18 - Alaska Begins

Day 13 - For our final day in the Yukon we did a little hiking in the canyon and poked around town for a while. Then we came home and watched Jumanji while eating nachos and tortilla soup. 

Tomorrow we are headed back to the United States to a town called Tok, AK (pronounced Toke). I have been warned about this town by my cousin. He said it gives him a bad vibe. I tried to take it off the itinerary but there is a campground where they do a Sourdough Pancake toss every night and Jessica, for some weird reason, is obsessed with seeing it. 

Speaking of my cousin - He did this drive alone in an old Chrysler back in his early 20s. Then he spent a year in Alaska working at a fishery cleaning fish. After this trip I have a new respect for what he did that year. He has balls. Colin, I got mad respect for you

Day 14 - 60 Miles. That's how far we were from Alaska when our uneventful journey started giving us problems. It was like the Alaska Highway was saying "Not so fast, Yums. We have unfinished business..."

The day started with frost heaves. Lots of them. And just so we are clear it started and ended with frost heaves with no breaks in the middle. I'd be cruising along at 50 MPH and BAM...suddenly it felt like we were jumping huge waves in a speed boat. The hitch occasionally banging on the ground and everyone on the car grabbing onto their seats. For the large potholes and frost heaves they have orange flags sticking out of the side of the road. They were everywhere. The road was a mess! 

In between these sudden hills and drop offs there were construction zones. The kind where you had to wait 15 minutes for a pilot car to come and guide you through a rutted, rocky, muddy road with construction vehicles moving all around you. As the construction zones became more frequent, people started shutting off their cars and getting out to stretch. The waits were agonizing. 

At one such stop the guy behind me started to pass me when the pilot car came to get us. I said to Jessica, "what is this asshole doing?" And he yelled as he went past "YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE!"

The road had become so bumpy that I didn't even notice one of my trailer tires was as flat as a pancake. I pulled over, rolled the front tire on some blocks and went for my spare kit. Luckily we found a nice turnout next to a lake and the family got to stretch out while I changed the tire. 

I surprised myself with how quick I changed that sucker. I tossed the tools in the bag, not concerned with packing them away neatly like they'd been, and hopped in the truck. Ready to roll I remembered...I'm in a construction zone and I have to wait for a pilot car to guide me out...suddenly a southbound pilot car appeared with a line of cars behind it. So we sat and waited forever for it to turn around and come back. Onward north! 

We crossed the border shortly after and celebrated our gas purchase at $3.65 a gallon. I know, not cheap, but HALF the price of Canadian gas. We are it Tok, Alaska in a really nice RV park that I mentioned before. A few things are a miss. Some wiring got knocked loose, our stuff was scattered ALL OVER the camper and our rig is covered in a sheet of dried mud...but we made it. We survived the Alaska Highway. 

Day 15 - The pancake toss was interesting. It was everything you'd expect of such an event. You throw a pancake and if you can get it in the bucket you win free breakfast. Then there was Tim, the campground owner. 

Tim is a bearded, bald guy with a sharp tongue and a fantastic sense of humor. He plays with audience members the way a magician or hypnotist does, minus all the cheesy jokes. He's just an Alaska dude, originally from Arizona, who knows how to take jabs at people while still keeping it fun and not causing any permanent damage. Make no mistake - Tim IS the show. 

He started by rounding up all of the people standing around the perimeter, the people who were trying to get away with being inactive participants. He made a point to embarrass all of them and give them nicknames. 

Then he went around the ENTIRE pavilion and had each person introduce themselves - name, where they're from, how many miles they've traveled. It made me realize we were among people like us. People who have driven thousands of miles, slept in weird places, skipped showers and got oil changes in tiny Canadian towns. The introduction took the better part of an hour yet there was never a dull moment. Tim facilitated some good conversation and this room of strangers became friends. 

Now, the rules are simple, like I said. Pancake in the bucket = free breakfast. However, there are a few nuances that also need to be adhered to. The person tossing the pancake must yell "READY!" Before each throw which cues the audience to start clapping and yelling "BUCKET! BUCKET!" If you fail to clap and yell at this point you WILL be singled out and brought on stage and embarrassed. The first throw is a practice shot. The second is the money shot. It's NOT as easy as it looks.

We each took our turns at different times. I failed and Jessica failed. Jessica also got called out for not clapping at one point and she is extremely shy so I enjoyed watching her public shaming. Sammy failed BUT he didn't even want to go up there until a woman bribed him with a dollar so you can't call that a fail. Noah was one of the first people to go and he totally nailed it. He was the only kid to do it and one of only a few people overall who made a pancake in the bucket. 

Noah saved me money on breakfast, Sam earned $1, Jessica got her chops busted. The night was a success. Come to Tok. Camp at Sourdough. 

Pancake Toss Winners! 

Day 16 - Gave the bikes a good cleaning and tune up today. Also tied up some urgent maintenance with the RV (including repairing the flat tire I swapped out the other day). Afterward we took a family bike ride to town. 

We played at the Tok school where they have a surprisingly modern and fun playground. 

These bugs are EVERYWHERE. 

Afterwards we ate Thai food at a small food truck in town. It was actually super good thai food. The meal wasn't without issues. Jessica got a FLAT TIRE on her bike when we pulled up. So we repaired ANOTHER flat. Again, we were prepared. 

On the way back we stopped to see Hugh Neff of Iditarod fame do a talk / demo about dog sledding. He had his dog, Walter, named after Walter Payton, there with him and he was fun to listen to. It was pretty informal. He talked candidly about being a professional musher while Walter walked around the room receiving pats on the head. 

After a fun day we biked back, packed in our stuff and turned in. Tomorrow we have a long haul to the Alaska interior. 

Day 17 - Frost heaves. Again. I guess it's just the name of the game when you're this close to the arctic circle. 

We drove through Anchorage today and it was very flat and ordinary. Almost disappointing. Then we drove highway 1 along he cook inlet and things got AWESOME. Mountain peaks shooting from the water and bright green vegetation everywhere. 

We are in the Kenai Peninsula in a town called Cooper Landing. The RV park is nothing special but this is just our home base for the next 2 weeks. We plan to venture out and get into trouble in true Yum fashion. 

Day 18 - We took it easy today. We slept in, ate breakfast, then headed off on foot to explore this resort. 

The RV Park we are staying at is on the same property as the Kenai Princess Lodge which is owned by Princess Cruise Lines. They use the resort as a jumping off spot for people who take excursions in Alaska. These "excursions" are basically sterilized versions of real adventures that rich people pay for and in between they stay in high end lodges or cabins on this property. 

I am not complaining though because we have access to a bar, restaurant, lodge, gift shop, shuffle board, horseshoes, hiking trails and a hot tub. 

We had some afternoon beers and some fancy lunch, hiked all of their trails and poked around the property amongst retired people in straw hats. Then we said good bye to the tour bus crowd and retired to the RV ghetto down the hill. If only these yuppies knew they were sharing their resort with us shady folks...

Look for Alaska - Days 7-12 - The Alaska Highway

Day 7 - we are in the bush. This is BY FAR the most remote wilderness I have ever driven through. Instead of gas stations along the route they have these fuel stops that look like shipping containers and they are totally self serve. You go through a door in the back and swipe your card. Then you go outside and operate the pump. The whole thing is very unusual. I think they're called "Card Locks" and the gas is super expensive. 

So, the Alaska Highway is NOT paved the entire way. In fact, there are spots where you are following a bumpy dirt road and it splits in two with no signs directing you. If you go SLOW you can see where all the tire marks are and following the path becomes easier. You don't really want to speed anyhow because curves, hills, potholes and wildlife are abundant and if you're going 65 with a 7000lb trailer hooked to your ass, you're gonna have problems. I have been cruising along at 50mph most of the day. It's exhausting but you can't beat the scenery. 

Sometime in the early afternoon we arrived in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Ho-Ly-Shit. That's all I can say. It literally made my heart beat faster seeing summit lake and stone mountain from a winding, 2 lane highway that has no business being in such a pristine and otherwise inaccessible wilderness. 

We are camped out at Liard River Hot Springs. There is a short boardwalk from our campground that leads to the springs. It's 100 degree water...which sounds awfully inviting after driving in the chilly rain all day. When I was filling my fresh water tank I met a retired couple from Grand Rapids on their way to Alaska. They asked where I was from and I told them the Detroit suburbs. Then the woman said, "Hey, that's where our dogs are from. We got them from a dog breeder in a city called St Clair Shores." 

Small world 

Day 8 - There is something about standing in a hot spring in the pouring rain that makes you feel one with nature. You're not running for shelter or waiting for the rain to pass. You're just taking it all in. Every last bit of it. 

I met a European couple today. They were standing in front of the camp "store" across the street with discouraged looks on their faces. I could tell they were on a long cycle tour based on the amount of gear they were hauling on their bikes. It turns out they were expecting the "store" and "restaurant" to have food and groceries. The problem with the Alaska Highway is sometimes supplies run low and they don't get replenished for a while. Sometimes never. So they were fresh out of food, in one of the most remote places in North America, wondering what to do. Since These folks were fellow Ragers (what me and my bike friends call other touring cyclists) I knew I had to hook them up. I invited them to the campsite and started grabbing camp food and energy bars. 

Turns out this couple, Johan and B, Dutch and German respectively, have been cycling all over the world for the last 4 years. They have been to 57 countries and they're currently biking from Anchorage to Montana. They said they don't like to plan too far ahead so that's the basic plan, for now. Things can always change. 

They're extremely pleasant people and I am glad I got the chance to help them. I always pay it forward to hikers, bikers and travelers because it boosts my gypsy karma. 

Day 9 - Another day of off-grid camping next to the hot springs. I know I keep mentioning it but the long days are a trip. Easily the most bizarre part of being in the far north. The sun stays just beyond the horizon all night and it's never truly night as a result. 

We are just a couple hours from the Yukon Territory. We plan to make a short drive tomorrow and spend a night in Watson Lake. After that it's Whitehorse, our final stop before ALASKA! 

Day 10 - The food is awful in the Yukon. And everything is super expensive. A kids meal at the cafe across the street is $11. Gas is $1.50 per liter (about $5.50 a gallon) and an RV site in a place that can only be described as a gravel parking lot is $56 per night. It comes with free WiFi though (one hour of junky, satellite WiFi). 

The wife and kids are off at the sign post forest. I am sitting in the RV watching cable TV that is local to Spokane, WA. I don't know how that works but I am guessing the remote interior of the Yukon is somehow part of the extended viewing market for that city. 

I skipped the trip to the sign post forest because I tweaked my back while driving the other day so I am giving it a rest. I saw the forest from the road earlier and the first sign that jumped out at me said "Welcome to Petoskey". So it looks intriguing but instead I will watch America's Got Talent alongside my fellow Washingtonians. 

Day 11 - We are in Whitehorse. A fully functioning tourist town in the middle of the Yukon. I am currently on pace to break the world record for "Most Consecutive Days Without Showering" so I guess I will go ahead and give up on that. 

I found a place that had homemade butter tarts for $1. In my family, butter tarts are like confectionary GOLD. Neither of my kids nor my wife liked them...so I ate all four. 

Day 12 - If I could give one piece of advice to travelers heading to Alaska it would be this: Stock up on groceries before you get to Canada. Pile up as much groceries as your rig will hold and plan your meals carefully. Because once you cross the border you will start BLEEDING cash. 

We had an eventful day. Jessica and the boys let me pick what we did so I kept it simple. First we went to the Yukon Brewing Company and stocked up on craft beer. They had a tasting room and I bought all the ones I liked...which was most of them. My personal favorite was their Birch Sap Ale. So malty and smooth. 

After some beer sampling we had lunch ($45 for A&W...I'm telling you STOCK UP ON GROCERIES) and then proceeded to a used bookstore. The boys grabbed a new book each and I grabbed "Killshot" by Elmore Leonard. It feels good reading about Walpole Island and Lake St Clair when we are this far from our homeland. 

Finally, we ended the day by restocking our groceries at WalMart and Independent Grocers. Again - STOCK UP BEFORE CROSSING THE BORDER - I am not gonna warn you again. If you want to be foolish after all I have said be my guest. 

Speaking of WalMart, it's a pretty well known fact that most WalMarts allow overnight camping. We have stayed at WalMarts before and there are usually 4-5 other rigs that join us in the lot. But the one in Whitehorse is like a full-service RV park. There are RVs piled in and they have a dump station and fresh water and everything. Some people unhook their trailers and roll out their rugs and everything. It's really a sight to see. 

The new beers are chilling in the fridge. We have some curry in the crockpot and everyone is relaxing. It's gonna be a good night. 

Look for Alaska - Days 1-6 - The Trans Canada Hwy

Day 1 - We departed Blaine, WA at 7am and headed to British Columbia. It occurs to me, as the customs woman is questioning us, that I have never crossed into Canada via a land border. It's always been by bridge, tunnel or ferry which all charge a toll. #MichiganProblems

We arrived in the town of Cache Creek, BC around lunch time. It's the first WELL STOCKED town along the trans Canada highway so it's a common pit stop for Alaska travelers. 

I went into the Royal Bank of Canada to exchange some currency and was greeted with a sign that said "As of May 1st we only exchange currency for our customers that have accounts with us." 

So I asked how much to open an account and she said I needed an appointment. Boo. It's surprisingly difficult to get your money exchanged on this side of Canada. The stores will all take your US dollars at even par but the actual rate is 1.229* So spending it without exchanging is like leaving money on the table. 

*$1.23 Canadian = $1.00 US

I asked the bank teller if anyone in town could exchange my money for me. She thought about it and sent me to the auto garage down the street. Hmmm...that's odd. Why the hell would an auto garage exchange currency? 

The owner of the auto garage gave me a story about how his wife is from California and they're headed there soon so he'd buy my American cash. Then he told me he'd only give me 10 cents extra on the dollar. I thought about it and countered with 15 cents. He countered my counter with 13 cents. I agreed. Told him I'd sell him $500 USD. He said he just needed to go to the bank and get cash. We went to eat lunch in the meantime. 

The currency scam they're running in Cache Creek became clear to me as I ate my lunch. Bank teller refers people to the mechanic. Mechanic has an account at bank so teller can exchange money for him at the fair market rate. The mechanic negotiates with tourists and keeps what's left. In this case, he gave me $565 for my $500 which was actually worth $615. So he makes $50 just for driving to the bank...and he probably gives the teller a cut. #RespectTheHustle

We got back on the road after lunch and made our way to Quesnel, our last "big" town. The rest of the drive was full of grand views. The kind that sneak up on you and suddenly you're looking at a bright blue lake surrounded by pine trees in a valley between towering, jagged peaks. BC is no joke. It makes all other wilderness I have ever seen look like a quaintly landscaped backyard. 

Our first stop is in Bowren Lakes Provincial Park which is actually 75 miles off the route. I don't normally prefer to go this far out of the way but I am glad we did. We are WAY the hell out in the wilderness and I even saw a mama bear and her cub climbing some trees on the side of the road. No joke. Like 10 feet from the car. 

The lake we are camped next to is gorgeous. Totally secluded and surrounded by raw, undisturbed nature. I think I will blow up the kayak tomorrow and do some exploring. It's the safest way to get around in a foreign land that is teeming with unpredictable mammals. 

Day 2 - We went down to the lake and busted out the kayak. The scenery here is so incredible. I had to tell myself, "Don't take this for granted. Soak up this scenery." Even when you are aware of it, the saying "You don't know what you got till its gone" always ends up being true. 

I had my dog with me and we spotted a bald eagles nest. When we got close they were stirring and doing their impressive eagle calls. Probably because there was a kayaker parked under them. Or maybe they were considering having poodle for dinner. 

I met a local guide who was fishing from his canoe. We didn't exchange names but we had a long conversation. He told me where to see moose and wolves. He's also convinced that grizzly bears hunt humans. As we paddled our separate ways he said, with a serious face, "Nature is taking over..." Then he smiled, "it's a good thing!" As I write this I can't decide if he was crazy or spot on. Maybe a little of both. 

Noah and Sam spent the afternoon playing on the shore. Sam playing with his toys, Noah hitting rocks with his baseball bat. They've been getting along great lately and they have been very well behaved during school time. I think being in a remote, natural setting has a very positive effect on them. In fact, I am 100% certain it does. 

I have had the Canadian National Anthem in my head all day. I only know the first few lines though so it's driving me mad. I would look up the rest of the lyrics but we are in a remote valley in the middle of British Columbia and Internet is a little scarce. 

Oh, and in case I forget to mention it, Bowren Lakes is a paddlers paradise. You pay $60 for a permit and you can do this entire 100k chain of lakes that make a loop around 9000 foot mountain peaks. The whole thing takes 6-10 days but there are shorter options. There are campsites with bear caches, fire rings, toilets and even firewood all along the route that are included in the price of your permit. We will definitely be back here one day with 6-10 days to spare so we can ride this world class paddling trail.

Day 3 - Wildlife has been showing itself often. We have seen 4 black bear while driving and the bugs are OUT OF CONTROL. The noseums almost make the mosquitos seem tolerable. For those of you who have never been eaten by noseums, let me try and fill you in. Mosquito bites itch for one night, then you shower or go to sleep and it's done. You forget about it and the bites heal. A noseum bite gradually becomes more and more inflamed until an intense itch hits you. Then you scratch it until it bleeds. Then, when it scabs up, the itching starts over and you scratch yourself bloody again. It goes on like this for weeks. Bug spray, screen doors and other standard big deterrents DO NOT work on them. It's miserable. Anyhow I have been scratching the entire drive today so that's what's on my mind. 

The drive today started out flat and full of pine trees. If you've ever driven the Seney Stretch in the U.P. Then you know what the drive was like. We stopped in Prince George (the 4th largest city in BC) and suddenly we were back in civilization. We went to Costco and it was like suddenly being transported to 11 and Gratiot. We stocked up and goods, ate at the food court, and hit the road again. 

Then things started to get interesting. Signs warning us of mountain roads with unexpected changes in weather, wildlife corridors and more signs warning us to get gas because the next stop wasn't for 160km. I heeded the signs warning and ended up at a backwoods country store with a Swedish owner. He served hand dipped ice cream, Swedish food and FISHING KNIVES. I picked up a Morakniv filet knife for $20 Canadian. Morakniv, for the non fishing enthusiasts, is one of the brands that made Sweedish steel the gold standard for knives. Back in the day they were known for their iconic red handles and super sharp and durable blades. Anyhow, all you really need to know is $20 for a Morakniv is a steal! (Steel?) 

We are at a Provincial Park about 20km* from Chetwynd. We are camped right on the lake. The site is incredible. I could live here it's that awesome. We plan to head into town this weekend for the International Chainsaw Carving Championships...which I hope is as unusual and awesome as it sounds! 

*I will be reporting all distances and measurements using the metric system to help you, the reader, become more acquainted with Canada. 

Day 4 - It's 10pm and it's still bright as day outside. We went to the International Chainsaw Carving Championship today and it was awesome. Here are some pics. 

Day 5 - You ever watch an artist sketch something? They draw a series of lines that looks like nothing. They gradually add more lines and POOF it hits you. The genius of their work becomes apparent with that one key stroke of the pencil. That's kind of how it happens when you watch a guy with a chainsaw turn a log into a sculpture. It's different than sculpting too because they can't just mold a pliable substance into a recognizable form. They have to work within their limits and every cut is engineered with their trained eyes. It's very striking to see a guy in camouflage overalls pull this off at the highest level. 

Today was the final day of the Chetwynd Chainsaw Competition. They announced the winner and they had an event called "Quick Cut" where the competitors have 90 minutes to create something out of a log. It sounds like 90 minutes would be a long time to sit and watch this but it drew a nice crowd and everyone sat still as these 12 people sawed away. At the end of the event they auctioned off the pieces. Some of them fetching as much as $1200. I had my eye on a nice owl but knew my $350 bid would be quickly overtaken (the piece sold for $950). 

This event is in its 13th year. After the event they place the large sculptures from the main contest all over town. There are around 150 already in place and they are worth traveling here even if the chainsaw competition isn't in town. 

Tomorrow is a short drive. 100km to the town of Dawson Creek, the beginning of the Alaska Highway. We are stopping for laundry, shopping and basic maintenance. After that, we are stepping off into the north country. 

Oh, and sunset happened around 11pm last night. I was awoken by the sunset at 4am. We knew the days would be long up here but experiencing it is still totally weird. 

10:30pm out my window

Day 6 - Mile 0 - Alaska Highway

Well, we made it. We are at the beginning of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, BC. The towns in BC are surprisingly ordinary and suburban. As long as they sell Coffee Crisp and Wunderbars I don't care what the towns are like. 

We arrived in town around 11am and immediately started doing maintenance and cleaning. I took the rig to the car wash, Jessica knocked out some laundry, the boys organized their Lego mini figures and I took the car to get an oil change and a spare tire. Now you're probably wondering why I needed a spare tire? During our preparations for Alaska travels it came to my attention that we have been traveling for 2 years sans spare. Don't judge. I fortunately never needed it and now I have it so I WIN. 

We wrapped up the day with some pitchers and pizza and tomorrow we hit the AK HWY. Next Stop: Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park. I will post more when we get to Yukon Territory. 

Fatherhood

When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry. - William Shakespeare 

I was lying on my back listening to songbirds whistling while the mountain breeze brushed across my face, the rest of my body tightly wrapped in my sleeping bag. The sound of snowshoe hares playing on the trail beside our lean-to might have worried me that larger animals were approaching if I hadn’t seen them the previous morning. The sun was just rising over Pamola Peak, the mountain that our campsite was nestled against. My original plan was to hop out of bed at first light and get an early start on hiking down the mountain. I scooted to the edge of the wooden platform, my family still sound asleep next to me, and slipped on my shoes. My feet and legs were still sore and quite stiff from a week full of hiking. After taking in the scenery I decided I was in no hurry to leave this amazing place. And I’ve never been a morning person anyway. I crept back into my sleeping bag, laid my head down and began thinking about fatherhood.

My father speaks of his parenting days regretfully. He never showed us much affection and he peaked early. He started out as an involved, family man but, by the time I was 14, my relationship with my father was non-existent. Yet my earliest memories are of a charismatic man who enjoyed entertaining friends and family. He told corny jokes, drank cheap beer and grilled like a champ on his charcoal grill. In the backyard was our family RV, a class C motorhome complete with a CB radio and cassette player for listening to Bill Cosby stand-up. We spent our summer weekends RVing at state parks across Michigan, with the occasional trip to Florida.

On weekends when we didn’t have the time or money to take a big trip Up North, my dad would park the RV at Algonac State Park, just a 30 minute drive away. We would pull up, unfold our aluminum folding chairs and cast our fishing poles into Lake St. Clair. He would always manage to hook a walleye that he would promptly clean and prepare for dinner.

Even when we weren’t vacationing in our RV my dad would let me use it to host sleepovers in our backyard. I was fascinated with our house on wheels. It was a symbol of adventures, past and future. As long as it was in our backyard, I knew a family trip was never far away.

Meanwhile, across town, Jessica was being raised by a father who believed in having a strong connection to nature. While most families were saving up for a summer vacation, her dad was preparing his family for a backpacking trip on Isle Royale.

Isle Royale, Michigan’s only national park, encompasses a remote island in Lake Superior. The only way to get there is by boat or small aircraft. The park is the least visited in the NPS system. It is a crown jewel for backcountry campers in search of total seclusion.

Jessica’s dad spent the summer before the trip acquiring gear and taking her and her younger sister, Autumn, on practice hikes at nearby Pinckney Recreation Area. Jessica was 13 and Autumn was 8 when they set out on the trip in the summer of 1995. The family survived five days and miles of hiking on a remote island, creating family memories that will last forever. Not a day goes by that Jessica doesn’t talk about that trip.

Given our backgrounds, it’s easy to see why we had the ambition to tour the country. We set up home base in our RV and look for places to hike and camp. Our passions, inspired in us by our fathers, combined into one awesome journey. The best of both worlds.

I often wonder if our fathers knew they were setting the stage for us all those years ago. Was there a look of contentment on our faces? Did we give any indication that we were, in that moment, forming a connection to something that would last us the rest of our lives?

These are the things I pondered as I lay in that peaceful forest, my sleeping bag starting to warm back up and my eyelids becoming heavy. There is something about the serenity of nature that invokes a clarity in me. It is also very easy to find sleep in the woods, which is what happened shortly afterwards.

In the weeks before this day, our plans were to finish our first lap around America in Acadia National Park. We had never been to Maine and figured you can’t go wrong with a national park. We planned to climb a few mountains, eat some lobster and do the “Maine thing” before heading back to Michigan for the summer. Then Jessica brought up Mount Katahdin. She has read about a dozen books written by people who have hiked the Appalachian Trail, along with the Pacific Crest and Continental Divide trails. It’s an obsession of hers.

As most hikers know, Mount Katahdin is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, a path that goes through 14 states and covers over 2000 miles. The majority of A.T. hikers start in Georgia and end in Maine, on Mount Katahdin, sometime around early fall. Jessica wanted to see the mountain and do some nearby hiking, just because it was special to her.

Katahdin is in the middle of a wilderness called Baxter State Park in north/central Maine. The park is over 200,000 acres yet has only two roads, both dirt and under 10 miles long. The rest of the park is only accessible by trail. The more we researched the more we fell in love. It was a remote wilderness with amazing mountain views and plenty of hiking. We made some phone calls to the Baxter State Park Authority, locked down some reservations and a 4-day backcountry trip up Mount Katahdin was on the calendar.

We arrived on a Monday after ditching the RV and our dog the day before. Our first campground was a small, rustic outpost called “Roaring Brook”. The camp had a bunkhouse, a row of tent sites and a row a lean-tos located on the edge of the brook. We stayed in a lean-to, our first time camping in one of these structures. The thought of being exposed with nothing but an awning over our heads made me both excited and nervous.  It was the last campground that allowed campfires along the trail so we burned some wood and drank a few beers before turning in for the night. We woke the next morning, after an uneventful night, despite my worries, and began the strenuous, 3.5 mile hike up Chimney Pond.

Our campsite at Roaring Brook

Chimney Pond is a small, quiet campground with a bunkhouse, a handful of lean-tos and a small cabin where park rangers take turns living five days at a time. The campsites are spaced far apart, giving a real feeling of seclusion. The pond looks like an image from a Maine Department of Tourism advertisement. The peaks of Mount Katahdin rise above the undisturbed pond in dramatic fashion. I would say the view takes your breath away, but those words don’t do it justice. We settled into our lean-to, had dinner, and got some much deserved shut-eye.

There is not a camera on earth that can capture the awe that this view inspires.

The next morning Jessica woke up early to climb to the summit while I stayed back with the boys. The park does not, under any circumstances, allow children under the age of six above tree line. This presented a challenge for us since Noah just turned six and Sammy is only four. Our solution was to summit the mountain separately while someone stayed back with the boys. We gave Noah the option to try it but it wasn’t looking like he was up for the challenge.

While Jessica was climbing to the summit I hung out at the pond with the boys. They threw rocks in the pond and pretended to be ninjas while I worked on crossword puzzles.

During lunch I talked to Noah about coming with me to the summit. I could tell he was really on the fence so I decided to persuade him by offering to fill his pack with a large supply of Skylanders Fruit Snacks. This felt like a cheap shot but he immediately agreed and was eager to climb the mountain with me.

At around 12:15 there was still no sign of Jessica. The cutoff for climbing to the summit in mid June is 12:00 P.M. After that, the park DOES NOT recommend you attempt the climb. I started to worry that we wouldn’t be able to do the hike when Jessica appeared. The cutoff time is very conservative and I felt we had plenty of time to at least attempt the summit.  I filled our water packs, grabbed some fruit snacks and granola bars and headed up the trail with Noah.

Let me explain what a “trail” in Baxter State Park looks like. The terrain changes quickly and can be anything from a narrow dirt path to a steep slide covered in boulders the size of cars. There are points on the trail when I was looking at a giant wall of broken rock with a blue trail blazer painted 50 feet up thinking “this can’t be the trail.” Where I am from, you can do a two-mile hike while you’re waiting for water to boil. If you are covering more than one mile in an hour at Baxter, you are a seasoned pro.

Yet the first part of the hike was relatively tame. We talked about cartoons, toys and what we miss most about home. Occasionally we would slow down while Noah tried to find a line through the piles of huge rocks. After about an hour we reached a point called “the slide”, a one mile, nearly vertical scramble covered in jagged rocks that fall beneath you as you ascend.

All we knew of this trail was what our topographical map told us (it’s extremely steep) and what other campers had told us (It’s extremely difficult). We agreed that we would attempt to make it up the slide and if things got too hairy, we would turn around. We also agreed that no matter how far along we were at 4 p.m. we would call it quits to ensure we wouldn’t get stuck in the dark.

Armed with a plan we started making out way up the slide, inching along at a stagnant pace. I stayed immediately behind Noah as he grunted along the loose piles of rocks. There were a couple times when I started to question if this was a safe place for a kid. I was reassured when I observed his great attitude. He was inspired to make it up this mountain and I could feel it in his every step. When we came to large rocks or steep cliffs he would turn to me and reluctantly ask for help. I would either lift him up and place him above or climb ahead and reach back for him, all while nervously reminding him to stay put and hang on with both hands. We worked as a team for over two hours climbing that rock slide and next thing we knew, we were standing on the saddle between Hamlin and Baxter Peaks.

We sat on a rock and ate granola bars while looking at the amazing 360-degree view. We were above tree line, sitting on top of the world, with the beautiful Maine wilderness surrounding us. I pulled out our map and did some calculating. We were less than one mile from the summit. I pointed at the hill to the south of us and told Noah this was it. Time to finish. Without a word of protest he stood up, put his pack on, and started leading us along the trail. We both knew the hard part was over. I felt proud of him already but it was obvious he needed to go all the way up to validate his sense of accomplishment. I followed him.

The trail ascended steadily up two false summits, points in the climb that look like the top until you are upon them when more of the mountain appears.  We hiked along more loose rocks before the trail disappeared into a massive boulder field. The only way to navigate through the field was to loosely follow the cairns and blue paint while hopping and climbing through the giant rocks. Again, we worked together, forgetting for a moment how much progress we were making. We got to another walkable section and looked into the distance. There it was. A huge pile of rocks, a large wooden sign and a small group of people enjoying the view. Noah walked ahead, his strides long and quick, to the summit of the mountain. He placed his hand on the wooden sign, looked back at me and said, “Dad! We made it!”

The other hikers on the summit offered him high fives and nodded with respect at his accomplishment. I stood back, took pictures and smiled. I was so incredibly proud of my little dude. We sat on a rock and took the remaining snacks out of our packs. I asked Noah, “Did you really do all of this just for some fruit snacks?”

“Well, that and I wanted to see this beautiful view,” he replied.

We took more pictures and chatted with the other hikers before heading back down. We knew the hike down was going to be just as difficult as the way up. We had our work cut out for us. When we got to the rock slide we patiently worked together and before we knew it, we were back at camp. Noah ran to his mom and showed her the picture of us on the summit and began excitedly telling her all about it.

We had a big meal and ate lots of cookies. Noah was the first one snoring that night.

There are often times when I doubt myself as a parent. I think I speak for all dads when I say we are our own worst critics. As I laid next to my family, the morning after our big mountain climb, pondering fatherhood, a feeling of reassurance came over me. Just four years ago Noah took his first steps and now, he is a mountain climber. This is one of those moments where, as a dad, I get a glimpse through the curtain of doubt and can see directly into the window of my son’s heart. No matter where he ends up in life, no matter what things happen to him, good or bad, we will always, for as long as we live, have this profound memory. The day we inspired each other to climb Mount Katahdin.