Day 2: aka E’s Bataan March
Note to self: Don’t ever let the kid who runs half-marathons set the pace. For some, it’s about the destination. For others, it’s about the journey. The two don’t mix so well. We covered the first 7.5 miles in less than two hours. Not a big deal if you’re just hiking or jogging. A much bigger one when you’re carrying a full load. When we got to the top of the hill where the highway would carry us across Copalis River, G was spent. “We are stopping NOW. That or you’ll be calling an ambulance.” Truthfully, G didn’t look so good, and isn’t in the best shape, and the 30 minute break was probably not enough. We hiked to the Copalis Beach bridge, and then decided that maybe we ought to turn back to the campsite we’d seen along the way and call it a day.

We had planned to go a little further, but G needed to stop. Stayed at Sunrise Resort. They’re a membership RV group, but they let us purchase a day camping pass. Hot showers! Neat-as-a-pin, obviously well cared for grounds, nice people, a clubhouse, and heated bathrooms. Heaven after a strenuous day. Since this was a no-campfire trip, J fired up the backpacking stove and we had a hot dinner. The Alpine Design Hiker/Biker Tent is made for one, but sleeps two teens. G slept under the stars. That worked out okay even with the rain because of the tarp covering the sleeping bag.
mileage: 9.5 miles

Day 3:
Cold, wet morning where nobody really wanted to get out of their sleeping bags. But up we went, packed up and were ready to go. “Just 5 more minutes until the clubhouse opens and there is hot coffee,” J wished as E took what seemed forever to retrieve his boots from the heated bathroom. With coffee in hand, we made our way across the bridge again to a gorgeous, foggy beach. The casino near Ocean City State Park was visible almost from the start, and seeing it actually made the walk feel longer rather than shorter. “I’ll meet you there.” J and G were pretty happy to hear that, as E took off at his marathon pace. He may have gotten there an hour before us, but he missed all the neat things along the way: a baby seal, huge eel, and baby walrus (dead, unfortunately), rotting jellyfish, men prospecting (and finding!) flour gold at the mouths of the creeks, a ghost ship made of driftwood.

Something really interesting was that there’s an airport ON THE BEACH at Copalis. We didn’t actually see any planes, but it was strange knowing that they could land there. Cars drive on the beach there, too.

When we finally got there and had lunch, we all agreed that we were not too tired to start our journey back. It was raining some, and we decided it was better to backpack in the rain than sit in it. So the packs went back on and we headed back the way we came. Rain and dust, and sand in our shoes. Not the most fun way to hike. Although we passed Sunrise and looked longingly at its hot showers and warm clubhouse, we opted for Echoes on the Copalis River. It was cold, starting to rain, and the facilities worked but needed some attention. The tent went up very quickly. A FlameDisk for a quick, hot dinner, and then everyone was so tired that it was in to bed for a long night’s sleep.

Well, sort of. G was sleeping on the ground under a tarp — one that crane flies didn’t seem to have a problem infiltrating. We were glad to have a screened tent!
mileage: 12 miles

Day 4:
By now, our feet are hurting. Wishing I would have brought more socks. But we’re on the home stretch, and that’s a good thing! The clouds have parted, the fog receded, and it’s a gorgeous warm and sunny hike. Amazing weather and views! Made it back to the resort in good time. Set up the tent, had dinner, lattes, a hot tub, and went to the movies (smart idea to make the resort the last night, after all the mileage had been completed).

That night was rainy and VERY windy and the tent fluttered in J’s face all night, but it was the last night to sleep on the ground.
mileage: 8.5 miles

Day 5:
Wake up to E’s alarm and him saying, “Start the car.” 10 minutes to pack up and leave. 3 hours to get home to a hot shower, hot meal, and long nap.

Lessons Learned:
* When someone says they NEED to stop, stop. Need is different than want. Also, keep an eye on those who are not in as good shape to make certain they’re okay.
* The FlameDisk is worth its weight in gold. It fired up immediately, gave us 30 minutes of cooking heat, and there was no smoke for E. Though the backpacking stove and sterno fuel are smaller, the disk was easier and lighter.
* E had terrible leg cramps (probably from pushing us too hard!), but Gleukos came to the rescue. A couple of packs mixed with water and the cramps were no more. I think we’ll bring this on every long hike.
* Sleeping under a tarp with no tent worked surprisingly well and didn’t require the weight of a tent. A light screen might be in order during bug season. G pegged down one side and slipped the sleeping pad and bag underneath. Worked even when raining.
* We had a hike plan in place, but chose to modify it due to the rain. It worked out well. Flexibility is a good thing.
* Left the keys in the wheelwell this time.
* Packed light, light, light. Should’ve left the jeans behind, though. After the first day, they were just a heavy, stinky extra thing to carry. Wore old t-shirts that could be ditched after use. Lots of socks – changing them really helped.
* Line of sight is probably not the best rule when you can see for miles. E ditched us while still remaining in view. We had cellphones, though.
* Tuna packs were a great idea. Lightweight, but full of protein. The rice was dumb. It was heavy and didn’t cook properly, so I carried it the whole way for basically nothing. Crackers held up surprisingly well, and the salt was a good thing after so much exertion.

Other notes:
* You have to pay the normal camping rate to park at Pac Beach, even if you’re not there. So we asked the business by the Post Office if it was okay to take one of their spots. Hooray for nice people!
* Water sources: We planned it to stay at places with sinks and spigots. Additionally, there was a rest stop on the beach.
* So much to see – this could have been a great time to do Bird Study, too, if we had been prepared. We saw brown pelicans, thousands and thousands of least sandpipers, rats with wings, plovers, sanderlings,

Filed 11.1012 by J, E, and G

The Klondike center had many educational exhibits; such as a scale that measured your weight in gold, or equipment used in the gold rush. The scouts all went into the theater, and watched a twenty-five minute documentary about the Gold rush. We learned such things as: the dead horse trail, and about Sam “Smithy”.

After the film; we continued on our hike. We read more plaques, except twenty, and twenty eight; which were missing. At the end of our hike; we arrived at the Center for Wooden Boats pavilion. A very helpful man told us about all the different boats they used, and gave us a pamphlet, which I will read… Eventually.

We headed to the trolley, proud of the hike we had just finished, and went back to the ferry station.

~EP

A five mile hike that takes eight hours? Is that possible?

Okay, technically the eight hours wasn’t all spent hiking. And this hike *could* be done in 2 hours, including the shortest movie at the Klondike Gold Rush museum. But if you’re going to do it, might as well do it right — and have fun in the process!

The Seattle Historical Hike is one that can earn you a patch AND A MEDAL from the Seattle Council. The patch requires making the hike and filling in a worksheet along the way. Add a 200+ word essay to earn the medal.

The hike begins across from the Federal Building, where the local branches of the FBI, IRS, and other acronym-laden agencies reside. We were lucky enough to run into… yep, a Scoutmaster who works in the building across the street. He gave us a lot of the history of the area, and helped us start the worksheets (note: the worksheet is being updated, and not every answer is able to be found on the hike [most, though]).

Throughout the hike, Scouts must find answers by reading historic plaques, searching totem poles, or espying details on a statue. They’re interesting and short enough to maintain their interest.

One of the longer requirements is to watch a movie at the Klondike Gold Rush Museum. There are three available, ranging from 15 to 25 mins. We opted for the longer one (very nicely done) about the Gold Rush. Afterward, plan time to let the boys explore the museum.

The hike ends at the Center for Wooden Boats. You’ll want to leave a lot of time to explore here. If you’re lucky, you might find a member there who will be willing to share his knowledge of boats, the sea, ship-building, or carving.

Other places along the trail that you’ll definitely want to plan for additional time include Pike Place Market (where you can view the Gum Wall), Seattle Center (there’s a McD across the street to stop for an inexpensive lunch), the Waterfall Garden, and the various shops and stores along the way (the FIRST Starbucks is just across the street from Pike Place).

This is a great hike for Scouts needing their map and compass requirement for 2nd class. You have to stretch it just a bit to get the five miles in, but that shouldn’t be a problem with bunny trails and trackbacks.

A note of caution. Seattle has changed since the original route was planned. It’s definitely NOT a hike you’d want a patrol to do, or one that you’ll want to take boys who can’t be trusted to stay with the group. Two adults, definitely. We ran into a lot of people, most of whom were wonderful. There is, however, an unsavory element in some neighborhoods that requires a little more watchful eye.

Hike reports for this hike:
D.T.
E.P.
Gimlet’s

.