At a different angle, not from our deck, but from our living room, we can see the peaks of Buckhorn Mountain. This is where we decided in early June, to spread our dog's ashes. Janni passed on June 9, and shortly there after, this was our goal. We both are not really campers, more like day hikers who only go maybe 4 miles tops, but we were determined to take on this challenge. We spent about 2 months researching the trails, what supplies and how much we needed, buying/borrowing stuff, etc.... So, finally, August 29th we head out.
The weather forecast was a bit off. Supposed to be dry and mild on Day 1, with a 30% chance of rain on Day 2. But, Mother Nature screwed with us, and gave us mostly mild on Day 1, until late in the afternoon, when about 2/3 of the way up, we were inthundershowesr. After waiting it out under the cover of some trees for about 40 mins, we trudged on, as we HAD to make it to our camp. Day 2 was the good day, beautiful sun and dry all day.
The trail we took is the Big Quilcene, accessed near Quilcene, WA via two Forest Service access roads. This is a very popular trail system, so we met lots of folks on Sunday coming OFF the trail :-) Being that we did this on a Sunday-Monday, by the time we camped, we were the only people out there. Kind of scary a bit I guess. So, our first leg on Day 1 was 5.3 miles, starting at 2500 feet, and camp at 5400 feet, so gaining about 3000 feet up. God Almightly, what a challenge with a 50-60 pound pack on your back. There were many, many moments where I was challenged mentally, and I had to rely on my faith. By the time we got into the thunderstorm and I caught up to Rob, who found a tree shelter along the trail, I was beyond exhausted. I was shaking, and so weak I barely could get half a Twix bar in my mouth. I had a moment of being scared about hypothermia. We waited out the rain for a good 40 mins, trying to get warmed up and find some strength. We had another hour or so left and really wanted to push on, hoping the rain would clear the higher we went. So, OFF we went! I had a walking stick that I really relied on during that last push. Finally around 5:30pm, we were at Camp Mystery! WHEW! So many great spots to pitch our tent, and Rob found the best dry one under the shade of a big fir tree. YES! Finally!! All I wanted was my sleeping bag, some food and some sleep.
We got our tent up pretty fast, laid out some of our damp stuff to dry, and started to hunker down for the night. Ate some pre-made sandwiches, lit a candle, talked... I even powered up the iPhone for some off-line games - some solitare and scrabble! HA Even the out in the backcountry, our technology came with us!
Our night was pretty cold. We had enough clothing and warm sleeping bags, but b/c we got stuck in the rain, some of our stuff got wet. The most unfortuante was Rob's sleeping pad. That meant he had to be on the ground, which was cold. I had borrowed my friend's mummy sleeping bag that was rated for -10 degrees. It rocked! We zipped it completely open, and shared it, with our feet in the bottom and completely spooning/snuggling up the whole night to get our body heat going. Somehow we both slept a few hours. And finally it was the morning, with the sun coming out!! Thank God!! No rain overnight at all, and now we get sun and dryness.
We got geared up to leave camp at 9am to summit Buckhorn. Ate breakfast of another sandwich, some electrolyte shot blocks, water and half a Snickers bar. Rob agreed to take the pack up so I wouldn't have a pack at all. The whole purpose of our trip was to spread our dog's ashes on top of this mountain, as well as Rob's cat, Lew. Lew was before my time, so I never knew him. So our Buckhorn pack was the ashes, water, a bit of food and off we went. Our goal for this 1 mile was 2 hours. We headed up Marmot Pass, then from there up the trail to Buckhorn. The higher we got, the views became more and more amazing. Even in late August, we were up at snow level big time. But it was clear, sunny and the temps were great. Marmot Pass is at 6,000 feet, and from there, we had 988 feet left to summit. We managed to get it done by 11am! YEAH! Of course, when don't have a pack, or have one that is half the weight, it sure is easier.
Once we summited, we realized there was about 30 feet left with pretty much no trail and all rocks. I have a fear of heights, and this last little bit was not for me. I found a level area to sit down and let Rob go the rest of the way. He took his pack off and just carried the ashes. Once at the highest point, he spread the ashes, sat down and said goodbye to our sweet girl, and his boy, Lew. We know will always be able to look out the living room window and with a clear day, can see the peak! What a rewarding challenge.
Finally around 11:45am, we were off for our descent. I predicted to be back down at camp by 1pm, which we were. Another food break, and packing back up, breaking down the tent. We left camp by 2:15pm, and the goal was to be back to the trail head by 5:30pm.
Of course going downhill is about half the time and SO much easier, but OMG, that length, 5.3 miles, really took a toll on our bodies. We definitely got the message that we are not 18 anymore! HA We did take breaks on the way down, not as many of course as on the way up. Our "offical" stop was the Shelter Rock Camp at 2.6 miles, about halfway down. Took our packs off, gave our bodies a rest and re-fueled. This was at about 3:40pm, so we were on schedule. Finally found the strength to get moving again. This part of the trail follows the Quilcene River, so those were beautiful sounds and views of the river as we got more and more crippled. Finally, I began to see the parking lot of the trailhead, and at this point, my right knee was just about done. I thought it was going to explode out of my leg. I honestly couldn't have gone another 5 feet. But, Thank you God, we were done! Signed out of the hiker log, and we were off to head back over the Hood Canal Bridge and to the Southworth Ferry dock for our ferry ride back to West Seattle.
Today, Tuesday, I can barely move. My lower back on the left side is sooo stiff, I can barely move my legs. I'm exhausted, both physically and mentally. I was able to work from home today, which was such a blessing. Overall, reflecting on this experience, which was the most challenging of my life, I am very glad I did it. I really accomplished something I never thought I would even attempt. We were able to give Janni a proper goodbye and let her spirit sing. She really loved going mountain biking up on Tiger Mountain with Rob, going on day hikes with us, walks, the park, etc... she really was an active dog. What we did this weekend, back in her hey-day, she would have been there with us every step of the way with a huge smile.
