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One of our last backpacking family reunions was a trip into the High Uintas mountains in Utah about 16 years ago.
Like many of our backpacking trips, this one had its bumps along the way, though I think we were better prepared for some of them than in the past.
It rained quite a bit, but we all had extra tarps and space blankets and ponchos so we rigged a patchwork shelter over our tents to keep out as much rain as possible. It wasn’t the prettiest, but it worked. And working together to make a shelter while it rained is one of those memories that we still talk about.
Most of us had recently invested in portable water filters and we used them to filter drinking water directly from the stream that fed into the lake we were camped next to. This was the coolest since we’d always been taught not to drink stream and lake water, and now we could. We also went fishing and cooked the fish over an open fire.
For once, the the hiking portion wasn’t too bad. We didn’t get lost or end up on a hike that lasted forever, always thinking our destination was just around the next curve. This has happened way too many times, so we always count it a win when the hike takes as long we think it should 🙂
After several days of camping next to a lake in the mountains and exploring the surrounding area we headed back to our vehicles. But when we arrived at the trailhead we found that our vehicles had been broken into and a random assortment of items stolen. Super soakers, cds, a case of canned ravioli meant to be eaten before we headed our separate ways, plus other items I can’t recall right off. But at least they didn’t steal my wedding dress, which was in my parent’s van. My mom was bringing it back to me after altering it in preparation for our wedding later that summer.
We found a highway patrol office and reported the theft, but there wasn’t anything they could do. We were gone several days and had no idea when the theft had occurred. The hazard of signing the trailbook at the trailhead was that opportunistic thieves knew we’d be gone for several days.
Despite the rain and the thefts, we still had a great time. Instead of focusing on the negative bits, we chose to remember the funny times. Years later, we still talk about huddling in our tents one night and reciting ‘The Princess Bride’ from memory. So silly, but so fun.
Have you had adventures that weren’t entirely positive that you were able to put a positive spin on?
