On December 10/11, we embarked upon our first family backpacking trip into the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend NP. (We can walk to the trailhead from our home.) The weather was phenomenal and our spirits were high throughout the 15 miles. We started off carrying about 40 pounds of water (yes, pounds!) but fortunately drank it along the way so our backpacks got lighter and lighter from one sip to the next.
The scenery was stunning, and Jasper is such a
good hiker that the whole experience was positive. We climbed about 2,500 feet of elevation over the course of 4-5 miles, then arrived at the Laguna Meadows campground. The campsites are typically quite a nice distance apart from each other in the Chisos, and this site was no exception. We set up our tent, relaxed for awhile in and around our site, and later
in the afternoon, we all hiked out to the Laguna West campsites.
We got back to our tent in time to watch a glorious sunset against Emory Peak. We were cautious about bear/mountain lion safety as we prepared our simple dinner of mac cheese and cheddar broccoli rice, followed by hot chocolate. (Later on this trip, we spoke with a solo female backpacker who had a mountain lion approach her as she was cooking her dinner in the dark! Also, there were piles of bear scat nearby.)
The stars were out of this world (literally!) and the sky was mostly clear when climbed into our tent. It rained for about 4 hours during the night, which is very unusual for this area. We awoke to clear skies and shivered as we ate breakfast.
We were back on the trail by 9 a.m., enjoying the gradually warming temperatures, phenomenal 360 degree views, and fun snack breaks along the way. We ate lunch in a sunny spot near Toll Mountain.
(Jasper, with his little friend "Oso" the bear)
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