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| Little Jimmy -- My Daughter\'s First Overnight |
There are those who have subtly hinted that my pack may be a little on the big side.
| cynthia23 wrote: | | HJ, I gotta ask--what the #@$% did you have in that pack? |
OK, so what was that big pack on a day hike all about? Well, that was a "dry run." I took the equivalent of a full overnight pack and packed in to Little Jimmy Trail Camp in the Angeles National Forest. I wanted to see if I could carry enough gear for two people (daddy and daughter). I wanted to see if an overnight backpack with my daugher were possible. Keep in mind that I typically have to carry my daughter and that my daughter weighs about 30 lbs. In other words, if I have a 30 lbs pack, when I add my daughter's weight in, I'm carrying 60 lbs.
The dry run was successful, and so this past weekend I took my daughter out for her first overnight backpack. Here's my trip report:
We started out by taking the Pacific Crest Trail (and a little short cut). The PCT parallels Angeles Crest Highway here.
We went up after work, and it was an hour's drive, so it got dark quickly. First order of business was site selection, but a not too distant second was getting dinner ready.
Very quickly thereafter, a very sleepy little hiker retired for the night.
Note the use of an ultralight, floorless shelter. Careful gear selection let me keep the weight down to about 30 lbs for two people including food, fuel, and water.
Sleepy or not, my daughter doesn't sleep late, so we were up pretty early in the morning.
Time to get breakfast started. I'm currently field testing a new Primus OmnilLite Ti which is the newest offering from Primus. On the OmniLite is a "silent" cap (like a muffler for your car but for a stove) from QuietStove.com which I'm also field testing.
In no time at all we've got a nice sausage and cheese omelette.
And after breakfast, we see we've got a happy camper. 
For those who haven't been, Little Jimmy Trail Camp is a nice spot to camp.
One of the great things about Little Jimmy Trail Camp is the presence of nearby Little Jimmy Spring which is a highly reliable source of clear, cold water.
Well, enough time spent in camp! Let's hit the trail.
Looking to the west over our intended destination, Mt. Islip, the weather is looking good.
But a quick look to the east, changes my opinion. Looks like we might get a little wet today.
Still, the storm is a ways off, so we "stop to smell the roses."
Nearing the summit, we can see that the San Gabriel Mountains Trailbuilders have been hard at work. Fresh trail maintenance.
Thank you, Trailbuilders!
At last, we near the summit ridge for the final push, and the weather continues to hold.
From our position high on the south flank of Mt. Islip, we get a good look at Mt. Hawkins and Hawkins Ridge.
Moving higher, we approach the very summit and encounter the remains of this old cabin. This was the fire lookout's quarters back when a fire lookout was stationed atop Mt. Islip.
Finally, we reach the summit itself. Note the foundation of the old fire lookout tower.
One look at the view and it's clear why the Forest Service chose this spot for a lookout.
Whoa! That storm is hot on our heels. Better get on down the mountain.
For our route down, we chose this, the forested north ridge of Mt. Islip.
There's no formal trail, but there are bits and pieces of a peak-bagger's trail.
From our vantage point, we look WSW at Twin Peaks and its great SSE ridge.
Note in particular Triplet Rocks. This is perhaps the single most difficult summit to attain in all of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Descending further, we enter the more flat areas proximate to Little Jimmy.
From here, we retraced our steps back to our car and made our journey home.
I thank you for joining me for my daughter's first overnight backpack.
HJ |
| Little Jimmy -- My Daughter\'s First Overnight |
| Awesome Jim! Looks like a great time! |
| Father Daughter |
| awesome report Jim! From a guy who has hiked with small children, I can tell you that your pack looks quite small. Glad you had a good time. |
| Little Jimmy -- My Daughter\'s First Overnight |
Thanks, guys.
It was pretty cool, and LJ is a perfect spot for a first BP. (and nice and easy for daddy who has to carry 60+ pounds)
She sure seemed to take to it. 
HJ |
| Little Jimmy -- My Daughter\'s First Overnight |
Another superb travelogue. Thanks for sharing with the SGMDF denizens the tale of Daddy Jim's and daughter's first backpack overnighter. Sixty pounds is a hefty slog, but the preciousness of the cargo lightens the load. Talk about lifting one's spirit--Yay!
Someday she will treasure the memory as much as dear ol' dad does.
Glad you got to enjoy the spectacle of nearby inclement weather,without experiencing the consequences.
Another hat for you: Hikin' Jim, Chef O' da Mountain. Those victuals look mighty tasty, even for someone with a very different 'menu.' (I'll make an exception to relapse! ;)
Thanks also for the ever-helpful background info, e.g. the fire lookout history.
kind regards,
arocknoid |
| Little Jimmy -- My Daughter\'s First Overnight |
| Nice daddy-daughter adventure HJ. That post-breakfast pic is super cute. |
| Little Jimmy -- My Daughter\'s First Overnight |
| Uncle Rico wrote: | | Nice daddy-daughter adventure HJ. |
She's actually a good hiking companion. She kind of gets it when we're going over something tricky and holds still. Pretty cool.
| Uncle Rico wrote: | | That post-breakfast pic is super cute. |
Thanks. I think she's a little cutester, but I'm pretty biased. Dirty, but cute. Her mother grimaces when I get her home. 
HJ |
| mommy rule #1 |
| if mommy grimaces when baby comes home, daddy is doing something right. |
| Little Jimmy -- My Daughter\'s First Overnight |
| Totally Beautiful. |
| Re: mommy rule #1 |
| longcut wrote: | | if mommy grimaces when baby comes home, daddy is doing something right. |
I tell her that I'm improving our daughter's immune system.
HJ
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