A Change In Plans

On Sunday, B and I headed out to South Tahoe to try and get in one last snowshoe trip of the season. We had been sick with the flu and colds for most of February and were really feeling very angsty about the need to get out. We planned on hiking up Pyramid Peak - but the route turned out to be too melted out already. We drove back and forth along Highway 50 looking for a spot with enough snow to begin. All we found was dense brush and light snow. Finally, we headed down in to Tahoe proper as it began to rain. We sat in a parking lot and tried to think of an alternative. With the cold raid beating down on the car, it seemed like maybe we would have to turn back.



I sat in the car as B looked at maps on his iPhone and researched alternate trails. It seemed like such a waste to drive all the way out from the East Bay and then just turn around again and go back. It also seemed like a bad idea to do something that was unfun and unsafe just because I was too pig headed to accept my circumstances.

As I learn more about mountaineering and alpine climbing, I realize that I need to learn when to change my plans. I need to learn when to turn back, go a different way, admit defeat, evaluate, and let go of my expectations. I thought about the quote I read from a guide who had just led a team of Everest, "going up is optional, coming down is mandatory."

As the wind blew outside the car, I thought about the day when I would face having to turn around - possibly after flying half way across the world and climbing 2/3 of a mountain. I would have to be OK with it. Maybe today could be a day I practiced that skill?

"I found a hike we can try," B said.
"Where is it?"
"Mount Tallac. Just a little ways down the road."

It could be more of the same. It was raining. It was windy.

"Ok," I said, "let's go check it out."

As we drove to the new trail-head, I wondered if I was making a mistake. I told myself we should at least check it out, and I promised myself if I felt any twinge of "bad idea" I would tell B we had to turn around. As we pulled in to the snow park lot, the rain stopped. We got out of the car and geared up. We decided to follow one of the cross country ski trails and use the markers would keep us on route.



We got about 15 minutes out and the sun broke through the clouds. I went to put my sunglasses on. I had left them in the car. This sucked. I did not want to have to go back, it looked like we were really going to get a trek in despite our late start, and I really wanted to have a new blog post.

"I don't need them."

"Yes you do. We are going back."

"Uhg. Ok."

We headed back to the car, got my sunglasses and then, as we started off again, noticed a nice snowshoe track heading the opposite direction we had originally chosen. We decided to follow that trail instead. It turned out to be the best change of plans we had made in a long time. We found a new training hike for our summer mountaineering class, a new snowshoe route to share with our friends, and I got to test a new recipe out in the wild.



We ended up hiking the trail to Mt. Tallac. Even though the wind blew, the weather was warm, and we had some beautiful views when the clouds cleared.



The wind blew too hard along the ridge for us to sit and take a break. We ate snacks quickly on our feet and kept moving. I decided we could test the stew recipe on our way back to the car, back down in the aspen groves.

We got back to the groves around 2:30pm. It was the first time we had sat down all day, and it felt good to be out of the wind.

B started up the JetBoil and I took the insulated camp bowl and stew mix out of my pack. B poured the stew in the boiling water.



I stirred it for two minutes while it boiled.



I poured the stew into our insulated camp bowl, then we let it sit for about five minutes.



B took the first bite. "How is it," I said.
"It is a keeper." B said, as he ate a few more bites. I had a few too.



The warm hot stew tasted so good after being in the wind all day. It warmed our hands, and our bellies. We both felt revived, and I felt a little redeemed. For what I am not sure, maybe for staying flexible all day? I had been willing to keep changing my expectations - and somehow it felt like I had been rewarded for the effort. Hopefully you can enjoy this recipe under less trying circumstances.

This recipe was a long time in the making. It requires that you make a leather out of a homemade stew base and dehydrate some vegetables in advance.

Beef and Vegetable Stew - Serves 1

1/4 cup freeze dried roast beef
1/4 cup freeze dried potato dices
1/4 cup dehydrated veggie mix*
1/4 dehydrated Homemade Stew Leather
1/2 Tbsp beef bouillon
1 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 cup boiling water

At home:
Put all ingredients in a Ziploc bag. Write 1 1/2 H2O on the bag with a Sharpie.

On the trail:
Boil 1 1/2 cups of water in a pot or JetBoil. When the water begins to boil, stir in the stew mix. Let the stew boil for two minutes, stirring the entire time. The stew will thicken as it boils. After two minutes, pour the stew into an insulated mug or camp bowl. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Check the consistency. If veggies are still a bit stiff, put the lid back on and let sit for another 3 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!

*If you don't have time to dehydrate the vegetables, you can buy Just Veggies instead.

She's Crafty

A rainy day does not make for good outdoor adventures, but it does provide a great reason to stay inside and prepare for the warmer weather ahead - and the backpacking and climbing that goes with it.

Last weekend S and I got together to make insulated bowls for the recipes we are preparing. I have made these before for several trips. S is planning all the food for an upcoming trip to Utah and asked me to show her how to put them together.

You can easily buy insulated mugs and bowls at stores like REI or online, but I have found that they are often too small for the recipes I create. I have been experimenting with the JetBoil lately and creating recipes that require no cooking. The insulated bowls work really well for these types of recipes. If you are simmering recipes over a stove and serving them in bowls, these may be more than you need.



Insulated Camp BowlsMakes 2
2 2-cup plastic containers with screw top lids (Ziploc brand work the best)
1 cheap foam camping sleeping pad
1 roll of duct tape
Sharpie or other marker
Scissors
At home
Start by cutting a piece of the foam pad to fit around container. To do this, wrap the pad around the container, mark where the sides meet, and cut the pad at this mark. You will have one piece of pad that you can then cut several strips from for several containers.



Next, you will want to cut a piece that will fit the height of the container, as well as wrap under the bottom. To do this, place your recently cut piece up against the container. Mark where the container begins to sharply curve on the foam. Measure one inch beyond this and mark the foam again - one inch below this portion of the container. Repeat this process to make two fitted strips of foam - one for each plastic container.

You will want the foam to curve around the bottom of the container so it is insulated as well. To do this, you will need to cut triangles out of the foam along the bottom edge. Cut triangles that are about 1/2 inch apart and 1 inch deep all the way across. Remove these pieces of foam and discard.



Now you are ready to assemble! Grab the duct tape, one container and your piece of foam. Wrap the foam around the container and secure the edges with duct tape. Put a few more pieces over the joining edges until they are covered, and the foam is securely wrapped around the container. It should stay on by itself. If it does not stay on, undo the tape and adjust until it is snug.



Once you have your foam secure on your container, turn the container upside down, with both hands bring the triangle edges together until they wrap over the bottom of the container and meet in the middle. Hold these pieces together with one hand while you place a piece of duct tape over them with the other. Wrap more pieces of duct tape across the bottom to secure the triangles in place.



You can also make a lid for your container. If you are going somewhere cold or winter camping, I recommend the lid. To make a lid, cut a circle out of the foam about 1/4 inch larger than the widest part of the new foam covered container. Then cut a 1 inch wide strip that is long enough to wrap around the circle. Wrap the 1 inch strip around the circle and secure with duct tape. Tear of multiple pieces of duct tape and wrap the over the lip of the 1 inch foam strip, across the top of the circle and secure on the other side. Crisscross the new "lid" until it is covered with duct tape.