Backpacking Big Bend National Park
(October 2002)
by arlyn stewart
There is more to life than sailing… and when my son asked me during the spring of 2002 to do a fall backpack… I was eager to share the time with him and enjoy some of what he does for recreation.
While I had never back packed before (other than Army), like many I'm willing to try something once. Eric had done Big Bend National Park a couple of times and wanted me to see it. We discussed the possible trails and after he told his story about his last trip which included the Dodson Trail, a thirty five miles trek down the east slope to the desert and around the south rim and back up the southewest slope and how exhausting and tired he was when finished… I responded…I’m getting older... lets do something more conservative.
He had a very neat Western National Parks Topo program and we looked at the trails for Big Bend and made some plans. I would rendezvous with him in Austin and using his XTerra we would head west, thru the hill country, thru Fredricksburg towards Pecos and turn south at Ft. Stockton. We would spend four days and three nights in the mountains, it would be my first visit to Big Bend Country.
I happily report that training began several months in advance and was fairly diligent with walking and running and breaking in new hiking boots. This proved wise as the hike was strenuous, especially the first day’s hike into the mountains. In fact… not more than 100 yards from the Ranger Station, the thought occurred to me… this pack is far too heavy for me to do this. However, I plodded on and soon a pace set as we started the upgrade.
We had spent the previous night at the Basin, which is part way up the mountains, during which it had rained a bit… but the dry air and wind had quickly dried the tent so that it could be rolled and stowed away. The packs had been filled during which, Eric had offered… "light is important." Appreciation for those words would mean more later.
Big Bend is a pretty place. The Chisos mountains are high desert and offer abundant fauna most of which was new to me. Using an old hiking stick resurrected from the barn that Eric recognized from a Boy Scout hike, a pace was set and we headed south up the northeast slope's Pinnacles Trail, resting when needed - helped by leaning the pack back against a tree. By noon, we were three-fourths the way to where the elevation leveled and we stopped to eat and rest for half an hour. Around 1:30, we reached the junction of Emory Peak Trail going to the summit where we stowed our packs in bear boxes for the 3/4 mile hike up another 750' of elevation to the top of Emory Peak.
Even without backpack, this trail was strenuous. I was tiring and sucking air. Getting my pack into the mountains (3 miles gaining 2,000 + feet) had sapped most of my stamina. About half way up the summit trail…I started running on reserves. The view from the top (7,825') was worth the climb however. While this does not seem like a particularly high elevation, the Rio Grande basin in view to the south offers a significant contrast. To reach the last few feet to the summit meant doing some rock scaling which was left to Eric.
Going down was much easier and arriving at the junction, we enjoyed good conversation and rest with another hiking group. After an hour, packs were donned and we headed towards the evening campground along Boot Spring Trail, prechosen at the Ranger Station. I had tightened up…and it was a chore to get going. Not able to catch a third wind, I was running on diminishing reserves as we trekked the two miles to the campsite. While only partly encouraged by the realization that my ( half my age) son was playing out as well, I was weary when we arrived.
We ate…and crashed. Waking about dark, I stripped and crawled into the bag to quickly find sleep again. Not long after however, misery set in. With only one layer of bag under me now, the rock and its ridges upon which Eric has set the tent began inflicting their toll for trespassing. Confined to the small tent…there was no room to escape. Two things were evident… needed was a ground pad or a bed of pine needles.
After a hearty breakfast, we left our packs in camp even though we had chosen another camp site on the west trail for the night. We would hike south on Boot Canyon Trail to the South Rim, returning along the southewest trail and use the Colima Trail to cross back over to the campsite, pick up our packs and cross back over to the west picking up the Laguna Meadows Trail and find our evening campsite in Laguna Meadows. This plan meant covering more trail but far less of it with a pack.
The Boot Canyon Trail proved to be my favorite section. Much of it wound along a creek bed with several crossings of the creek. It was beautiful and I became so caught up in it that I failed to take many pictures…just not wanting the distraction.
The South Rim offers a fantastic view of the desert below and the Rio Grande off to the south. We lingered taking it in. The southwest trail is the easiest section to hike and good time was made back to the cross over trail. Colima Trail offers a ridge near the western juntion but we were both feeling fresh so were confident that there would be no problem getting our packs and making our nights campsite. The pack didn’t feel as heavy as the first day…it wasn’t, we had consumed a days rations and water.
Note: Day hikers make the South Rim view in one fairly long day from the ranger station and often hike to and from the south rim via the easier and quicker southwest trail but in doing they miss a treat in the beauty of the Boot Canyon Trail.
At the second campsite, I was determined to get a better nights sleep. The campsite is named for the meadow and my hopes that there would be soft dirt were realized. I opted not for using the tent… found an area covered with dirt only and parked my ground cloth. Laguna Meadows proved interesting in that we shared it with several dear during the evening and early morning. They were not tame enough to be pesky however.
The evening meal was a chicken based Mountain Menu meal plus a couple of extra cans of chicken. It was tasty and filled our hunger. After sleeping well, I woke early and before light we were both up and getting breakfast of oatmeal, juice and hot chocolate. The hike down the northwest trail was easy enough but there seems something wrong with the logic of backpacking into the mountains. Going up, one has all his rations and water…coming back down, the rations and water have been consumed. Maybe backpacking sites going down into Grand Canyon would be wiser.
I was impressed with the beauty and another opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and petitioned for my own back pack for Christmas. I owe much thanks to Eric for asking me to go and sharing the experience. It's another memory together that I treasure. According to the topo program, we covered a mere twelve miles and three thousand feet of elevation...but the many switch backs likely added an additional 3-4 miles. The weather was ideal... I neither felt overheated or chilled. In the morning and evening hours a light jacket sufficed.
On the way home...we stopped at Fredricksburg to take in the Admiral Chester Nimitz Navy Museum. I had a great deal of fun...thanks Eric. Another backpack is scheduled for fall of 2003...hmmm, I need to start training.
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