Backcountry Hike

Today was another red letter day - I took my first backcountry hike since my hip surgery.  Actually, my first backcountry hike since the overnight I wrote about last February.  Again, not what I'd been planning to report for my first year in Idaho, but that's how it worked out. I'd been thinking I was probably ready to try a hike, as I am recovered significantly and walking with no difficulty.  My back has been giving me trouble due to several months of enforced inactivity, but walking has always been the best therapy for that.

I woke up Monday morning with other plans, but the day was clear and bright, with a beautiful blue sky and quickly-disappearing early morning frost.  I knew I wouldn't have many more days like this to enjoy, so I decided "Today's the day".   I planned to go back to the Marie Creek trail, the same local trail I'd hiked twice before last winter.  It's the nearest "real" backcountry trail I have yet found.  The trailhead is only a few miles from our house, and yet it has a remote, solitary feel to it and has enough scenery to be interesting, if not spectacular.

Marie Creek Trail  (Not sure why, but this doesn't show the loop/lollipop).

It took me awhile to get ready, as I was heading out from a standing start.  I hadn't really even looked at my hiking gear since we moved out of the AirBnB and into our home in March!  But I located the necessary clothing and gear, packed a sandwich and snacks, and headed out.

I took a fair amount of time at the trailhead working with my new GPS (a Garmin GPSMap 66i) and the Forest Service map of the Coeur d'Alene National Forest.  This trail is a "lollipop" trail, with a loop at the trailhead end, and a 2-mile dead end (the lollipop stick) at the far end.  I had not yet hiked the entire trail, and this time I hoped to at least complete the loop portion.  I had not been able to find the branch to make the loop on my first hike, as I had only a very crude photocopied trail map at the time.  This time I looked at a better map, and estimated the GPS coordinates where I would be likely to find the turnoff.

I got started about 1330, which is kind of a late start when dusk falls at 1630 and it's dark by 1700.  But it was a rewarding, exhilarating hike up the first set of switchbacks to the bench on the saddle where I had camped in February.  I rested there for about 15 minutes, then started down the longer, gentler downhill into the valley where Marie Creek runs.

As usual for me, walking into wild country relaxed my mind and brought back the sense of peace I always feel in such places.  Although I saw some old footprints, there was no other activity on the trail.  I was alone in the silence, with only the sound of the wind, my own breathing, the crunching of my footsteps in the partially-frozen ground, the rhythmic thump of my walking stick hitting the ground every third step, and occasional sounds of birds (quail or grouse or sometime similar) flying out from cover as my passing by disturbed them.  It even seemed that one of them followed me for quite a ways, repeatedly calling out and flying ahead a little way, although it could just as well have been a series of different birds.

I was struck by how unexpectedly green the forest was for December.  I expected the fir trees and other evergreens to be green, but there were a lot of green plants - mosses, ferns, and some other leafy plants, all of which were a verdant green, almost as though it was Spring.  Up by our home, everything has turned brown except the evergreens, so this surprised me.

The sky had clouded over by the time took this, so the photo doesn't do justice to the greenery.

I really wanted to find the branch trail while it was still light, so I pressed on, even though it was getting late.  I had one false sighting that I thought was it, but the trail branched off to the left and then rejoined the main trail a bit farther on.  Finally, at about 1530, I came to the right spot.  This is the point where the trail goes on down the "lollipop stick" to a dead end, and branches off to the left to climb up a to the top of a ridge, then follows that ridge back around to the trailhead, completing a loop.

Skitwish Creek, the point at which the trail branches off to loop back to the trailhead. 

The forest service information about length of the trail conflicted between different sources (maps, trail listings, and this sign).  My GPS gave even different information.  It said I had traveled 3.54 miles to this point from the trailhead.

I stopped at the sign and had an extended rest stop where I brewed some green tea and had some cheese and crackers (I'd eaten my sandwich and apple earlier).  It was at this point that I made an interesting discovery - I had no insoles in my hiking boots!   I used to always take out the factory insoles in all my boots and shoes, and replace them with "Superfeet" insoles.  They are very supportive and seemed to help my feet feel better.  My first chiropractor here in Idaho had suggested and prescribed custom orthotic insoles ("Foot Levelers"), and since we moved here I have been using those.  I have three pair and move them around between shoes.  I had used them in these hiking boots last winter, but had taken them out after the hike.  Apparently I did *not* replace the Superfeet, so they had nothing in them for arch support.

You might wonder how I overlooked this little fact, but frankly I was more concerned about the outside of the boots.  These are the boots that I had resoled at Rocky Mountain Resole, and I was examining the soles for signs of wear or delamination.  I also examined the laces.  But I simply didn't look inside - I assumed I'd replaced the Superfeet.

My feet felt surprisingly good after 3 1/2 miles of walking with no arch support, but between the state of my boots and the fact that my light was failing, I decided to call it a success for finding the branch trail, and to head back the same way I had come rather than attempt an unknown six miles of trail in darkness.  I packed up and left the resting spot about 1600.  The trail was clearly visible in the dimming light, and I was able to walk until about 1645 before I finally decided that I needed to get out my headlamp.  I used the red lens to preserve my night vision, and made it back up to the bench on the saddle about 1705.  After a rest there, it was an easy 40-minute downhill walk to my Jeep.  My GPS reported a total of 7.04 miles in 4 hrs 37 minutes, with a net elevation gain/loss of 925 feet.

This morning I felt (predictably) a bit stiff and sore, but that eased up as I went through my morning stretches and exercises and went about my business for the day.  I am very happy that I was able to complete my first "real" hike since having my hip replaced, with no issues or unusual pain.  This bodes well for my intention to do some serious wilderness backpacking next year!