Hiked up to the summit of Vesper Peak with my friend Randy to photograph sunset, the night sky and sunrise over the North Cascade Mountains. Unfortunately, smoke from forest fires in Eastern Washington blew in, obscuring the night sky and sunrise. But the sunset was magical.
Sunset over Washington’s North Cascade Mountains from summit of Vesper Peak Sony a6600 and Sony 10-18mm f/4 lens
Here is a video of our ascent, climbing 4000 feet in 4.0 miles. We start on the rough Sunrise Mine trail, climb up to Headlee Pass and then continue over heather, snow and granite to the summit at 6214 feet, where we spent a pleasant night in bivy sacks.
An early stream crossing can be challenging when water levels are high. Those following the route to the summit of Vesper Peak should have good off-trail travel skills, including travel over steep snow and rock. Spikes, crampons and/or ice axe, and the skills to use them, may be require depending on conditions. Loose rocks on the switchbacks up to Headlee Pass can be dangerous to those below you. Take extra care here to avoid knocking rocks down the hill, and consider staying close together in a tight group so that any loosened rocks can’t build up dangerous speed before impacting people below. Medium to high clearance vehicle advised for the drive to the trailhead due to one washout.
Sunset over Washington’s North Cascade Mountains from summit of Vesper Peak Sony a6600 and Sony 10-18mm f/4 lensClimber overlooking Washington’s North Cascade Mountains from summit of Vesper Peak Sony a6600 and Sony 10-18mm f/4 lensClimber overlooking Washington’s North Cascade Mountains from summit of Vesper Peak Sony a6600 and Sony E16-55mm f/2.8 lens
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Bannock bread is a favorite camping side dish with a long tradition. Made from all dry ingredients, it packs nicely, doesn’t require any refrigeration and makes a hearty side dish with dinner. Any left-overs can be added to the following day’s breakfast menu. However, traditional bannock bread’s primary ingredient is wheat. So I wanted to figure out a wheat-free bannock bread variation that my wife could eat, given here wheat intolerance.
I made up my standard bag of bannock mix, but simply substituted spelt flour for wheat flower, one-for-one.
Bannock is easily cooked in the back-country by frying it in a pan or by baking it in a reflector oven. In the video linked above, I fry it in a pan over a twig stove.
The end result was pretty good. Not quite as good as traditional wheat bannock bread, but pretty acceptable … especially with a handful of raisins baked in and a dusting of cinnamon.
Spelt Bannock Bread Recipe
Mix following dry ingredients in 1 quart zip-lock freezer bag. I like to mass produce several of these and store them in the freezer for trips throughout the year.
• 1 cup spelt flour • 1 Tbsp baking powder • 3 Tbsp powdered milk • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
Carry separately: • 1 Tbsp butter, oil or ghee (see note on ghee below) • Dash cinnamon (optional) • Handful raisins, dried cranberries or fresh blueberries (optional, but very yummy!)
Ghee is a clarified butter that will remain fresh without refrigeration for several weeks when properly sealed. At home, it can be stored for months in the refrigerator. It is tastier and healthier than regular butter. I prefer Organic Valley brand. You can find it on Amazon https://amzn.to/3cH7PXG or in the Indian foods or dairy sections of your local grocery store.
Cooking Wheat-Free Bannock Bread in Camp
In the field, add water to the bag of dry ingredients, a little at a time. Also add any optional raisins, dried cranberries or fresh blueberries. Mix the water into the dry ingredients by squeezing the sides of the bag with your hands. You are looking for a knead-able dough consistency. Don’t add too much water: it is easy to add water, but pretty difficult to take it back out!
Melt a tablespoon of butter, oil of ghee in a pan. A heavy cast iron pan would be ideal, but a thinner lightweight pan will work fine in the back-country.
Add the dough to the pan. Spread it out with a spoon or spatula to around 3/4 inch thick.
Fry the dough over medium heat, until the first side is browned. This should take around 12-15 minutes. Cooking too fast can result in burned surfaces, but still doughy in the middle.
Flip the loaf over, sprinkle some cinnamon over the just-cooked side (optional) and cook the second side for a similar amount of time.
Probe for done-ness by sticking a toothpick, fork or knife into the bread. The probe should come out with no dough on it when the bread is done in the middle.
Remove from heat and let the bread cool for a few minutes before breaking it into pieces with your hands (some consider it faux-pas to cut bannock bread with a knife). Enjoy.
Join me on a sea kayaking camping adventure to Saddlebag Island Marine State Park to see its wildlife, explore its forests and to check out the spring wildflowers that grow along its rocky shoreline.
I paddle across Fidaldo Bay on a foggy May morning. Following a series of compass bearings, I make my way from Anacortes to the SE tip of Guemes Island. From there, I hop across to Huckleberry Island, circle around the north end of Saddlbag Island, wrap around Dot Island and land in Saddlebag’s South Harbor.
After setting up camp at the Cascade Marine Trail site, I hike the rough 1.2 mile trail around the island. The spring wildflowers are out in full force this mid-May morning.
Spring wildflowers on shore of Saddlebag Island
After encounters with about 40 seals hauled out on rocks, great blue heron, bald eagles and river otter, I witness a colorful sunset over Mount Baker and peaceful Padilla Bay.
Sunset of Saddlebag Island with Mount Baker and Cascade Mountains across Padilla Bay
I had the island to myself, except for a brief visit from a motor boat.
Saddlebag Island Marine State Park has 5 campsites scattered amongst the forest of Pacific madrone. This including one Cascade Marine Trail campsite designated for guests arriving by wind- or human-powered watercraft. It is one of 66 campgrounds and 160 day-use sites available along the Cascadia Marine Trail system, running the full length of Puget Sound.
Pacific madrone forest, Saddlebag Island Marine State Park
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Here is the packrafting gear list I use when packing for a typical week-long packrafting trip that primarily involves floating down a river without significant backpacking. Check out the videos at bottom of this page for examples of such trips.
For trips with significant backpacking, this packrafting gear list will need to be adapted. Much more weight optimization is required, often with some sacrifices in comfort. You will need to think more like an ultra-light backpacker, cut equipment to absolute minimum, use the lightest-weight version of each item you take and trim off every ounce possible. However, always wear an appropriate PFD, and always wear a whitewater helmet if rafting Class II or greater water.
Bow Bag: 24 L of easy access storage for lunch, water, sunscreen, bug repellant, binoculars, map, compass, gloves, hat and more.
Cargo Fly Internal Drybags: These can pack a surprising amount of camping gear inside your raft, and attach to a clip inside the raft to keep them from shifting around. My friends and I all use the Roll-Top version. If you put anything hard in these (e.g. tent poles, stove), be sure to wrap it in something soft to avoid getting holes in the boat/bag when you bump into a rock on the water.
Paddle: There are tons of options. A paddle that breaks down into four sections could be important if you will be doing lots of backpacking with your packraft. But a two section paddle works fine too. I use a straight shaft Werner Ikelos paddle, for both packrafting and sea kayaking. A high-angle paddle keeps the blade close to the side of the boat, which minimizes how much the packraft turns with each stroke, thus moving the boat faster with less energy. I also suggest that one person in your party should carry a spare paddle if you are paddling in a remote area.
USCG Type III PFD: I just use my sea kayaking PFD. If you want an extra light-weight version, check out the Astral V-Eight. Always carry a whistle and river knife (*) on your PFD.
Dry Suit: Save some big bucks by buying this during one of those 20% off sales that REI has every year.
Throw Bag & Tow Rope: A short tow rope is used for capturing your friend’s overturned boat if it gets separated from them. It should attach to your waist and have a quick-release buckle so you can cut it away if it gets hung up on something. You may also need a throw bag (*) on more serious white water. I am using the Salamander Retriever Kayak Rescue Throw Rope & Tow Tether, which serves both purposes. Hyperlite offers a super light-weight River Rescue Throw Bag.
Paddling Gloves: I have the NRS Maverick, but I find that they wear out pretty fast and the latest version is too stiff.
* I highly recommend taking a swift water rescue course to learn how to safely use this gear.
Clothing List
Socks: 3 pairs of wool socks.
Boots: I’m a big fan of Chota wading boots over my dry suit feet. They drain water quickly and dry out in camp with some sun or wind. They are a killer combination with these waterproof submersible socks when not wearing a dry suit (e.g. flatwater canoeing trips).
Underwear: 3 pair, non-cotton.
Thermal Underwear Bottom: 1 pair under dry suit for paddling, 1 pair for sleeping.
Thermal Underwear Tops: 1 pair under dry suit for paddling, 1 pair for sleeping.
Hiking Pants: Switch between full-length or shorts as temperatures change. Get something tough that will stand up to sitting on rocks. 2 pair. I love Northbound Gear’s “Adventure” water resistant pants for colder weather conditions ($20 off).
Shirts: I typically take 1 short-sleeve and 1 long-sleeve non-cotton shirt.
Wool Sweater: Wear under dry suit on cold days, or wear in camp in mornings/evenings.
Light Down Jacket: For cold nights/mornings in camp. Get something packable. For an extra layer of protection, mine goes in a waterproof compression bag before packing it with the rest of my clothes.
Light Gloves: For cold nights/mornings in camp.
Warm Hat: For cold nights/mornings in camp.
Rain Jacket: For rainy days in camp, if you want to get out of your dry suit.
Rain Pants: For rainy days in camp, if you want to get out of your dry suit.
Rain Hat: I’ve used the Seattle Sombrero for decades. Lets your neck ventilate way more than a parka hood. I tuck my parka hood inside my jacket to keep it dry, pulling it out only when its rainy AND windy.
Head Net: Only necessary when in deep bug country.
Camping Equipment List
Backpack: Not only necessary for backpacking with your gear, but also good for portaging all your stuff around rapids beyond your comfort zone. But also great for getting your gear to/from the river, padding hard camping equipment within your packraft and even just keeping stuff organized in the car when you’re sharing a ride. We mostly use 4400 cubic inch Southwest packs from Hyperlight Mountain Gear.
Sleeping Bag: For an extra layer of protection, my bag goes in a waterproof compression bag before packing it with the rest of my camping gear it in a larger dry bag.
Sleeping Pad: The Neoair is light and packs down small, but inflates to 2.5 inches thick.
Folding Camp Chair: My chair’s legs dig into the sand. I suggest trying something designed for soft ground, like the Helinox Ground Chair, or use one of their groundsheets.
Headlamp with extra set of batteries
Stove, Bowl, Cup, Spoon: I’ll take a Jetboil for solo cooking, or an MSR Whisperlight and larger pot if sharing the stove. For solo use of the Jetboil, I use about 25 g of fuel per day to boil one pot for breakfast and to boil 1.5 pots for dinner with about 15 minute simmer time. However, to avoid burning fuel when a recipe call for simmering, I now put my pot in an insulated cozy for twice the simmer time.
Water Filter: If it is safe to use water from the river, I like gravity filters, so I can do other camp chores while the gravity does its thing filtering my water.
Water Bottle: I carry a 1/2 quart or 1 quart bottle in the bow bag for use while paddling.
Miscellaneous Equipment List
Trekking Poles: Take them if you’re going to be doing any backpacking with all your gear, or if your tent requires them for support. Otherwise, I would leave them at home.
Binoculars: Definitely worth taking a small waterproof pair of binoculars if you’re floating through good wildlife habitat. I carry a pair that is probably far too large, but the compact Nikon Trailblazer ATB Waterproof 10X25 looks like a good option.
Sunglasses
Sunscreen & Lip Balm
Insect Repellant
Maps: Keep printed maps in a Ziploc freezer bag. On my smartphone, I also carry topo maps on the Backcountry Navigator app, and other specialty maps in the Avenza Maps app.
Compass: The Suunto MC-2G Navigator is my choice for precise navigation, but may be overkill for some.
Nature Guides: I really like taking these laminated tri-fold nature guides with me for identifying wildlife, birds, wildflowers, plants, etc. I take these on all my outdoor adventures.
Personal Locator Beacon: If I’m going somewhere really remote, I keep an ACR PLB in my PFD pocket. The battery will need to be served every 5 years. Others might prefer in inReach or SPOT for a connection to the outside world if you’re willing to pay a monthly fee. I suggest that at least one person in your party should have one of these devices if padding in a remote area.
Toiletries
Smartphone: Handy off-line apps include Clock (alarm clock), Backcountry Navigator (topo maps), Avenza Maps (specialty maps), PeakFinder (mountain identification), Merlin (bird identification), The Photographer’s Ephemeris (sun/moon positioning) and of course Music and the Camera.
Solar Charging System: May only be necessary on trips of 2 or more weeks in length. I have a whole separate article and downloadable calculator on how to size a portable solar charging system here.
Poo Bags: Many rivers require paddlers to carry out all of their human waste. The Cleanwaste Go Anywhere bags work well. But the included TP and hand sanitizer is a joke. Carry your own bottle of hand sanitizer. As a guy, I carry 1 roll of TP per week, plus 1 extra roll (women may need more). Vacuum pack extra rolls to minimize bulk. Put all of this stuff in a dedicated dry bag separate from everything else.
First-Aid Kit: Everyone should carry a small first-aid kit sealed in a Ziploc freezer bag. I suggest the group also carry a more extensive kit, depending on how remote the trip is. And at least some in the party should be trained in Wilderness First Aid.
Fire Starter: I use flint and steel (works when wet, never runs out of gas), but lighter or matches work.
Repair Kit: In addition to the packraft-specific repair kit, the group should carry a repair kit with zip-ties, duct tape, spare sleeping pad valve, pliers, knife, etc. A plastic peanut jar keeps my kit waterproof.
Emergency Shelter: A compact space blanket could be carried in a PFD pocket if there is any risk of you getting separated from your gear and the rest of the group in a remote location.
Bear-Resistant Food Container: Many rivers will require use of bear-resistant food containers. I use both an Ursack and a BV450 BearVault for a one week trip. Ursacks can be stowed inside the packraft all the way up in the bow. Rigid canisters should be stored in the back to avoid impact with rocks. Keep any canisters far from the river while in camp. I’ve had raccoons knock them over at night causing the canister to roll towards the water.
I hope you find this packrafting gear list useful in planning your next packraft trip. Please share any suggested improvements to this packrafting equipment list in the comments below.
Here are a few videos of packrafting trips where I used this equipment list.
We enjoyed paddling the Grande Ronde so much last year, that we just had to do it again this year, this time paddling 91 miles over 7 days from Minam, Oregon down the Wallowa and Grande Ronde Rivers to Heller Bar, Washington on the Snake River.
Four of us paddled Alpacka packrafts (Classic and Expedition models), and one paddled by canoe.
Water levels on the Grande Ronde Wild and Scenic River ranged from 4600-5400 cfs.
This trip in mid-April had greener hillsides, which brought out more wildlife than we saw last year in late-June. This year’s wildlife sightings included bald eagles, river otter, a band of bighorn sheep and hundreds of elk.
The American Whitewater page for Grande Ronde Minam-Troy, Troy-Boggan’s Oasis and Boggan’s Oasis to Heller Bar have useful information. We floated all three sections. We only saw two other parties floating the river during the first 2 days.
American Whitewater recommends flows in the range 1000-13,000 cfs. Our trip ranged 4400 to 4500 cfs.
The BLM publishes a detailed Boater’s Guide with detailed river maps. You can purchase this at Minam Store, or BLM offices. Or, download it to your phone here.
Some of the surrounding areas are agricultural and range land. You should pack all of your drinking water. I consumed about 3-4 liters/day.
You are required to carry out all human waste. I used Cleanwaste GO Anywhere bags stored in a dry bag. Bring additional TP and hand sanitizer to supplement the tiny amounts that comes in these bag. Those with larger boats should consider carrying something similar to the Cleanwaste Go Anywhere Portable Toilet.
Campfires need to be contained in fire pans. Be prepared to cook on stoves.
Bring binoculars to scout for wildlife up on the hills. You could see mountain sheep, elk, deer, snake, eagles, sand pipers and lots of other birds.
I’m back at Olympic National Park this month, photographing the old-grown temperate rainforests in winter. This time I’m at the Queets River Rainforest and Ruby Beach. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out Part 1 in my Olympic National Park Winter Photo Shoot series.
Click on image below for larger view and to buy a print.
Some pics and a video tour from my four-day winter camping photo shoot in Olympic National Park photographing in the Hoh River rain forest, the Queets River rainforest and Ruby Beach.
Click on image below for larger view and to buy a print.
I had a fine day watching and photographing short-eared owls on Fir Island, Washington. I found this owl in the Skagit Bay Wildlife Area.
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Short-eared owl hunting in marsh, Firs Island, Washington
Hunting over marsh, Firs Island, Washington
On direct approach, Firs Island, Washington
Short-eared owl perched on driftwood, Firs Island, Washington
Tips for Photographing Short-Eared Owls in the Wild
Short-eared owls hunt for voles and other small rodents during daylight hours, typically in early morning and late afternoon. This diurnal behavior makes them one of the easier owl species to locate and photograph.
The tips below are from my experience photographing short-eared owls in the winter in Washington State’s Puget Sound.
Finding Short-Eared Owls
Find a site with wet marsh grasses of various heights. You are looking for good vole territory. A short-eared owl will generally live and hunt over an area of approximately 0.2 X 0.2 miles.
If you also see Northern harrier hunting in the area, then you may be in good territory. Short-eared owls and norther harrier are fierce competitors, and are frequently seen hunting in the same areas.
I like to stand on a water management dike, where a slightly elevated view provides an eye-level view of the owl when if flies. Short-eared owls often fly 5 to 15 feet off the ground while searching for prey. This elevated view puts marsh in the background instead of the bright sky more likely from a lower point-of-view.
Watch for the short-eared owls erratic flight pattern. They use large wing beats and fly in fairly random moves. Some people compare this erratic flight pattern to that of a moth.
There is probably not any real reason to hide from the owl. It will know you are there. But do be quiet, don’t move much and maybe wear natural colors or camouflage if you have it.
Dress warm. You won’t be moving much. Bring some snacks and a hot drink.
Please don’t stand in the middle of its hunting area. I have seen other photographers do this, and it does change the owl’s hunting behavior. No photograph is worth disturbing an animal’s behavior.
Arrive before sunrise, or about 3 hours before sunset.
Equipment and Settings for Photographing Short-Eared Owls
Bring the longest telephoto lens you have. 200mm is probably a minimum, but a 500mm or 600mm would be ideal.
Turn on your lens’ image stabilization (IS), vibration reduction (VR), optical image Optical SteadyShot (OSS), or whatever image stabilization technology your lens may have.
Also turn on any in-body sensor stabilization your camera might have.
Mount your lens to a monopod or to a tripod with gimbal head, if you have them. Otherwise, shoot hand-held.
Set your camera for Aperture priority, the aperture to the largest it will go (ie smallest f/stop number) and ISO to around 3200 on cloudy day or around 800 on sunny day.
Alternatively, set your camera for Manual mode, the aperture to the largest it will go (ie smallest f/stop number) and shutter speed for about 1/2000 sec for flying owls or about 1/200 sec for perched owls. Set ISO to “Auto”. This is the way I typically photograph birds.
Set you focus to a continuous auto-focus mode, preferably one that has subject tracking.
Set your shooting mode to continuous at the highest frame rate (frames/second) you camera will support.
Bring a spare battery and memory card, as you will likely be taking 100’s of images.
Take some test shots to check your exposure settings. Are images coming out sharp?
Photographing Short-Eared Owls in the Field
The owl may hunt for up to about 3 hours.
If the owl catches prey, it will likely stop hunting for that morning/evening while it consumes the catch. So you might as well move on to something else if you see it catch something.
When photographing a flying owl, obtain focus and then squeeze the shutter release button to fire off a handful of images. Their erratic flight pattern makes composition within the frame very difficult. Having lots of images will give you more options to choose from after the shoot.
Short-eared owls are very habitual, using the same perches and hunting the same territory. Once you find one, make return trips to keep improving your technique.
After the Shoot
After your shoot, work your way through the images to find your keepers. The vast majority of your images will likely be out of focus or awkwardly composed. This is why it’s important to take hundreds of photo.
Your images will likely have a fair amount of noise in them from shooting at high ISO. I highly recommend Topaz denoise for correcting this.
Here is the equipment I use for photographing short-eared owls. While a 600mm f/4 lens would be the ideal, the system below is lighter weight and far less expensive, making it useful on wildlife photography trips into the remote back-country. This smaller setup is also far easier to hold when shooting without a tripod. (affiliate links)
