Escaping the Everyday

Have you ever been to a place where the views are just breathtaking? Jake, my brother, Cassie and I embarked on our first Montana backpacking trip. The photos we captured were beautiful, but it still doesn’t compare to seeing the views through our own eyes.

I cannot wait to tell you all about it, so let’s get into it! It’s funny because I use to say all the time that I wouldn’t go backpacking but here I am! We did two overnight hikes at Lava Lake and Pine Creek Lake.

Lava Lake Trail

5.4 mile out and back trail | Elevation gain ~ 1,600 feet

Lava Lake trail is an extremely popular trail that’s heavily used on the weekends and during the week as well. Luckily, we decided to go during the week, so there wouldn’t be as many people and to ensure we secured a place to set up camp. This is definitely a great first backpacking hike if you’re ever looking to get into it.

The trail is a gradual climb but nothing too strenuous with a couple river crossings. There was one river crossing that Cassie was a little too scared to do on her own so Jake had to carry her across. Cassie isn’t scared of much but she’s aware she’s not a great swimmer, so she’s a little nervous when trying to cross rivers that are moving fast or are pretty deep.

We set out on the hike around 5pm and got to the lake around 6:15, so it took us about an hour and 15 minutes to get to the campsite at the lake. This gave us a few hours to make dinner, explore and just hang out!

Cassie even got to swim since we brought her life jacket!

We eventually went to sleep where Alex slept in his hammock while Jake, Cassie and I slept in our two-person tent. The thing that most people might not realize is that when you’re backpacking you need to ensure you’re bringing the right gear. It’s not as simple as going to Walmart and buying a sleeping bag and tent. There are so many things to consider when buying your gear, such as your backpack, sleeping pad, and tent. It’s important to consider the size of each of these items because you need to fit EVERYTHING into your backpack. You need to ensure you’re buying a sleeping bag that’s light weight but is also going to keep you warm in chilly weather conditions. Then there’s your sleeping pad which is going to help contain body heat and provide a little bit of comfort.

The weather is so different in Montana than what we’re used to. As we were hiking up to the lake, it was in the 80s and when we woke up the next morning it was probably in the low 40s. You can say it was a little chilly! Not only do you need to have the proper camping gear, but you also need to ensure you have the proper clothing for the different temperatures.

We used mini titanium stoves and an ignitor which we were able to boil water to make instant coffee, freeze dried meals, oats, etc. Jake and Alex tried a few different meals, some were a hit, and some were just okay. I stuck to peanut butter sandwiches, and meal bars because I can’t stomach those hiking meals.

Speaking of food, Montana is known for their bears, so we had to buy a bear canister. A bear canister is where you can pack your food in a secure bin that bears can’t get into. The canister needs to be placed about 250 feet away from your camp site, so the bears are drawn away from your camp site. The last thing we would want is wildlife hanging around us right outside of our tent.

Pine Creek Lake

10.4 mile out and back | 3,600 feet of elevation gain

The next day we set out to our next hike! This trail was a strenuous and grueling hike, but the views were absolutely worth it! The first mile was pretty flat that led you to a really cool waterfall. After the waterfall, it gets pretty steep with a lot of switchbacks and some river crossings. The really awesome part of this hike was you hit different terrains along the way up. Dirt paths, rock scrambles, switch backs in the woods and on the rocks, and walking through tall grass.

When we finally got to the lake, we couldn’t believe our eyes! It looked like something out of a magazine where you dream about visiting.

We started the hike around 1 pm and it took us about 3 1/2 hours to get to the lake. The peak was windy, so we tried to find a spot where the wind wasn’t blowing so hard. Alex almost had to move his hammock in the middle of the night from the side of his hammock slapping his face. Looking back as we were heading down the mountain the next morning, we realized we should have hiked a little back down the mountain to have coverage with the trees from the wind.

Lesson learned!

After we set up camp, Jake and Alex decided to take the trail up to Black Mountain peak which is supposed to have spectacular views overlooking the Rockies. Black mountain stands a little above 10,000 feet!

Cassie and I decided to stay back and hold down the fort but unfortunately, they came back sooner than expected because the trail is not well marked and with losing daylight, they didn’t want to risk losing the trail.

It worked out well because we decided to go watch the sunset above one of the lakes right by our camp. I simply can’t get over how magnificent the views were.

We woke up to light rain and wind which was not a great surprise. We quickly packed up and headed down the mountain. As we were about a mile into the decent, the wind and rain cleared up to blue skies and warmth!

We took a quick break along the river to refill our water bottles using our Sawyer water filtration system. Cassie also got to cool down in the river which is always her favorite part!

We eventually made it all the way back down to the car and what a great feeling it was to accomplish not only one night but two nights in the mountains.

Even though the trip fun and thrilling, it was great to be back in our beds that night! I was also so proud of how Cassie did on the backpacking trip. She settled well in the tent the second night but the first night I think she was a little confused as she’s never slept in a tent before. She was all bundled up with her blanket and fleece to keep her warm.

Anyways, I never thought I’d do anther overnight hike but here we are! I think there will be more to come in the future, so I hope you stick around!