Male Bonding Trip...

Back in July Ben, my Dad, Eric (older bro) and Curt (younger bro) went on a 3 day-2 night, 22 mile (yes, TWENTY TWO miles) backpacking trip in the San Jacinto Mountains, outside of Palm Springs, CA. This picture is Day 1...entering the park. You can see the Mountain Peak they were going to climb in the background.

Ben and some beautiful scenery.
This is Curt and my Dad purifying some drinking water they found out of a stream.
Camp...Night 1. This site is called Skunk Cabbage. There were 2, 2-man tents. I think they all did rock-paper-scissors to see who would end up with the snorers...notice how far apart they put the tents:)
This is "dessert"...mixed berry cobbler. Most of the food they ate was dehydrated and packaged...you know, just add water. I think they pretty much starved themselves and ate beef jerky and gatorade. Can't say I blame them. I hear the chicken enchiladas were so gross that no creature would go near it.
This is Night 2 after they hiked 10 miles. (Day 1 they hiked 5 miles and day 2 was 10 miles). This day everything was up hill, so they were worn out. Through out the day, they were always worried about water...they had to try and listen and hope and pray that the water would be where the map said it was...sometimes the creeks would be dry and they would have to go searching for water. Thank goodness they didn't have to drink their urine or anything! I know they were close!

This is Day 3. This cabin is at the base of San Jacinto Peak. It was built in the early 1900's for those hikers who needed to rest before they went to the peak. The altitude is so high and the air is so thin that people would need to rest in the cabin before they went on.


Inside the cabin you could find all sorts of medical supplies and food as well as a log-in book and some bunk beds. People left stuff for those who ran out of supplies and were in need. This is Curt climbing up to the Peak.
This is the highest point of the Peak...Mission Completion! Way to go boys!! The top of the peak is just under 11,000 ft.

Ben and Curt at the top of the Peak.

Ben looking down at the desert below. "I'm King of the World!!" Can't wait for the next boys out...they plan on doing this every other year...next time Chile? Colorado? Washington? Appalachian Trail?