Test Driving the New Sleeping Bag

Last night, I hiked up the Y for 3 hours and set up my tent in a nice spot that I had previously staked out. The sky was black. The wind gently rustled the trees through the valley. Just as I unrolled my tent, I heard the loudest grunt and stomping not 50 meters away from me (which seemed like only 10 meter). It was an elk nesting for the night.

In that moment, I was ready to turn back around and march right down the mountain. Instead, I said a prayer that the Elk would find me invisible. But as an extra precaution, I urinated around the perimeter of my tent.

I heard a little bit of animal rustling during the night, but nothing to be concerned over. My sleeping bag was warm--perfect for the price I paid. Ideally, I would have liked more cushion and more room, but, that is not available in backpacking bags. Most of the night was spent listening to the silence. I'd check my watch every half hour, determined to stay in my tent, until 7am.

The next morning, I promptly packed up and left the campsite without checking to see where the elk was. Instead of returning the way I came, I went exploring to find my way home. [Note: I did consult a topographical map to gauge major landmarks, before leaving home.] I only took one wrong turn before I found a rocky access road that lead me down Slate Canyon. Once I emerged from the canyon I just hooked up with the Shoreline Trail which led me right back to the Y trail parking lot.

Other Animals I Saw on My Adventure:

-Skunk (3 meters away on the trail)
-Raccoon (outside my tent)
-Squirrel (all over the place)
-Hawk (in the back country)
-Robin (walking down Slate Canyon)
-Hummingbird (on the Shoreline Trail walking back to my car)
-Deer (on a hill just above the State Mental Hospital)
-Alaskan Malamute ("walking" it's owner along the Shoreline trail)

p.s. I did bring a camera, but the battery died before I could take a single picture.