Desert Destination: Death Valley--Golden Canyon & Salt Creek

 Our Death Valley adventure continued after Badwater with a jaunt to Golden Canyon. This is one of the easiest canyons to hike, so I thought it would be perfect for the kids. But it turned out I had a rather whiny kid who did not want to hike, no matter what. I tried to distract him by pointing out the pavement--a road used to go up Golden Canyon, but a flash flood in 1976 that dumped over two inches of rain undermined the road and washed most of it out. That distraction lasted all of about 2.3 seconds.

 I noticed some people duck into a side canyon ahead of us, and we took their cue. It was really cool, and Desert Girl and I had so much fun going up the narrow passage. Mr. Whiny? He hung out near the entrance, pouting.

 Next we found a little cave under some boulders, which I checked out to look for snakes--it would be a perfect place for them to escape the heat. When I didn't see any, I let the kids go in. Desert Girl was up for the challenge, but not Desert Boy.

 Finally I found something that really distracted him--a climbing wall. Here the sedimentary layers have been steeply tilted, making for some fun, but crumbly scrambling.

That distraction changed Desert Boy's attitude. He was now ready to have some fun, so we played the shadow game, trying to stay in the shade of the canyon. If we ran out of shade, we would try to get to the next bit of shade in ten seconds or we would melt. It was a good game and got us up to a part of the canyon that was rather straight and wide and didn't look so interesting. We decided this would be a good place to turn around. But first--one more side trip into a side canyon.

 The canyon was narrow enough we could touch both walls at the same time.

 It had some fun climbing obstacles (and the dry waterfall in the photo above wasn't quite as steep as the photo makes it look!).

 Finally we got to a place where it was a little too tough for us to continue. (Plus we had run out of bandaids.) So we took some photos and headed back down, enjoying a game of hide 'n seek along the way. My advice for Golden Canyon? It's one of the most popular hikes in Death Valley because it's so easy to get to and not too difficult. If you want to get away from the crowds, just slip into one of the many side canyons--they are fun and you don't know what you will find!

By the time we finished, it was time for lunch and swimming. I was lucky in that some teenage girls who had been lounging around the pool for a week were ready for a distraction and played with the kids for a long time. They even taught Desert Boy how to dive. It was great, and I appreciated some relaxation time.

 In the late afternoon we went to Salt Creek to look at the pupfish. Spring is mating time, and we saw thousands of pupfish in the creek. The kids thought it was really cool.

 Desert Boy shows with his fingers how big the fish are.

 A blurry, colorful pupfish. It is so amazing that this fish can survive in such a harsh locale. In fact, thinking about the huge lake, Lake Manly, that used to fill Death Valley and that had many fish species in it, kind of blows my mind.

Salt Creek was an excellent late afternoon stop. Then it was back to our campsite for some more relaxing. We went to bed early, as we wanted to get up early the next morning to pack up and see the sand dunes on our way across Death Valley.

14 Recommendations for a Perfect Hike with Kids

Last week we had a wonderful hike with friends. We love going on hikes, and this one was particularly fun. How can you turn a regular hike into a super hike? Here are 14 recommendations.

1. Invite friends. Friends make a hike much more fun, because you can share the experience. For kids, friends can be a wonderful distraction. Invite an adult friend, too--it's a chance to catch up on adult talk, plus the extra help can be great. Also, ever notice how sometimes your kids ignore you but will listen to another adult?

Friends make a hike even better.

2. Make it an adventure. Try a new spot or go to one that's familiar but with a twist--in the rain, at night, in a different season.  We went to a gully not far from our house, and not far from the road. The thing that made it special was that we hadn't explored much of it and there aren't any trails in it (except animal trails).

Making a regular hike a super hike--it's mostly how you think about it.
A super hike isn't just walking--it's an adventure!

3. Don't have a destination. I didn't think we would get far on our gully hike. But that didn't matter. Being outside was more important than getting somewhere. In other words, the journey took precedence over the destination. We told the kids they would get to decide where we went (you can imagine how they loved that!) For our hike, we actually made it over a mile. But it took four hours!

Our hike didn't have a destination; instead, our goal was
to meander through the gullies and see what cool things we could find.

4. Pack plenty of food. Better yet, have the kids pack the food. Anyone who's hiked with kids know how important snacks are. My kids love to help choose the food we'll bring on a hike. For this particular day, we decided on a picnic lunch, with hot dogs, chips, oranges, fruit leather, and water. The kids realized that hot dogs meant that we would have to make a fire, so they looked forward to that with great anticipation. Our friends brought some delicious hummus, Melba toast, and strawberries. Kids (and let's face it, adults, too), often gravitate to something different, so it's fun to have two sets of food to choose from!

 

A hot dog tastes extra good when you get to prepare it yourself, including making the fire.
Friends' snacks are also a favorite.

5. Have the kids carry their own backpacks. Ever since they were little (really little), I've had the kids carry small backpacks. They usually carry their own water bottle and a snack or two of their choosing, along with a small first aid kit. Desert Girl's first aid kit consisted of a single bandaid in a ziploc bag. Desert Boy's had about four bandaids, and he also took a notebook and pen so he could write about the trip. The kids like being able to get to their own food and water, and teaching them young to carry a pack will make it even easier when they get older. If they get tired on the hike, I take the backpack from them, and they suddenly have more energy (but don't do this too early in a hike or you'll get worn out!). Also, be sure to inspect your kids' backpacks before you start. Desert Girl had several extra toys that added weight but wouldn't be useful at all.

Desert Girl getting a bandaid out of her backpack for Charlie.
She was so proud that she was prepared. 

6. Find a challenge. Or two or three. Do we remember the easy times in life? Not so much. Usually our strongest memories are the difficult times--the challenges and choices we faced. If the entire hike is easy, we'll probably forget it. But if there was something hard that made us dig deep into ourselves and find some inner strength, we're much more likely to remember the hike and our feelings of overcoming something difficult. (Just make sure the challenge isn't too difficult or dangerous!)

  
Desert Girl finds she can get down this steep slope by sitting down and pretending its a slide.  (Boots on the wrong feet may or may not help.) The boys scramble up a steep slope, not sure if they can make it up.

Desert Girl squeezes through a tight spot.

7. Be in awe of what you find. Take time to really observe what's around. Sometimes that's no problem--kids can stare at ants walking for hours. Other times, they're rushing, so you might have to slow them down. Asking questions about what they're seeing can sometimes help them pause and consider what's around them.

 

How long are the roots of a desert plant? Why are they so long? The boys checking out a little cave.

Where did all the dirt fall from? Why? 

8. Try out a new gadget. Short hikes can be a great place to introduce your little ones to things they might need on longer hikes. We brought a compass and explained how to find north. Then we also tried the watch method of finding north and the shadow stick method. They all matched perfectly (to my great surprise!). Other great things that you could introduce them to are water filters, first aid techniques (and more advanced supplies than bandaids), and maps. Although the kids probably won't learn everything they need to know in the short lesson, it will be a good introduction.

Charlie trying out a compass.
You can introduce your little hiker to gear you plan to use on future, longer hikes.

9. Dress like a champion. You'll have to supervise what your kids put on, and maybe make some suggestions. Desert Boy thought it was really cool when I told him he should wear his wicking shirt, because he knew we were going for a real adventure then. Desert Girl insisted on a skirt. I was okay with it, as long as it was over pants. That turned out to be important, as the skirt soon caught on every bush and we had to take it off. Still, just knowing she had it in her backpack for later use kept her happy. Also make sure you have enough layers for the kids. Getting cold can make a hike miserable for everyone. Hats can be a great way to limit sun exposure.

Hiking in style.
We always have layers to take off or add as the temperature changes.

10. Give the kids a little space. Kids need some alone time on a hike just to be kids. I usually tell my kids that they can walk ahead as long as they can see me. In our area, mountain lions are the biggest predators, so I don't want the kids too far away. Depending on where you live, you can decide what the right distance is to let them have a little space. Alternatively, you can let them have a little alone time during a break, where they stay put and you can observe them from a discreet distance.

Desert Girl shares a secret with Charlie.
I couldn't hear what she said, but I could see that they were just fine.

11. Walk like a dinosaur. Desert Girl started roaring and had her arms stretched out in front of her during her hike. She had turned into a dinosaur, and was eagerly trying to "eat" the boys. Desert Boy used to turn into a train and "chop-choo" his way down the trail. We got some odd stares when he imitated loud train whistles. When your kids start to get a little tired, encourage them to use their imaginations to become their favorite animals or machines, and they may be able to hike a little further without complaining.

Desert Girl pretending to be a dinosaur and chasing after the boys.
Have your kids use their imaginations as they hike, and they'll hike longer.

12. Get dirty. Kids will immediately forget how tired they are if they can splash in a mud puddle!

Charlie found a mud puddle and somehow managed to step right in the middle of it!

13. Improvise. At the end of the hike, we went fishing with kite string and a paperclip. The kids thought it was brilliant. And it's what they remember best! You might be able to improvise sledding with a paper bag, a raft with old logs, a hiking stick out of a branch, and more.

Desert Girl fishing with kite string and a paper clip. The kids wanted to go swimming, so we said go ahead! It only took them a few steps in the cold water before they realized that maybe they should wait a couple months.

14. Take photos. I like to remember our times together, so I usually have my camera on hikes. I also find that photography helps me relax and go at a slower pace. I'm not as focused on getting somewhere, instead I'm trying to find good camera angles and interesting things to photograph.

A happy crew at the end of a fun hike.

 Hope this helps you have your own perfect hike!

 Do you have any other tips for hiking with kids? If you do, please share in the comments.

Thanks for visiting.

Random Weekend Happenings

It's been cold. Not the coldest it's ever been, but it's been a long three weeks without getting above freezing. Some mornings are gorgeous, with frost coating everything, and I've tried to take photos a couple times. Last year I think I wore my puffy pink jacket that goes down to some ridiculous temperature rating only once or twice. This year, it's the coat I wear all the time, and I'm so glad I have it. 

This weekend the cold temperatures nearly froze our water pipes, even though our house is heated with hot-water pipes that run under the house and through the radiators. I absentmindedly turned off our pencil stream of water one afternoon at 3 pm. Half an hour later, I remembered to turn it back on. Nothing came out of the faucet. Do you know what it feels like when you turn on the faucet and nothing comes out? It's certainly not a good feeling. And I might have muttered something under my breath that wasn't fit for young ears. Fortunately, the water eventually started running again. We had one other little forgetful episode, but that was also happily resolved. Whew. I'm so ready for warmer weather, and today we finally got above freezing for a couple hours. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see mud.

The weekend was full of fun activities, including a birthday party for Andie Mae. The kids had fun playing, and we came up with some good balloon games. The best part was the little girls giggling. Oh my goodness, the cuteness factor went off the chart!

We went to a couple other events, which I hopefully will blog about soon. It seems that some days just don't hold enough hours! I haven't slept well the past couple nights, I think because of cold medicine I've been taking, and then the hours creep by.  Hopefully my internal clock will get settled soon.

 We had some good laughs this weekend. I had to run and get the camera when Desert Boy came out dressed like this. I think he's the Train Conductor Superhero. Sensing no danger, he didn't stay long, so I didn't have much chance to question him.

In an effort to find some warmer weather (and some exercise!), we headed up the mountain, where it's been consistently ten degrees warmer. Sure enough, we found melting snow and even little sprouts around the new mud puddles! Desert Girl made sure she pointed out every patch of mud to me. And every little pellet of rabbit scat. And every rabbit track. Ava showed me all sorts of juniper berries. They all were very happy for the snack breaks, which occurred at every bench. We took advantage of the breaks to look at the birds: a western scrub-jay, Clark's nutcrackers, common ravens. Then I heard a familiar sound and taught the kids to "pish" for mountain chickadees. We were successful, luring one closer to our location by our alluring sound. I think they enjoyed being outside, except for the snow in the boots and cold feet.

Well, now it's time to dive into the week. How was your weekend?

Scenes from the Ranch

 I saw this strangely-colored tree as I was coming out of my driveway. It took me a minute to remember that the weed guy was spraying Russian olives today. Russian olives are a nasty invader that can turn a meadow into a thorn forest in just a few years. They grow really fast and are aggressive. This one isn't more than two or three years old, but it's already fairly tall.

 Normally the leaves are olive green in color. The bluish hue make them seem like fantasyland.

Down the road I noticed big birds out in the meadow. I zoomed in to find the group of sandhill cranes that likes to summer at the ranch. During the spring and fall we see a lot more as they head north and then return on their migration, but a few have decided that this little part of the Great Basin is just right for their summer vacation.

One was really intent on grooming itself.

Meet Desert Boy's newest pet: a roly poly. He was so excited about finding it under some rocks. He collected it and some dirt and gravel and wanted to take it home. I didn't exactly agree, but found it in the van. I said it wasn't going in the house, but he could keep it in his tree house. Desert Boy wanted to know when he could move into his tree house. What would you have answered?

Before I knew it, Desert Boy had taken a bottle out of recycling and had decided that would be the new home for his roly poly.

(If you're wondering what I answered about the tree house living, I told him he could live there when he turned 18. That's the same answer I gave him when he asked about skydiving.)

The roly poly's name is Dirt. By the way, the name for his slightly deformed crawdad (probably due to too many catch-and-releases) was Snapper. It's probably good I record all these, because when he tells me later that I should let him have another pet, I can show him the list of all his pets.

I'm wondering how long Dirt will live in his new bottle in the tree house. Any guesses?

Weekend Adventure--Part Two

After our fun eating and dancing at the Border Inn and photographing the full moon, it was time to start our camping adventure. We pulled to our camping spot under the full moon and found a level place. We transformed the seats into beds, brushed our teeth, and quickly laid down. We were tired, and it was late. But the wind blew, rattling the trailer. My husband got out of bed.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I better turn off the pivots," he said.

It was cool enough and with the wind he was afraid they might freeze. Some folks down the valley had a pivot fall over due to ice. It costs about $10,000 to put a pivot back up, and my husband did not want to have that kind of trouble.

We hadn't separated the trailer from the vehicle, so he did that and took off. That left me thinking about what I would do if the wind blew so strongly and the trailer started rolling towards the lake. Especially because the door is really hard to open. Finally I told myself to stop worrying and go to sleep. And I did.

But my husband said he kept thinking the same thing all night long, so we decided next time we won't leave the trailer pointed towards the water. We had the wheels chocked and knew the tongue would drag in the mud if it fell off the blocks, but one's imagination can go a little wild once in awhile.

Fortunately the trailer didn't move during the night, except when the wind blew or someone rolled over. It was a little wobbly. Okay. It was a lot wobbly. My husband has already bought another jack to try to make it more stable.

We woke up early as the sun streamed through the windows. I mentally added curtains to the long to-do list for the trailer. We transformed the beds back to seats and put up the table. The kids thought it was fun.

We haven't had a chance to hook anything up in the trailer, so my husband cooked over the little camp stove.

Henry had his breakfast, too.

Then it was time to walk around the reservoir.

We all had coats on, but Henry was eager to go for a swim and continually chased sticks that we threw out for him to fetch.

The water level is really low right now. We've had a dry winter, plus water is being used for irrigating the first crop of alfalfa. There's a lot of concern that there won't be water later in the summer, so there's effort to try to get the early crops as good as possible.

It's kind of neat to see all the shorelines. It makes me think of Lake Bonneville, that ancient lake that once covered so much of Utah.

The reservoir looks a little puny. I'm sure some folks wish that it was warm enough to do our annual triathlon with this low water level!

The west side of the reservoir has willows and the inlet, which meant good adventures.


With the low water, it wasn't too hard to swing the kids across the creek.


From the channel, it's clear that the inlet sees some more turbulent times. It was a little muddy in areas, but fortunately we didn't sink too deep.


Desert Boy found some "dinosaur" tracks.


We also saw some tracks that looked like skunk tracks to us.

With the low water levels we noticed a lot of trash. We had two big trash bags with us and filled them both up. Beer cans and beer bottles were the most common trash. Hopefully the reservoir will stay a little cleaner this summer.

The dried mud was fascinating to Desert Girl.

"Look what I found!"

When we got back to the trailer my husband wanted to eat lunch. As it was only 10 a.m. I vetoed the idea, but conceded that we could eat early in an hour. We played cards, read books, and relaxed. It was cold enough that if we had been in a tent we probably would have just gone home, so we appreciated the trailer.

By 11 a.m. the wind was strong enough we didn't want to build a fire, so we roasted our hot dogs over the camp stove. It still gave them a good taste. Then it was time to pack up and head home.

Mission accomplished. The camp trailer is lots of fun, but still needs a lot of work!