American Lake Backpack

there are only so many hikes and backpacks you can do inside of the national parks with a dog. truly, most national parks have a "six feet from car rule" for dogs. that is, dogs are allowed anywhere a car is allowed with an additional six feet for a leash. being dog owners, we would like to continue to visit our beloved parks with townsend.

there are loop holes. you can have dogs on the pacific crest trail [pct]...which runs through mt rainier national park!

we set off from chinook pass on the pct to american lake. here townsend is bending the law.


along the hike out were millions of nature's candy! these blueberries were delicious!
it was great hiking, picking and eating!


brooke got tired of losing most of his harvest to townsend, so he made towno pick his own. we had little black bear cub-ish dog scouring the landscape for the treats!


this trail was very reminiscent of the smokey mountains.


getting a late start gets you into camp late. grandpa's words of wisdom!


it was a little eerie hiking into camp around night fall. a light fog covered the terrain.


good morning sunshine! our dog yawns more then anything we've ever seen.


we walked down to the lake to fix a nice warm breakfast of oatmeal and hot chocolate.


andrea sips hot cocoa, townsend takes a nap. hey wait, didn't you just wake up!?


taking in the stunning views!


townsend wanted a brisk little wade to wake up. he doesn't swim, unless he falls in, he just wades.


american lake.


mt tahoma from the east.


stopping on the way back for townsend to get a drink and wade. the entire hike was filled with these gorgeous alpine lakes.


this is what townsend did about every 100 feet on the hike back. he'd turn back as if to say, "guys, i'm real tired." and then he would lay down.


it was a long way up to the saddle, especially when you're stopping every fifty feet to pick a handful of blueberries!
hiking down from the saddle on the way out.


although townsend acted exhausted for the entire hike out, when we reached the end of the trail he did what any teenager would have done. he jumped up on top of the retaining wall, turned, and stuck out his tongue.

teenagers.