Adventures with C.A.K.E.E.: Winter Camping

Monday, February 16, 2015

Winter Camping

This past weekend we decided the weather would be mild enough to venture out on a winter camping trip. The kids were SO EXCITED to go camping in the winter! We decided to go to a new place for us called Salt Creek. They have beaches, hiking, a playground, fields for soccer and other sports etc. It was nice (except the closest bathrooms were closed for the winter). We set up camp and then went exploring the beaches. There are really rocky places and then it gradually turns into sandy beach as you continue around the point. Some of the beach areas are really just a couple of big rocks sticking up out of the water. The kids had fun exploring and it wasn't super cold which was nice. We hiked in a big loop along the beach, then through the woods to where there is an old WW2 bunker. The bunker isn't very exciting, just a couple of small rooms that don't lead anywhere. The kids were kind of disappointed about that.

By the time we got back to the campground it was starting to get a bit windy and cold. We started our campfire and cooked dinner on our new rocket stove. It will take a bit more practice to learn how to cook well with it. I think it took about 30 minutes or so to warm up a couple cans of chili because we didn't realize how fast it burns wood so we weren't adding wood fast enough. We'll get it down though!

The next day we played at the playground and a little bit on the big rocks by the water. Then we drove to Hurricane Ridge to eat lunch and hike around a bit. The kids were excited to find patches of snow up there. We were above the clouds and the sun was nice and warm. It was a fun trip, but momma was exhausted by the time we got home. Taking a two year old camping means you don't sit down very much!