Lost Coast Trail click here to see my pictures

The hike was incredible. Things have been crazy since the hike so I am just now posting the link to my pictures and Matt's. Let me know what you think! I will be posting a summary of the trip later today or tomorrow. I will also write about climbing Mt. Lassen and the trip to San Francisco. It has been a great week here. Here are the links to the pictures. You can also click the Harris's photos link on the right side of the page.

Harris's pictures
http://www.dotphoto.com/Go.asp?l=saundha&P=&AID=2759380&Show=Y
Matt's Pictures
http://www.dotphoto.com/Go.asp?l=saundha&P=&SID=42298&Show=Y

Lost Coast Hike

It looks like our next trip is going to be to hike the Lost Coast Trail. It is a 25 mile trail along the coast of Northern California. Click the title to read one guy's story about a close call on the Lost coast trail. Ignore anything on his site that doesn't have to do with the trail.

Staff retreat II and Napa Valley

The last week at the Ranch was kind of boring to me. We mostly worked on cleanup and end of summer projects because the group was not rafting this week. It seems like forever since the last rafting trip. Our second staff retreat was on the way to drop off the last of the staff in sacramento. We drove to the coast to Patrick's point state park http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=417 . It was a long, long drive through windy mtn roads (about 5 hrs). The park was beautiful with huge trees. I haven't seen anything like it. From there we hiked to the coast (not far). The coast was very rugged and beautiful. Much different from the beaches on the gulf coast. We also hike to Fern Canyon (4 miles) where scenes from Jurassic Park were filmed. It looked like a place dinosaurs would live. We camped that night and left for the sacramento airport at 5am the next day. It was a cool trip but a little rushed. I don't like to be in places like this.

After we dropped everyone off at the airport Ian, Matt, and I headed over to Napa Valley (about 1 hr) http://www.napavalley.com/ . I figured since we were so close it would be interesting to tour one of the wineries. Chef Bob is somewhat of an expert on Napa so he gave us some good tips on what to do. It was late in the day and the wineries were closed so we drove a little past Napa to the town of Calistoga (known for their bottled water) and looked around http://www.calistogafun.com/engine?action=main . The town had great restaurants and coffee shops and felt like an old west town from the 1800's.

The next morning we drove back to Napa (15 miles) and toured the Robert Mondavi Winery http://www.robertmondavi.com/AboutCompany/thewines.asp . It was a beautiful place. Our guide was great and I learned alot about wine and how it is made. After the tour we had to rescue the other van since we had locked the keys in it earlier. Ian and Matt took the window apart and Lassoed the door hand with a belt attached to a stick. Quite impressive.

Then it was back to the Ranch. It took about 4 hours to drive back. This was our first night to be back in the Green bean (where we lived this winter). It feels like we are home. It is weird the other 4 guys are gone. Pictures will be coming soon.

Cosmic Wall climb Castle Crags

The campers are gone for the summer. So Jim talked me in to climbing the cosmic wall at Castle Crags State Park. It is a 5.6 climb 800ft up a granite wall. Jonathan had climbed it before and told us it was a great climb to learn on. This was our first multi pitch climb ever.

We left the Ranch at 6:45am with all of our gear loaded into the volvo (of course. Castle Crags state park it about an hour and 15 minutes from the Ranch. Most guide books describe it as undiscovered and hidden with very good quality climbs. Jim and I have been there before to hike up the Castle Dome.

So we arrived at the trailhead by 9am and started to hike in. The hike according to the Falcon guidebook was about 2.5 hours. Our packs were heavy. We made good time to the rock but struggled for over an hour to decide where the route started. The manzanita bushes were very thick and we had to bushwack through them for over an hour to get to the rock. It was very frustrating. Finally, we found it and started climbing by noon. The pitches went by slowly. Jim lead the entire way. I had the easy job of "cleaning" the pitches meaning that I was at the bottom and did not have to worry about placing the gear. We took our time and resting at each belay point. The climb seemed to be taking alot longer than expected but it was still early and seemed like we had plenty of time. Jim ran out of water about the 4th pitch (of 6 total) and started to get dehydrated. He did a good job of pushing through it and didn't fall at all.

On the 5th pitch we rested on a huge ledge and called Mom to tell here we were alive. Jim called Vaughn to tell here he missed her. It was now 5pm, still not to late but we realized it was time to pick up the pace. We had 2 solid pitches left and then the rapell down. I really did not want to hike in the dark. I've had a few experiences I didn't want to do again with paddling and hiking in the dark. The 6th pitch went by fast and then we slowed way down on the 7th and final pitch.

Jim was still leading and had to take a route that was much tougher than the rest of the climb. Time flew by and we were still on this pitch. Finally we made it up and on to the summit. The wind started to blow fiercely while we set up the rapell. The sun set and it was starting to get cold. It was now about 8pm. I just wanted to get on the ground before dark.

It didn't happen. The rapell was 2 100ft sections to get to the ground. We had to get out our headlamps for the second section. It was now very dark. The moon was half full but did not help very much. As soon as we hit the ground we threw the gear in our bags and began the tedious hike back to the base of the climb to get out big packs and hike to the car. Sounds easy right? That's what we thought until we got lost in the Manzanitas because it was to dark to see any landmarks. Thats when the 2 hours of pure torture began. At this point we have been out of water for several hours and are starting to feel the effects of dehydration. My legs are completely ripped up from the manzanita bushes.

Finally we emerged from the Manzanita maze onto the main trail. This really took 2 hours. From this point the hike was a minimum of 1.5 more hours. We were hiking fast, ready to get back to the car. Slowly dehydration made us more and more dizzy. Fortunately, there was a natural spring 2/10's of a mile off the trail. Jim had a water purifier with him so we took time to pump water. We sat and drank water for about 20 minutes. It was now 12:30am.

I can't explain why it seemed that time was flying by so fast. From then on I didn't even want to know how late it was. I don't think we would have made it back to the car without the water, probably one of us would have passed out. The water was refreshing. We continued on

the trail for what seemed like an eternity. It took another 2 hours to reach the trailhead and the car. The volvo was a beautiful site. We climbed in and drove to Denny's in Yreka where we ate some great food at about 3am. Things were crazy at Denny's. When we arrived they were arresting 6 guys for fighting in the bathroom. It was probably rowdy there since Denny's is across the street from all of the bars in Yreka. It seemed like the whole town was on that one corner outside of the bars. We got back to the Ranch at 3:30am went to sleep and then woke up the next morning at 8am for turnover day at the Ranch (work day).

It was a full day to say the least! The climb itself was awesome. I hated the hike in and

out. Another great brother bonding experience! First Shasta, now the cosmic wall. I was sad to see Jim go today. We had a great summer on the river. I wish he could be at the Ranch for the next few weeks. There is so much more we could go do. I'm sure we will be back. It was definitely an adventure to remember. Right up there with getting stuck in our tent on Shasta at 10,000ft in a snowstorm back in April.

Today the entire staff (what is left) went to Applegate church in Oregon and then to Ashland and bowling in Yreka. It was a fun, relaxing day.

Out with a Bang...

I just found out what all we are going to do in the weeks before I leave the Ranch. It is definitely worth staying for a few extra weeks.

1) Camping in the Redwood forest and spend the day at the coast
2) Visit Chad in San Francisco, he is going to take us Sea Kayaking and Mtn. Biking in Marin (the birthplace of Mtn. biking)
3) Bella Fleck Concert in Oregon
4) Matt and I have the 18-25 of august to plan a trip. We haven't decided what to do yet.
5) 3 day 2 night rafting trip on the Rogue River Class IV and V Rapids
6) Climb Cosmic Wall at Castle Crags with Jim (800ft, 8 pitch climb 5.6). This is our first multi pitch climb. Yes, I know this is a big one to start with.
7) Kayak the Klamath one more time
8) Napa Valley

and I'm sure we will think of a few more things to do...

Scott Valley is beautiful

I have been really tired lately and just kind of out of it so I decided I need to exercise more. Usually when I start to feel like this it is because I haven't been very active. I left after dinner last night to ride the miner's loop. It is a great ride that takes about 45 minutes. On the first turn I took I was struck by the beauty of Scott Valley. There were 2 horses playing in this field with the sunset and the entire valley in the background. Around the next corner a huge 8 point buck in velvet jumped right in front of my bike. I rode further and passed to many deer to count and about 25 turkeys in a field. For the next 4o minutes or so of my ride I felt so blessed to be here and reminded myself I need to take advantage of this wonderful place as much as I can in my last month here. This is truly an incredible place.

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Another Mt. Shasta Climb...

This was the first Shasta climb I have actually enjoyed. There was no snow until after horse camp. The hike to Lake Helen (10,400 ft.) was not to bad other than we arrived a little late. There were many groups camped there. Brian went with us to. It rained all night and my tent started to leak. Fortunately, my gear did not get wet. We woke up at 2am to a white out. We continued to check the weather until 6am which was the latest we wanted to start. We decided after talking to one of the forest service guys that it was ok to climb. We made good time to the summit, arriving just ahead of our turnaround time (12 noon). The trip down was fast. We glissaded most of the way. Glissading made the entire trip worth it. I felt really good after the trip. I may even want to do it again. Overall it was a great trip. I think Jim was very excited to finally make it to the summit. I got some great pictures to. Check out my photo site for more pictures.

Yes, I am coming back...

It is official. I will be leaving the Ranch on September 14th to drive back with Matt Nolan. This is a few weeks later than I originally planned. There are a few church groups we are going to hang around to help out with. We plan to pack in as much kayaking, mountaineering, and rock climbing as possible before we leave. Jim is leading a group of staff up Shasta today.

Me, Jim, and Brian at basecamp (Lake Helen) on our Shasta Climb.

Jim High on a Rock at Castle Crags.

Castle Crags

I have several pictures of Shasta from this point. It is my favorite place to take pictures of Shasta.

Jim and Brian climbing a steep pitch on our trip to Castle Crags State Park. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. It is about 1 hour from the Ranch.

My new river hat... slightly modified.

Me and Jim Rafting with Second Wind Session 2.

Second Wind Session 1

Seth, this one is for you...

So Seth was giving me a hard time tonight about not updating the old blog in a long time so I have uploaded a fresh batch of pictures to the photo website and now am updating the blog now.

The first Session of Second Wind went really well (I know I am a month late updating this). Brian, Jim and I spent the first week teaching Maps and Compass and getting ready to goto the river. It was a fairly laid back week. It was nice to actually have time to relax. I spent alot of time reading and catching up on things at the Ranch. It was strange to actually be here and be able to hang out with the staff.

The week at the River was long (6 days, 5 rafting). The temperature was not to bad. Me, Jim and Brian were the only guys out there for the entire time. Jim and I were the only guides to flip rafts this week. In our defense we also took the most boats through Dragon's Tooth. Dragon's Tooth is a Class III+ or IV- rapid depending on the level of the river. It is by far the most technical and difficult rapid we raft through. It is also the most likely rapid to flip our rafts.
Before this we had not flipped any rafts this summer. So everyone enjoyed giving me and Jim a hard time about it. This was only my second flip in Four summers. Jim has flipped enough times for both of us. He is still one of the best guides out here though.

Overall, it was a great week on the river. I did get tired of eating the same thing every day. I enjoyed it though. I find that I am very worn down and tired during these weeks. I think 2 per summer is about all I can handle and not go crazy.

The river continues to be a very challenging growth experience for me. I am constantly stretched and learning new things. I feel that I am not the same person who came here last November because I have learned so much about myself and how to interact with others. I know I will look back and miss it even though it has not always been easy.

The River Weeks 1 and 2...John's wedding

I survived the first week on the river with guests. It went very well. No injuries. No flips. I am tired and will write more later...

The first 2 weeks were parent teen weeks. These weeks are fairly laid back for the river guides. The groups arrive around 11pm every night and leave by 2pm the next day. Then we have the entire afternoon and evening to relax and get ready for the next group. So we work hard and then play harder. We cook breakfast every morning (the same thing).

The first week we spent most of our afternoons doing more training. The river was still very high so The Ferry Point section was not like it will be during second wind. I showed the guys how to orientate the jumping rocks and Dragon's tooth. We cooked some great dinners this week and Pizza house was awesome.

I left early the second week to go to John Blackmon's wedding in Statesboro, GA. It was a great trip home. I haven't been home since Easter. I spent most of my time in Georgia doing wedding stuff. Mom, Dad, and Kathryn came to so that was fun. It is hard to believe John is married now.

It was a quick trip back to California to get ready for Second Wind and probably our hardest week on the river of the entire summer.

River guide training and staff orientation

River guide training was great. 4 days on the river with just the guys. The water was cold and the first 2 days we had bad weather. The guys learned alot. It was a great bonding time. The staff river trip was our first big test. We took 120 staff to the river to camp out and raft the next day. It was the biggest one day on the river we will have all summer. It rained at 2am and we had to hurry to get the tents out. We kept everyone dry. The guides did well on the river, no flips or injuries. Other than a few minor things it went smoothly and was a great staff bonding time. The first campers arrive in less than a week. We will be ready. The rest of this week is mostly work time around the Ranch to get it ready. I almost forgot we had our 24 hour solos this week to. That is where each staff person goes into the woods to camp alone for 24 hours and spend time with God. I spent most of my time in my tent high on a hill overlooking the Ranch. It rained a good bit but I was comfortable in my tent.It was a great time to read study and pray. I will try to write a post just on my solo. If I ever have time. Things are crazy My days start at 6:30am and go non stop until 10pm every day. No time off. It is good though.

The end of WFR training...on to River guide training

So the rest of the WFR course was great. I passed all of the tests and am now officially Wilderness First Responder and CPR certified. It was hard to leave the WFR class. Kind of like being at camp with new friends and then having to leave. As soon as I got back to the Ranch we left the next morning for River guide training. Jim (my brother) is now here to. Guide training went well, there were about 4 of us who helped teach the class. Chad Etheridge did the swift water rescue class and led the rest of training. The water was very high, cold and fast. The new guys picked up most of it. Our real test is the staff river day this Friday and Saturday. We will be taking 130 people down the river in one day. Brian the other head river guide will be out of town so it is up to me and Jim to make it happen. Sounds fun, I think... Anyway things are starting to pick up now that the summer staff is here. It is strange to have so many people around. I am excited about it though.

Still in Portland...

In case you are wondering I am still in Portland. The first aid class is winding down and ends on Wednesday. Then I head straight to the River for guide training. I am on my lunch break now. After lunch we get to give injections to our classmates, which should be interesting. The weather has been great the past few days. I have spent most of my time studying other than a trip to the Columbia River Gorge on my day off. The waterfalls there are beatiful (Pictures coming soon). Portland is a great place when it is not raining nonstop.

You might fit in at a WFR course if...

1) You like BMW's (Burly Mtn Women)
2) You are a hardcore liberal
3) You like extremely hot Mtn Women (unfortunately, that are weird)
4) You are into some type of Eastern Religion
5) You are balding, have 2 braids nearly to your belly button, and live for bluegrass music
6) You hike or raft for a living
7) You have no desire to ever get a "real" job
8) You are 35+ and still crazy
9) You like girls who don't shave
10) Hillary Clinton is your chief female role model
11) You eat really weird stuff for lunch
12) At one point you quit your job and moved to a South American Jungle for a year
13) You like to hug trees
14) Happy hour is your favorite hour of the day
15) You hate George Bush with a passion

What's goin on in Portland?

5/8
I drove about 6 hours today with Chris up to Portland. We ate the best pizza ever at this little hole in the wall place in downtown Portland and then went to a concert (some guy he has heard play several times)

5/9
It rained all day today. If you are in Portland it is very important to bring waterproof shoes with you. It rains alot! Met a guy in class to stay with for the next 10 days.

5/10
Got lost in Portland tonight and drove around for over an hour. It is still Raining.

5/11
I was to tired to do anything tonight. I fell asleep reading at about 9:30pm. Jim Leaves to drive to JH tomorrow.

5/12
Class did not end until 8:30pm tonight. It was scheduled to go to 10pm. I am going to bed early again tonight.

more to come...

Portland....The city of Rain

It has not stopped raining since I go to Portland Sunday for the Wilderness First Responder Course. More updates to come...

JH (slave labor camp) Ranch

We are finally coming to the end of a three week stretch of work weeks. After a fairly laid back winter they decided to push it into high gear these past few weeks. Our days have been about 3 hours longer Every day. Somehow I have gotten most of the jobs involving a pick or a shovel and I am worn out. It is rewarding though to see how much progress has been made. Things are starting to come together. As of this week we have finished the teepee, bigtop, snack shak, boat trailer, River trailer, painting at the lake, painting the flusher, and several other projects. I think the staff will be impressed when they arrive.

New Feature!!!

I added links to my photo shows. See the links to the right under My Photo Shows. Now it is easy to see my pictures.

Weekly update April 17

What a great week! We spent alot of time this week getting ready for the upcoming work weeks. Ray is back at the Ranch to and we are meeting with him most every morning. Travis and I went Kayaking on the Scott River near highway 3 (close to the Ranch). It is a small river but still a fun Run (class I and II and rapids). Travis is learning and did very well (no flips). The run was 6 miles long and took about 2 hours. I think it will get better as the snow melts. We finished around dark and it was really cold.

We also went snowboarding twice this week on Etna Summit. Unfortunately these were the last runs of the season. It is starting to warm up a good bit and the snow is melting. They were great runs! The van ran out of gas on TOP of Etna summit and we coasted all the way to the Shell Station (several miles). It was incredible!
To get to the van we hitched a ride with two girls from New Zealand who seemed to be normal until we found out they were part of a cult headquartered in Etna. I am sad to see the snow go. We had alot of good times snowboarding this winter.

Sunday afternoon we were looking for something to do so we decided to drive to Weaverville. Weaverville is a thriving town built around the local lumber mill. It also a historic gold rush town with many of the original buildings from the 1800's. It feels like your are stepping back in time when you are there. The population is around 4000 people. We also scouted the Trinity river for Rafting. It looks like a great run.

We also worked this week in case you are wondering.

God in a hot tub...WAH boot camp 2005

The guys and I at JH went to John Eldredge's Wild at Heart Boot Camp in Buena Vista Colorado about 2 weeks ago. Yes, I know I am behind on the updates. I will admit, initially I was not that excited about the retreat. I didn't feel like I needed someone to tell me how to live from my heart. I think I am doing that. It turned out to be great and I would go again.

We had to drive 28 hours to get there. The drive was beautiful. We drove through Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. I was not old enough to drive the rental car so I did not drive any. That was nice. The guys and I were on the work crew so we got a great discount on the retreat and we got to hang out with John Eldredge and his staff.

The sessions were great and I learned alot in them, but my favorite part was spending time talking with men there. There were about 400 men there and everyone seemed to be very open. I found myself constantly falling into great conversations with people there. I feel like I have seen alot of changed lives at the JH Ranch, but this was on another level. Middle aged men were so excited about going home and implementing what they had learned at the retreat. The best times were at night in the hot tub where about 20 men shared for hours on end what they were learning and struggling with. It was inspiring. They constantly told us young guys how fortunate we were to be learning the concepts at a young age.

I bought the audio cd set of the retreat. So if anyone wants to borrow it let me know and I will mail it to you. The last day of the retreat we were hit with an unexpected snow storm and had to stay an extra day! Then we drove 28 more hours back to the ranch non stop other than a stop in Reno, Nevada. I think I have now been to every major gambling destination in or around North America. I'm not sure if that is a good thing? I did not gamble any but did win $8. How you ask? I found a slot machine that someone left $$ in and then I spent it on dinner. It worked out good. I did put 2 quarters I found in the car in a slot machine and won another dollar. Anyway, It was a fun roadtrip and I learned alot.

Pictures from the retreat are now on my photo website. Click the Harris's photos link on the right.

Hiking out. 

The view from the tent the next morning.