I went camping with a girlfriend & we had a great time despite the wet weather Here's the stuff to pack: Fortunately there was room in the car. But we were packed to the gills! The campground on Grand Isle was great. Sites were well spaced and on Lake Champlain. Wish I had a photo, but I don't. We took a day trip to Ausable Chasm, about an hour away in NY. We had to take a ferry across Lake Champlain. Lake Champlain ferry Ausable Chasm is on of the deepest chasms in the northeast. Beautiful spot. Great hiking trails, many overlooking the chasm. People doing what people do. There was rafting & tubing. The staff lowered the rafts& tubes on a pulley from high above on the cliff. The chasm had walls maybe ?300-400 feet high. Here's a load of tubes descending. Staging area to board. Tubers We elected to take the raft and we're very glad we did. There was a bit of white water, we all had to do our part to paddle, & our guide was great, giving us a brief history of the chasm.
Lovely photos of a stunning area. You had a great vacation! We have never camped. My idea of camping is "no chocolate on the pillow". However, I do admire those who do, and hope you and your friend enjoy many more camping experiences (although it will be hard to top the chasm!).
Dirtmechanic, I may be. My ancestors struggled for years to get out of tents in the woods and into solid structures. Hunters and gatherers have a hard life. Those who have grocery stores have it much easier. Going back to tents in the woods seems rather negating of my heritage. Also, I'm not all that crazy about trying to cook over a campfire!
Welcome home Cayu. You guys had a great time didn’t you. Those rugged scenes are gorgeous to see. How long did that raft/tube trip take? The trails looked inviting. What distances did you guys hike? Those curious little stacks of stones—did they have a meaning or were they just silliness in the woods? I blinked when I saw the kit that you two took with you. Holy mackerel ! What kind of tent did you use? What sorts of things did you guys cook to eat? Anyway, welcome back...did you miss your lottie?
Thanks Sj! We had a great time, despite the occasional rain. The chasm was truly remarkable & it was so much fun rafting down it. The trip probably took about 40 minutes but it felt much longer. The ride was maybe 3 miles. It's fun to have to paddle in unison, following the directions of the guide. This chasm was made by a glacier and the river has been scouring it out for hundreds of years. The trails were well kept. We hiked just 3 1/2 miles but it was pretty hilly terrain. Oh, and those piles of stones? Who knows? I suspect they might be the creations of years of young staff members adding pile after pile. As you said, just silliness, but fun.
Thanks for the explanation, Cayu. I have seen things like that in Alaska. I believe that they call them cairns, but I am not sure. You see them out in the wilderness, but also alongside the roads. In favt it was against the law to alter or destroy these cairns because they had meaning for some people. They were part of trails or indications for cache locations oe dwellings and Alaska is such a vast wilderness that disturbing them could cause to get lost and it could result in death. If this is still the rule, I do notknow. It must have been great fun getting away for a few days.
I’ve done a bit of rafting before, and paddling through some white water always makes for a fun adventure, especially when you have a good guide. The history of the chasm is pretty fascinating as well—nature really knows how to carve out some cool landscapes over time.
Cramming everything into the car for a camping trip is always a bit of a puzzle, but it’s so worth it when you’re out there. Honestly, if I’m going far, I’ve started looking at flying business class—makes the trip itself feel like part of the vacation, and you’re not wiped out when you get there.
