I started backpacking and camping during my college years in the late 1960's and early 1970's. I got a job in a mountaineering/backpacking store for a couple of years. It seemed like all my paychecks went for camping, climbing or boating gear or to pay for trips. I did a lot of backpacking during the mid-1970's and have thousands of slides that I have yet to sort through and scan in. I Hiked in many of the nations wilderness areas and mountain ranges. In 1975 I loaded up my Ford Pinto station wagon (I loved that car) and took a three month trip driving to and hiking mountain wilderness areas across the US. 

Here is a more recent photo of Patrick and I on the AT, I think Luna our dog is there in the front with her pack as well. I can tell I have been an infrequent hiker these days. This summer I took a three-day, 30+ mile backpack around Mt. St. Helens, it really kicked my butt, I guess I was remembering when that sorta thing was standard fare for me 30 years ago. I had my topo maps of the trip, but I didn't realize how much up and down there was on the hike, oh well..... Here are some photos of the St. Helens trip.

Here are some photos of a hike we did on the backside of Mt. Hood with the family, beautiful area, and very few people for being so close to Portland. We ended up staying an extra day because Patrick was having such a good time, which was great, except that we ran out of food.

                        Here is a photo of Cyndy hiking the Three Sisters on the west coast this summer.

      Here we are below about to head out to the Olympic peninsula on the west coast.

Beautiful campsite, no....