Unfinished business on Catalina Island
A couple years ago I took my two daughters to hike the Trans-Catalina trail. It was a good trip and we all had a good time for my first introduction to backpacking for the girls. I picked this trail as it was a nice length to fit into their spring break, it is relatively close to home here in Southern California and it is easy to bail out on if we needed to since this was the first time backpacking with the kids. Truth be told this was the longest backpacking trip I have ever done. As a kid I had done car camping and a couple 1-2 day trips but not any longer trips. I was trying very hard as a father not to show my anxiety about the trip. Here are a couple videos from the planning of the trip and my gear. I didn’t shoot much on the trip and haven’t put it together as a video.
On that trip we took a couple shortcuts and so didn’t hike the whole trail. I don’t mean we short-cutted some switch backs because that would be wrong but that we hitchhiked a bit on one day, took a shuttle on another day and took the easy trail rather than the official trail on another day. We did have fun and enjoyed ourselves but I always felt that I wanted to go back and do the whole trail. My oldest daughter, agreed with me too and was a bit upset with me for taking some shortcuts on our original trip. So last fall when I asked her what she wanted to do over the holidays she suggested we go back and do the Trans-Catalina trail and actually do the whole trail this time. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 the campgrounds were all closed over the holidays so we couldn’t do it. Instead, over the holidays, I went to do the Mojave Trail and couldn’t get anyone to join me for that. See my vide on my post on that trip (Mojave Trail trip). I was able to move my bookings and got them set up for her spring break which is the first week of April 2021.
So, the first week of April we are heading back to do the trail again. The plan is almost identical to the original plan and my gear is also very similar too. I haven’t felt like doing a video about my gear or the plan but I might do one after the fact. I am not sure how much video I will shoot while on the trip but I promise if it is substantial I will put up a video of it. I am only going with my oldest daughter as she is the only one that is still somewhat interested in backpacking while my youngest daughter is done with it and won’t join me on trips without substantial bribes. Also, her spring break is the previous week. I am much fitter than I was when I did it last and more comfortable with backpacking as is my daughter so I am hoping we won’t have any trouble completing the whole trail. We head out to Catalina on Sunday starting on the trail Monday morning and then getting back home Friday night. Should be a good trip. Contact me if you are interested in getting a link to the track as I will have the Garmin InReach with me and have it on while we are hiking.