Backpacking #12 - St. Mary's Wilderness

St. Mary's was beautiful as always. This was our third trip so we decided to hike in the "short" way so we could spend more time at the area's focal point, the falls. We hiked in, set up camp, hiked back down to the falls, then back to camp, then in the morning broke down camp and then went back to the falls and then hiked back out. So, although it was shorter, we still got some exercise. For this trip we had; Heather, Joe, Erin, Jillian, myself and Maddie.

It seems like every time we go to St. Mary's there is less water than the time before. Even so, there was plenty to swim, dive, jump and cannonball into. There were a lot of day hikers headed to the falls this time which we hadn't experienced before; little kids, old folks, groups on a field trip, you name it.

I've described St. Mary's enough on this blog so let's just get to some pictures. :)

Yay! Super short hike ahead!... or not.

Hoofin' it in the sun just made the water look that much nicer.

Washed out path.

Awesome camp site near an abandoned mine.

Cliff jumping anyone?


Heather went first.

There I go.


Jillian didn't hesitate.


Joe jumped off the cliff but I didn't get a picture of it.


Erin had no interest in jumping from up above.


It's a beautiful spot.

Maddie, the amazing backpacking dog.

Cool pic of the area downstream from the falls.

Avoiding more washed out trail.

Off-trail is sometimes easier than On-trail.

The traditional group shot.