Joshua Tree National Park was such an interesting experience, we decided to extend our stay by an extra night. We knew that we would be heading north after leaving this area, so we wanted an extra day with the warm weather. 

We decided to go on an overnight hike to test out the new backpacking equipment Ryan had bought me for his birthday while we were in Georgia. (He said it was a gift for him if I go backpacking with him). While we were in Georgia, he helped me pick out a quilt, a sleeping pad, and a backpack, all of which were very expensive.

Since it was wintertime when we bought the gear, it was too cold at night in all of the places we stayed at to do an overnight, so we had to keep putting it off, which means I didn’t get to test out my newly purchased gear. Each week that we went without doing an overnight, I became more and more anxious about wasting the money.

It was a difficult decision to spend the amount of money we did on good quality materials because at this point, I had never done an overnight hike so I didn’t know if I would even like it.  I knew I was more likely to enjoy it if I had the right equipment that would help me to stay warm rather than buying cheap equipment that made me freeze. I wanted to set myself up for success but I was hesitant about spending that much money without knowing if I would like it. Ryan helped me make the decision by informing me that he also needs to get better gear, so if I end up not enjoying myself he can have my gear instead of buying his own. Knowing this helped me to feel more comfortable with taking the plunge.

At this point, it had been about a month since we bought my new gear and we hadn’t tested it out once because of the weather. I was anxious to test it out to see if I would like sleeping in the middle of nowhere. I just wanted to know either way!

Southern California was the last place we would be able to do an overnight hike at this time of year. The temperature was still supposed to be around 30 degrees Fahrenheit at night and my quilt was rated for 28 degrees. As we moved north, the temperature at night would continue to drop below what the quilt was rated for and we would have had to wait until Spring/Summer.

So, we started planning our trip!

Since this was my first overnight trip, I wasn’t quite sure what to pack to be successful. I didn’t want to overpack and end up carrying a lot more than I needed to, but I was afraid I wouldn’t bring enough food or water or pack the right type of clothes, making me unsuccessful. I needed to find the balance, which Ryan was able to help me with.

Ryan had done a few other overnight hikes prior to this one, one of which he went on all by himself. He slept in the middle of a forest in a hammock without another soul around. 

He’s crazy!

He assisted me in preparing for the hike by helping me choose what clothing I would need to stay warm, what to bring for sleeping and packing enough food and water to last the entire time we were out there. We informed a few people of where and when we would be going so that if we didn’t return by the intended time, they knew roughly where to find us. Also, at the trailhead there was a registration box where we had to write our names, the date of departure, date of expected arrival and an emergency contact in the event that something happened. It made me feel more comfortable going out there for the night, knowing that people would come looking for us if we didn’t return back to the truck by the time we planned to.

After the 2-hour long drive to the trailhead, we set off on our overnight adventure on the Boy Scout Trail!

This trail was about an 8-mile hike point to point, meaning it would have been 16 miles if we went the whole way out and back since we only had the one vehicle. We decided we didn’t care about finishing the whole hike, we really just wanted to do the overnight.

Since we knew we weren’t going to complete the entire trail, we planned to get to the trailhead later in the day around 3:00 after Ryan finished working. We knew we had only an hour and a half before the sun set and we had to get through the first four miles of the trail to get to a good area to pitch our tent.

We hiked through a field for the first mile or so and then the trail turned to sand. The sand slowed us down quite a bit because of how difficult it can be to negotiate through. It was also a gradual uphill climb on the sandy terrain, making it more difficult to navigate through. 

Once we got through the sandy section, we reached the mountain of rocks. We definitely didn’t want to sleep there because there were no flat areas around to set up our campsite, so we had to pick up the pace and continue moving in order to get beyond this area.

This was particularly difficult for me. It was the first time I had hiked while carrying an 18-pound load on my back and the incline was steep. Ascending the mountain was strenuous with the extra weight and the pace we were moving at. I think I would have been fine if I didn’t have the additional load on my back.

Ryan seemed to fare better than me, needing less rest breaks, but then again, his steps were twice the size of mine, so I was basically running beside him to keep up with him! In the end, we both made it to the top before the sun had fully set!

We found a nice field at the top of the mountain that was surrounded by smaller mountains, which helped block the wind. We found the perfect spot and pitched our tent. Our timing was perfect as it was just getting dark when we finished our setup. 

Prior to the hike, I was nervous about being in the middle of the desert without anyone around. I knew there would be animals nearby and very little noise to scare them away. Based on my research, it seemed most likely that we would possibly encounter coyotes. I felt uneasy about it before we got out there, but once we were there I felt better.

I think the buildup of the fear was getting to me and once I was in the situation, I was able to let my fears fall away. That was one of the reasons I really wanted to just get it over with. The fears had been building since we were in Georgia and I just wanted to know one way or the other as to whether or not I would enjoy this type of excursion. 

I was happy to know that I didn’t let my fears stand in my way of enjoying our adventure.

We hung out at the campsite, deciding we weren’t hungry enough to make a big meal, only needing a small protein bar for dinner. We stayed outside for a bit watching the stars. It was the most amazing sight. There weren’t any other lights nearby being in the middle of a national park, so we could clearly see all the stars in the sky. It was magnificent.

Once the sun had set, though, it quickly became much cooler. We had packed warm base layers that we quickly donned, and we stayed bundled up in our quilts.

The weather forecast had indicated that the lowest temperature in the National Park would be about 32 degrees, which we figured would be fine. As I mentioned, my quilt was rated to handle 28-degree temperatures and Ryan’s was rated for 30 degrees. During our time there, surprisingly I had internet, and the temperature had dropped to 28 degrees. 

Poor Ryan was cold. His sleeping bag was not rated for that.

Even I was cold, and my quilt was supposed to be fine in that type of weather. We were both bundled up in 2-3 layers of clothing with down jackets, gloves, wool socks, and hats. (I had my Alpaca hat!)

We went to bed around 8:00 and woke several times in the middle of the night because of the cold. I had to keep readjusting my quilt to keep every inch of me covered. I move around too much in my sleep so the slightest bit that became uncovered instantly woke me up.

Ryan knew he was pushing the limits of temperature on his sleeping bag. It is rated for 30 degrees, but that is the survival rating. The comfort rating is only at 40 degrees. He brought extra layers and a sleeping bag liner to try to push it a little further, but it clearly was not enough. Plus, his sleeping pad was cheap and not all that warm either, making it worse. It was still plenty warm enough to be safe, just not comfortable enough to actually sleep. This just goes to show how important having proper gear for the conditions is.

Once it was morning, we got up around 6:00 to make breakfast. The sun was starting to rise, and it was quickly warming up so we were able to shed the extra layer of clothing. We enjoyed a quick breakfast of oatmeal and coffee, packed up our belongings and continued on our way.

We continued the hike for about a mile or less but since neither of us slept well, we weren’t feeling up for doing too much hiking, so we decided to turn around and start the 5-mile trek back to the truck.  

We were able to take our time on the way back since we didn’t have the time constraint with the sun set. We enjoyed the hike, the challenge of the first day followed by the appreciation of the amazing scenery on the second day.

We were both very happy that we successfully completed this trip and despite the cold night, we loved every minute of it! I’m happy that I enjoyed the overnight because now I might want to join Ryan on his quest to complete the Appalachian Trail!