Escape from COVID-19 at Corona Ridge

[Backpacking Light]

Longtime Backpacking Light author Emylene VenderVeldon takes on a suspiciously-named untraversed route, one of the most difficult she’s ever attempted.

• Escape from COVID-19 at Corona Ridge

 

[Rex Sanders]

Wonderful story, thanks!

Sometimes Type 2 fun is the best of all, especially sandwiched between real fun on the river. And escaping our current, multi-level, world-wide Type 3 fun.

Reminder to self: bring the caffeine, bring the caffeine, bring the caffeine.

— Rex

[Ryan Jordan]

Emy,

I’m glad you volunteered for this assignment, and that I didn’t assign it to you 😂

But on a serious note:

I’m so proud of you right now I can barely contain myself!

[Paul Leavitt]

Thank you for sharing your adventure Emy.

This was a very complicated off trail multisport adventure.  Its great you have a hiking partner that is up for this.   You both rock!!

All the best

[AK Granola]

Great trip report! Really enjoyed your story. I use neoprene socks for those stream crossings and keep my boots on! I guess with heavy mountain boots you don’t want them wet though. The color of your feet is indeed … interesting!

[Ben Kilbourne]

The wilderness as a safe or anchoring place. Love this theme.

[Yun Wang]

Dear Emy, thank you so much for sharing your “never been so alive” adventure, landscape, feelings, progress data, and detailed gears list down to grams, etc.! Reading it for the second time now. Best wishes to you for the end of 2020 and whole 2021!

[Emylene VanderVelden]

@Rex that is now question number one on my trips. I think the lack of coffee was the worst part 😂.

@Ryan 😂 I might have quit working here if it had been an assignment 😂 kidding… barely.

@granolagirlak if it’s not deeper than ankle deep and I’m not traversing on a slope I usually keep my boots or shoes on. It’s a bit of a toss up if keeping shoes or boots on is safer though. A shoe or boot can keep your foot from getting sliced on sharp rocks. In this case the footing on the bottom was slick and smooth. Wearing a sole was pretty treacherous because I couldn’t feel my way across parts with good traction. Albeit half way across I also couldn’t feel my feet so…. toss up.

In this case, no matter what footwear I had on, it needed to be dry for walking on the scree slopes at an angle right after the creek crossings. Wet screw traverses are my personal worst enemy in any footwear. Even in proper, dry, mountaineering boots my feet were all kinds of blistered and beat up. My boots were heavily scared and shoes would have been completely shredded. I had bought a pair of shoes at the beginning of the 2020 season and I was so glad I left them home on this trip because at least I still have a pair of shoes and a pair of boots.

A big thanks to everyone else who is enjoying the entertainment value of my somewhat botched attempt at a working ‘holiday’

[Drew Smith]

Ah, the lure of a distant ridge or hidden canyon. I totally identify. Thanks for taking us with you on a trip to Booger Country.

[dirtbag]

This was just great!! Some whitewater action mixed with backpacking and camping while exploring the unknown!! You are my hero and I am envious of your adventure!! Thanks for posting this!! I would recommend trying Peak Fuels breakfast skillet..not much else I can say, you had it all covered!!!

[Anne Flueckiger]

Canoe-accessed backpacking, very nice! Thanks for the trip report.

[Ian]

Great trip report.  Loved it.

I will applaud you for becoming a socially adapted introvert.  I took a wrong turn at Albuquerque and became an obnoxiously adapted introvert, a mistake that hasn’t served me or people within earshot all that well.

[Emylene VanderVelden]

😂 I am certain there are people who would say I resemble that description as well! Mind over matter, the people that matter don’t mind, the ones that mind don’t matter 😂

[Author]

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