Monday, March 28, 2022
Hunter arrived yesterday evening to where I was parked my RV in Lake Havasu. We had planned an overnight backpacking trip to Pilot Cove, 6 miles down to the lake.
We made sure our backpacks were geared up with overnight necessities and we weighed them as well. Both came in, with food and water, at around 20 pounds.
It was now a reality – we’re doing this backpacking trip!
Backpacking to Pilot Rock, Lake Havasu Arizona
7 am looked like rain but it wasn’t forecasted. It provided great cloud coverage away from the hot sun that can bake the rocks and skin. This hike is all sun, there are no large trees so clouds are very welcomed.
We zig zagged through the desert. Up and down hills, through dry washes and rocky plateaus.
The weather was perfect! We stopped for a snack at 9:30 and gave Artemis the dog some rest as well, she was having a ball running free.
At 11:30 AM we arrived at Pilot Cove. There are 3 camp spots here and the one we wanted was occupied by a boater, so we waited a couple of hours for him to leave, basically stalking him, lol.
We ate our lunch and chilled at the picnic table, we enjoyed watching boaters cruise by, and chit chatting about how cool our trip had been so far.
Setting up camp once the boater was gone was not easy, the wind had picked up by now. Tents are very difficult to put up in the wind AND I forgot my tent stakes. Hunter came up with a brilliant idea to use the large rocks from the area to secure our tents. I think I had about 15 rocks inside and out making sure it stayed taunt and didn’t fly away. Why would I want my tent, especially the rain fly, taunt? It wicks the rain away from the tent itself. Why would this be a problem on such a beautiful day? Rain was coming.
I kid you not, I checked the weather before leaving camp – there was no rain in the forecast. I guess weather apps are wrong sometimes because by 7:30 PM that night it started to rain. It’s also very rare to rain in Lake Havasu so it was a little funny that the one day we decide to backpack – it rains.
And this time it didn’t just rain for an hour or 2 like many desert downpours, this latest 12 hours plus! I was sure glad Hunter thought to secure our tents with rocks! Sleeping in water is not a good option when your sleeping bag is made of goose down.
Despite the disappointment that Hunter and I couldn’t chill on the sand to have a campfire that night, I really enjoyed the rain hitting my tent, it’s not only peaceful but I didn’t hear all the creepy sounds you hear while sleeping in a tent, lol.
Click here for Backpacking in Lake Havasu Part 2
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