# **Noctis' 1st Backpacking Trip** — Talapus and Olallie Lakes 📅 **Date:** 9/19/2020 📏 **Distance:** 5.7 miles ⛰️ **Elevation Gain:** 1,223 🔥 **Difficulty:** Easy ⭐ **Rating:** Wack 🐕 **Dog Friendly:** Yes 🗺️ **Trailhead Map:** 47°24'04.7"N 121°31'06.2"W --- ### 🏔️ Trail Summary Trail was "meh." Pretty easy hike. Nothing too spectacular about this one. The theme seems to be, the easier the hike — less spectacular it will be. It was muggy and rainy too so maybe that's why I thought it was wack. Kinda expected for a lowland lake I guess. --- ### ✅ Highlights There are two lakes — Talapus and Olallie. Nothing special. The lake was ok. --- ### 🗒️ Notes This was Noctis' first hike as a teenager. He still hasn't grown into his man body but I thought he would do ok. I expected to have to carry him once in while — just not the entire time. Fudge. I got tired AF so I took everything out of my Mystery Ranch ASAP, stuffed him in it, and strapped it to my chest. Worked. Like. A. Charm. Trail was ok, nothing too special — just a stroll through the woods to a lake. It felt like a lowland Not the most spectacular trail but we had fun especially since it was Noctis' and Irina's first time backpacking/sleeping in a tent. It was an easy one to get them started. Noctis jumped into the water after Molly and got a little trauma from the initial shock — that was his first time jumping into water so he didn't know what to expect. He was frantic getting out then was scared to go back in. Tried fishing but didn't catch anything. It started raining, so we had to setup a tarp, but it was fun choppin' it up with friends. We had fun for what it was worth. Watching Noctis run around was the best part. --- <div style="border-radius: 16px; overflow: hidden; box-shadow: 0 4px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.3); max-width: 100%; margin: 1em auto;"> <iframe width="100%" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bV0yJs6uA2A" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen> </iframe> </div> ___ ### 📸 Photo Drop <div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <img src="assets/images/backpacking/noctis-1st-bp-trip-talapus-olallie/img_01.jpg" alt="a black lab puppy ready to hike" style="max-width: 500px; border-radius: 8px;"> <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 1.0em; color: #aaa; margin-top: 4px;"> <em>Noctis is ready for his first backpacking trip!</em> </div> ___ <div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <img src="assets/images/backpacking/noctis-1st-bp-trip-talapus-olallie/img_15.jpg" alt="a black lab puppy stuffed into a backpack" style="max-width: 500px; border-radius: 8px;"> <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 1.em; color: #aaa; margin-top: 4px;"> <em>"If only, if only, the woodpecker sighs"</em> </div> ___ <div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <img src="assets/images/backpacking/noctis-1st-bp-trip-talapus-olallie/img_06.jpg" alt="a black lab puppy sitting with his owner" style="max-width: 500px; border-radius: 8px;"> <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 1.0em; color: #aaa; margin-top: 4px;"> <em>"BUH-ro… so damn cute…</em> </div> ___ <div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <img src="assets/images/backpacking/noctis-1st-bp-trip-talapus-olallie/img_09.jpg" alt="a black lab puppy in a tent" style="max-width: 500px; border-radius: 8px;"> <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 1.0em; color: #aaa; margin-top: 4px;"> <em>Morning cuddles.</em> </div> ___ <div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <img src="assets/images/backpacking/noctis-1st-bp-trip-talapus-olallie/img_10.jpg" alt="a black lab watching owner fish" style="max-width: 500px; border-radius: 8px;"> <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 1.0em; color: #aaa; margin-top: 4px;"> <em>Watching me fish and staying away from the edge.</em> </div> ___ <div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <img src="assets/images/backpacking/noctis-1st-bp-trip-talapus-olallie/img_11.jpg" alt="Lake Olallie on a foggy day" style="max-width: 500px; border-radius: 8px;"> <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 1.0em; color: #aaa; margin-top: 4px;"> <em>Lake Olallie. Foggy and wet. Still had fun.</em> </div> ___ <div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <img src="assets/images/backpacking/noctis-1st-bp-trip-talapus-olallie/img_20.jpg" alt="a couple's checklists" style="max-width: 500px; border-radius: 8px;"> <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 1.0em; color: #aaa; margin-top: 4px;"> <em>Buh-ro… She just mad she don't use Obsidian.</em> </div> ___