Jess on the Wild Way

Fred and I had a brief disagreement about who should be using the trail, but eventually we worked things out and I made it to the lake.
And I do not care how times I’ve hiked this trail. It still manages to blow me away every time.

The color of the water. 💧
The views of Dragontail Peak. 🐉
Aasgard Pass climbing into the Core Enchantments.
It’s one of those places that’s worth every step. ✨

Colchuck Lake 🏔️
9 miles 🗺️
2,400 feet of elevation gain
One very persistent mountain goat named Fred 🐐

Have you ever hiked Colchuck Lake?

PART 2: The Results 🧊
After approximately 47,000 comments explaining why this was the dumbest thing I’ve ever done... I took my DIY PVC ice packs on a real camping trip to see what would happen.
The verdict?
They worked better than some people expected and worse than I hoped.
For a large cooler and a multi-day trip, I don’t think they’re a replacement for block ice. By day three they were completely thawed.
BUT...
For filling dead space, supplementing other ice sources, day trips, and weekend adventures? I actually think they’re pretty useful and I’ll continue using them.
A few quick notes since these came up a lot:
• No, they didn’t explode.
• No, they weren’t touching my food.
• Yes, PVC cement is commonly used to join potable water pipes.
• Yes, reusable ice packs already exist.
• And yes, this was a fun experiment because I like making things.
Not every project has to be revolutionary. Sometimes it’s just fun to test an idea and see what happens.
So did I invent permanent cooler ice?
Not exactly.
Did I make frozen pool noodles?
Also not exactly. 😂
I’m calling this one a partial success.

3 tent tips that can make a big difference:
🏕️ Make sure your footprint doesn’t extend beyond your tent and rainfly
💨 Open your vents to reduce condensation
🪢 Learn a taut-line hitch so you can easily adjust guy line tension
Simple stuff, but it’s amazing how often these get overlooked.
Save this for your next camping trip and send it to a friend who’s new to camping.