INTRODUCING - Trail Toddy


I vividly remember the day this idea was born. Josh and I were driving through McCall, Idaho on our way to Sawtooth National Forrest for an overnight backpacking trip to Snowslide Lake. After hours on the road we felt more than ready to stretch our legs and breath in the fresh mountain air. We parked our car at the trailhead and loaded up our backpacks, since the distance up to the lake was a mere 1.5 miles we didn't really bother packing light which we would soon find out to be a big mistake. As we began the hike, or should I say climb, up to the lake the scenery became immediately breathtaking with massive rock walls all around us, so different from anything we were used to back home in Oregon. Each tiny step we took began to feel more and more vertical than the one before, to say that this trail was a challenge is a huge understatement. Snowslide lake finally came into view, proving to be well worth the ascent. As I took in the scenery I could feel the words solitude and stillness hanging in the air, it was late in August but we could still see a few patches of snow on the steep rock walls surrounding us. We set up camp a few feet from the water, Josh did some fishing while I read, and with the sun quickly setting we gathered around to enjoy the campfire. Josh began putting together his favorite post hike treat. He emptied a packet of apple cider mix in his mug and combined it with boiling water and some whiskey, as we both sipped on it we noticed how artificially it tasted. We saw that the ingredients in the mix included mostly refined sweeteners, preservatives, and a few others that we couldn't pronounce. We both reminisced on the hot toddies that Josh would make at cabin getaways, which included warm spices and honey steeping over the stove top for hours making the entire house smell like Christmas morning. We wondered if we would ever find a product that made it possible to experience this rustic, natural taste in the great outdoors. We fantasized about creating a tea kit that we could bring with us on all of our adventures. Josh and I have always been planners (OK we LOVE to plan) so the second we have a new idea we immediately start figuring out all of the details. As we began brainstorming names I looked at the little trail leading to the lake and asked him if he thought our tent was too close to it, Josh replied that there was nothing to worry about, we were the only ones here for miles and miles. Then he said it "Trail Toddy" and I loved it.