It was late spring when we made it to the lake. The driving up US 50 was beautiful as city gently turned to desolation – watching the buildings slowly faded into tree line.
The hike up was gruelling yet peaceful – there is something about the quiet that comes with an exhausted mind. The only thought we could hold was taking the next step. But the landscape and views were more than enough to keep us going.
The memory of our father’s stories of adventure was the spark behind the trip. My brother and I longed to connect with those stories of hardship and danger our father would tell us when we were young. We chose this backcountry hike on a whim it hit a few pikes and promised some spectacular view, much like the ones from our father’s tales.
As in any multi-day hike we packed simple foods, weight being more of an issue than flavour, but as in all my hiking trips there is one item I splurge on: Coffee.
As we neared the first peak our pace quickened until, the surprise of snow hit dragging our pace to a crawl. Snowshoes would have been a good idea but being so close to summer it never crossed our minds. And as we struggled on the snow made the trails fainter and fainter.
The more I “adventure” the more I realise that I often find my self wildly unprepared, and at times a bit lost, but this is what adventure is. It’s not the plan we make nor the ideal experience but rather the story that comes with every surprise you encounter.
And I’ve haven’t yet run into a problem that good company and a great cup of coffee couldn’t fix. As we drank the warm beverage our cold bodies sat in silence but as the aromas and the simple heat of the coffee began to do their work: laughter and good conversation followed.
Although we didn’t get as far as we had hoped we camped near a beautiful snow-covered peak somewhere in Desolation National Forest.
More information dig here.