Hiker Chicks:Adventure One, The Rest Of The Story

Sorry I cut that last post off so abruptly. I had just realized the time and knew my son needed to be picked up in less than 10 minutes…

So anyway, as I was saying, I was pretty worried about the weight of my pack. For good reason. It was heavy. But I think most of us ended up with packs that heavy. And I can’t say that next time it will be any lighter, because I can’t think of anything I could have left out!

 

Something very remarkable about our group is that none of us is particularly known for our current athleticism. We are all moms, of varying shapes and sizes and fitness levels. Some of the ladies were sick, or had been sick, or recovering from injuries. Several of the ladies have suffered heartbreaking losses over the past few years, one of them just in May.

This trail has some very difficult trails, switchbacks which were very steep for 2+ miles. Add that to our packs and we were working really hard to make it all the way up.

Much of the trail was very dense, but then it would open up to beautiful vistas, as far as the eye could see. 

These glimpses of God’s creative genius stirred in us again that knowledge that there is Someone bigger than we are, and gave us the wherewithal to keep moving UP (thanks Daniele for  nagging cheering us up there). Isn’t that something -- that He gave us this strenuous physical exercise, somewhat symbolic of something each of us was, or had been, facing? Once we got up there we marveled in the beauty that we got to enjoy all by ourselves ,

  

…then we started setting up camp by pitching tents, refilling our bottles with filtered water and gathering wood before it got dark. Then we settled down for our meals of rehydrated food (augmented at times by wild huckleberries as big a huge blueberries!). That packaged food was a taste adventure in and of itself. We definitely have a list of the good and the bad! (Hint: Stay with the Mac and don’t do the Kung Pao).

We had some heartfelt sharing times around the fire, a little futile unsuccessful fishing, some icy cold swims and alot of giggling in our tents about how awkward it was to get dressed and then comfy in such a small space. I tell ya, the expectation by REI that anyone can sleep all tangled up in a twisted mermaid cocoon inside a cocoon sleeping bag is waaayy off. That’s what we were laughing about in my tent. Mer-Cocoons. 

We had a beautiful day hike to a lower lake, and some of us took an icy swim (you might guess who by the fact that there are no pictures displayed here).

Some even thought they saw a bear. But we were not afraid (see below). Can you see the Bible on one side and the pistol on the other?

Nope. We were not afraid!

 

The hike back down was much easier. It was fun to get to enjoy the different terrain and water crossings in a way we did not get to on the way up.

It was sweet and sweaty, alot of laughter and some tears, and a reminder of why I say “DO HARD THINGS”! It was truly one of the most difficult physical things I have ever done, but I am so glad I did it.

And we got to share it together.

Good job ladies. I am so proud of all of us!