When I'm away on these trips it's like the world as I know it doesn't exist. Being surrounded by trees and mountains and nature for as far as the eye can see puts things into a unique perspective. The sad fact of the matter is that I've got a number of significant things to address over the next few weeks so I'm well aware that my escape from it all was only temporary. Much needed, to be sure, but temporary.
A highlight of the trip for me was our hike on Friday. It was probably one of the most significant hikes I've done in years. As I mentioned yesterday it was 6 miles each way and increased in elevation over 3,000 feet. It was a physical and mental test, in a way, with the end goal being a lake tucked way back into the mountains that we hoped would provide some opportunities for some good photos.
We got to the trailhead shortly before 10am in sunny, comfortably warm weather. Over the course of the day the mountains would become engulfed by storms not once but twice and we experienced wind, thunder, rain, and hail - and then it would all blow over at it would be sunny again. It was wild.
Each of us had a backpack that had to weigh 40 pounds or more. It was filled with water, food, camera gear, and some extra stuff but I have no idea how it weighed so much. After carrying it for the entire 12 miles my back, shoulders, and neck were more than ready to be done. My legs had about had it, too. I'm happy to report that I'm only a fraction as sore as I thought I might be. All I can say is that it's a good thing I'm in pretty good shape because I can't imagine attempting that without having done some kind of physical training.
The trail was exactly the kind of trail I like. It was well marked and provided a steady climb into the mountains. As we got higher the trees got more sparse, and smaller. The views were wonderful. And, then there was snow. Even at this time of year there's quite a bit of snow up there to the point where the only way we'd know how to find the trail was to follow footprints of people who had come before us. The snow was waist deep in places and it's a good thing we only sunk into it a few times.
It took us four hours to get to the lake. It was well worth the effort. The view at the lake was spectacular, and the angry skies looming in the distance made the photography all the more dramatic. Of course, those same skies opened up on us shortly after we started back down the trail. Anyway, I haven't had time to upload many photos yet but here are a couple from my smaller camera:
It was wonderful.
Yesterday we did a short hike to a waterfall, and spent most of the rest of the day driving. We had a couple of hundred miles to cover to get to Boise where we spent the night. We marked our last evening together by cleaning up, going out to a nice dinner followed by a very pleasant walk, and I had one of the best sleeps I've had in a while. Sometimes you don't realize how tired you are until you let your guard down. The combination of getting up at 5am to take advantage of the early morning light for photos, very busy full days, and getting to bed late took a toll.
This morning she dropped me off at the airport and went on her way, and here I am - halfway back to Phoenix.
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