(Un)Lost
This past week of hiking was incredible. After I got some decent hiking boots, we climbed some of one mountain through the snow.
The trail started off fine, clear. Soon, the only way we knew where we were going was because of slightly visible footprints in the snow. Even though we were walking through three-feet deep parts at some times, it was never packed down because we were out so early. It was June.
At times, we would hear a river, but not see it because the snow was covering everything. Often, we’d see a hole that went through to where the streams passed, causing us to have to jump over to (and often posthole in the snow of) the other side.
We lost the trail and created our own path when we got to the lakes because it had simply been too dangerous for others to attempt to finish the hike that far until now. It got steeper, and as the day got warmer, the snow melted and turned to ice. We slowed down but kept the pace until we reached the waterfalls created by meltwater.
Throughout the day, we passed lakes, ponds, rivers, waterfalls. Storms were supposed to come in around noon, so we headed down and made our way through the slush and ice. During the last stretch, we lost our way because of a wrong turn, but ended up on the road we used to come up some of the mountain.
“I’m not looking to be found, I just want to feel (un)lost.”
By Ashton
