The very first time I went backpacking, I was twelve. It was in Colorado. We actually went to the top of Mt. Elbert, the highest peak in the state. And standing on that mountaintop, I knew I had discovered a hobby that would be with me for life.
There is something about the process of going into the woods and working hard to achieve something difficult, like standing on top of a mountain, that changes you. That first trip (and the following four trips I completed) were with Wilderness Trek. Those trips taught me life lessons like: how encouraging others when you are struggling will make your own experience easier.
One year, we circled up and had to pass our pack to the person on our right. This taught me that we are all carrying heavy loads, and as heavy as my load might be, the one next to me might be heavier. It also taught me that if we are to reach the top, EVERYONE has to reach the top. If one is unable to make it, we are all unable to make it. And sometimes circumstances outside our control, like the weather, will keep us from finishing. And those trips where we didn't meet our goals are still worth the effort because of the personal growth and relationships that are formed regardless of how things play out.
When Daniel and I met it was on a caving trip that I was leading in college. He was invited by a mutual friend and he ended up being a great help to me as that particular trip ended up being the biggest group I had ever taken. Daniel stayed in the back and made sure no one got separated or too far behind. It was one of the things that really stuck out to me about him on that trip. I guess I must have made an impression on him as well because he kept showing up in my circle of friends after that!
After we married, we didn't have a lot of money. I had a college degree but we were in a small town and the only job I could find in my industry was at a small family-owned printing company that only paid $7/hour and did not provide insurance. We were scraping by while Daniel finished his degree in engineering. During that time we decided to spend as much time as possible together in the woods. It was a relatively inexpensive hobby and it gave us a lot of time to connect outside of school and work.
We met Saturday morning for a shakedown. Basically my friend Shannon and I partnered up with Billie and Marty and helped them determine what they could leave behind. We ended up cutting both their piles of equipment in half. I'm pretty sure they were both grateful that we didn't let them bring all the things.
Then we hit the trail. The temps would reach in the mid to upper 90s with heat indexes well above 100. And part of the trail was on exposed rock faces that radiated that heat back at us even more. It was HOT.
As we started, Shannon took the lead and set a good pace for us. I have
found that it is best to have one experienced person do that and a second experienced person to
stay at the rear to encourage the group and not let anyone fall behind
(like Daniel did on my caving trip all those years ago). Both the front
and rear person are extremely important.
So as the day wore on, I would remind everyone to drink water, and
when necessary stop to eat as a group. Because of my experience on the
trail, I know first-hand what it feels like to get unbalanced
electrolytes from not eating properly and also what severe dehydration
feels like. With that knowledge it makes it easy to remind others what
to do to combat that so they don't have a bad experience.
The trail would have us climb from the North Chickamauga Creek, gaining the ridge on the side of Mowbray Mountain and dropping back down to our campsite at the creek on the far side of the mountain. This trail is listed as hard on AllTrails and it was definitely that. I would venture to say it was even strenuous at times.
I actually did a portion of this hike with my kids earlier this year, as part of our weekly homeschool day hikes. We did a small part of the Hogskin's Loop to Strip Mine Falls and back down to the Blue Hole. The extended version of this hike, with overnight packs, was much harder!
For our ladies hike, after hiking all day in the heat, it started to thunder as we came down the back side of the mountain. I could see a rocky overhang at the bottom and suggested we get there and wait out the rain that appeared to be on the way. This ended up being a good decision because it did start raining and this gave us a good 45-minute rest and everyone's gear stayed dry.
The other benefit, that we were unaware of at the time, was that we had a mile of hiking left to camp. And that mile would be brutal. We would be picking our way over large rocks all the way down. Our toes would be jammed into the front of our boots, leaving our feet bruised. It was rough.
We dropped our packs, changed into sandals and went down to the river to get fresh water and also soak our weary feet. We all ended up getting in the water to cool off as well.
After soaking for a bit, we felt refreshed and headed back to camp to set up our hammocks
and get supper and a fire going. Spending a day like this is not for the
faint of heart. It was hard. But it also takes down barriers and
allowed us all to share freely. We talked until after the stars came
out. This is one of my favorite things about being on the trail.
The next morning we ate breakfast, packed up camp, and attacked that first mile that we knew would be challenging. Climbing up the trail on fresh legs was still hard, but much easier than the day before.
Our initial goal of the day was to get high enough to have cell service to check in with our families. We had thought Verizon had full coverage of the area, but it turns out that even Verizon doesn't cover hidden hollers in East Tennessee.
Shannon and I kept telling the others that walking out would be easier. It always is. And while it was still hot, and still hard, it was easier. We all left the trail with smiles on our faces. I know I will be back in the future, though I am definitely more of a fall and spring camper that a middle-of-summer camper!
