This last week I was able to go on my "big summer adventure." Luckily Amber and I are friends and her family plans super fun trips and they are nice enough to allow me to tag along. Last summer it was Havasupai this summer we backpacked the Teton Crest Trail.
Here is Amber hiking up the trail on day two. We did 11 miles this day. Pretty exhausting with 40 pounds on your back.
This is me in my little one man tent. The tent was a cheap purchase when I bought a pack, sleeping bad, and tent all together that are matching for $100. I did not want to spend too much money because I just graduated from college and did not know if I would ever use it. Well the gear has been on multiple trips and I must admit the tent has surpassed my expectations. There was a big wind, thunder, and lightning storm every single night and my little tent kept me warm and dry. It is a little claustrophobic in there but it held its own.
I have only ever seen pictures of lakes with glaciers. I have always thought they were beautiful and now I got to see quite a few with my own eyes. This was the view looking down from Hurricane pass. Oh and they are a beautiful sight.
This is me on Hurricane pass. The peaks on the left are the Grand and Middle Teton. We summited the peak on the right the south Teton. It was around 12,500 ft.
My self portrait on the top of the mountain. The highest mountain I have hiked thus far. I will say that I actually felt the elevation for the first time in my life. I had to keep stopping because my legs would not work anymore they were not getting enough oxygen.
This was also the fist time I have climbed a peak that doesn't have a designated trail. You just scramble to the top. I must admit that I prefer to climb when there is a trail.
Another picture from the top. I put my coat on because it started to snow while we were up there.
The snow was not bad but there were some NASTY clouds in the distance and so we did not stay to long on the top and called off the hike to the peak of Middle Teton due to the weather.
On our way down I learned how quickly the weather can change on top of the mountains. When we started hiking at 2 it was hot and clear, no sign of clouds. As we were descending around 4 the thunder and lightning rolled in. I don't know if I can accurately described what it felt like to be in the middle of a thunder storm at 10,000 ft. It all started when we got down to the saddle. It had been raining a little but now there was thunder, lightning and hail. All of a sudden there was a huge crash of thunder followed by massive lightning that sent the four of us running through the rocks and ice fields. We were all running in different directions with the same end destination as our goal. We just needed to get back to our gear ASAP.
In case you are imagining this remember I run slow and I am at a high elevation and I am running through big boulders or on glaciers. It was very scary. The hail was getting bigger and bigger and the lightning was getting closer and closer. I was now running, praying, and trying to remember what you are supposed to do in a lightning storm.
Eventually I slipped and fell on the boulders. Surprisingly it did not even hurt. I jumped up and kept running through the storm. Here is what my leg looked like the next day.
Finally we all made it back to our gear. Our gear was left out unprotected because the weather was good when we left, oops. now it was all drenched. We quickly set up a tent on a glacier and jumped in for protection. Here are Daniel, Ben, and I trying to stay warm while waiting out the storm.
The storm was crazy. The hail went from the size of skittles, to peanut m and m's, to the size of quarters. The last of the storm was so loud that everytime the hail hit the tent it sounded like someone was firing a gun. All in all the storm lasted about an hour and a half.
The storm was an extremely humbling experience. It made me realize that you can not be in control of all situations. It made me realize that all those stories I have read about how quickly the weather can change are TRUE. And again it reaffirmed my testimony that our prayers are heard and answered. And that we can be guided in every decision we make, like whether or not to continue hiking or to turn back. I was grateful for protection on the mountain that day. I also learned that I need to learn more about outdoor survival. I am still not sure that pitching a tent on a glacier during a lightning storm is a good idea.
Once the storm cleared we hiked to our camp. Unfortunately I spent the last night a little chilly because I didn't do something as simple as putting my rain cover over my bag just in case.
And so I must admit I was forced to hike out in my pajamas. I know this was a horrible sight to see and so I took a picture for rememberance sake. As soon as it warmed up I changed back into my damp hiking clothes.
Overall the week was a blast. I was really nervous to be so far away from civization but I loved every minute of it, minus the day storm. I love being in the beautiful outdoors and having time to appreciate the world in which we live. My thoughts always turn to Heavenly Father and how grateful I am for the beauty all around as well as all the blessings I have in my life, especially the blessing of good health.
4 days, 40 lbs on my back, almost 40 miles of hiking, and no shower! Let's just say I was a little smelly when I got back to civilization.
