The alarm beeped. I peeked out the tent flap- too dark to tell if clouds sailed in the still-gusty sky, but a rosy stripe glowed on the eastern horizon. Camp was packed and we were hiking the minute it was light enough to see our footing without headlamps. Up up up we climbed, trying to …
Day 1 The alarm beeped quietly as color seeped into the pre-dawn sky, only a few stars bright enough to still shine through the gloaming. Packing up was a quick affair, and we reached the overlook of the charming Popo Agie Falls as the world illuminated. Shimmering aspens lined the sandy trail, dried underbrush …
South of the small, unassuming town of Dubois, Wyoming, 9 miles of gravel lead to Trail Lakes Trailhead. We devoured a veggie pizza each from the local parlor by the turn-off as the sandy badlands and highway pavement bumpily receded in the rear view mirror. At the last curve in the road, the overgrazed hills …
In the morning, the pressure to move fast had dissipated with the clouds. The sky dawned clear, Knifepoint's ramparts absorbing and reflecting a blood orange alpen-glow. I watched from the tent door, curled snugly in my quilt. Apparently the original German word can be equally translated as ‘glow’ or ‘smolder’. Alpen-smolder. That fits, too. When …
The sky had offered clear views of the stars last night, but by 5:00 this morning clouds already paced and grumbled along the visible edges of sky. We had until the top of Douglas Peak Pass, I guessed, to choose to turn around and still be out within our time frame. Packed quickly, we …
“We ought to just go and see what happens. You know, put ourselves in the way of luck…” Prana had said. I had sighed. That mountaineer’s adage always got us a bit close to riding the edge of misery for my taste. So there we went. Hiking in from the Elkhart Park, stashing the keys …
muddy shoe memoirs 