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Waking up lost

I feel the way I did that morning in the hostel in Juneau, when Becky and I were starting our kayaking trip in Alaska in May of the year 2000, almost exactly 10 years ago.  I feel that way, but on a different time scale.  I woke up in the bunk, and didn’t know where I was.  I’m sure that feeling has a name, but I don’t know what it is.  I was temporarily misplaced.  The most recent bits of history, which had gotten me there, were lost in my mind somewhere.  An episode of micro-amnesia.  Where am I?  And then in a wrenching mental gyration, it all comes back.  Like looking at a map and a compass, and suddenly realizing you’ve gotten turned around.  It’s not that peak, it’s this one.  That means we’re here, not there.  And fuck, we’re out of water too.  Now what?

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Snowshoeing to Boreas Pass

Two carloads worth of us headed up to Boreas Pass outside of Breckenridge, CO on New Years Day, for a mellow ski/snowshoe in to the Section House hut, about 6 miles in on an old mining railroad grade.  Along for the ride were Kamile Dilmurat, Trevor Stone, Stephen Hill, Michelle Selvans, Zane Selvans, Mike Stempel, Susan Stempel, Paul Stempel, and Megan Fluckiger.  We had some ominous but ultimately calm weather on the way in, and a gorgeous sunny day on the way out, with blustery wind all night long.  Kamile didn’t really sleep the night before, and had never been on such a trip, so she was pretty zonked.  Michelle was still getting over her winter break bug, whatever it was, and got kind of sick on the way out.  But other than that, I think everyone had a good time.  I’d definitely like to do more hut trips… with more snow, and a working knowledge of skiing!

The photos in the slideshow are a compilation from the cameras of Stephen, Trevor, and Zane, blatantly pirated for display here.

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Missing Mountains

Michelle and I hiked 13 miles round trip to Pear Lake in Sequoia National Park on Monday. It’s been too long since I’ve experienced wilderness. That place where people aren’t. It’ll be interesting to see how biking overnight into the San Gabriels feels in comparison.