Share & Voice 3: Glacier National Park Photos

Two years ago, my old boyfriend and I took a road trip to Glacier National Park in Montana to go backpacking. I would say I am a pretty "outdoorsy" person and have always appreciated nature. However, it was on this trip that I feel I truly became aware of how powerful and mysterious our earth really is. 

I approached this backpacking trip with over-confidence. Evan, my boyfriend, warned me that backpacking through mountains is no cake walk, but I more or less scoffed at the idea that I was not physically able to take on the hike. I considered myself a "seasoned" camper/hiker and was insistent that I need not train or buy hiking boots. I was "physically fit" and had a snazzy pair of New Balance running shoes with great arch support. Ha! I thought I would own those mountains, and helped Evan plan a really intense six day hike. 

The day we drove in to Glacier it was raining, and local radio stations reported precipitation in the forecast all week. Evan suggested we skip the hike through the back country and simply camp near town. He said the trails would be muddy, I did not have the right shoes, and we would be cold and wet the whole time. I told him my shoes were fine, mud didn't scare me, and I could handle the cold. 

The first day of our hike we planned to trek 12 miles: six miles up a mountain, and six miles down the other side. By mile four, I was exhausted. My legs ached, I could barely breathe because of the altitude, I was freezing, and I was wet. I didn't take many pictures because my fingers were numb and it was very dark, but I did capture a couple of moments. Below are the pictures I took at mile six when we made it to the top of the mountain. 

The views were unbelievable. We were literally above the clouds! The thick fog covers the scenery, but below the mist there is a beautiful lake full of water that is so clear and blue... there are not words to describe it. Everything in Glacier is so untouched by technology and society. It was mind blowing how pure everything was.

A photo can not do these scenes justice. There was something so majestic and powerful about the fog rolling up the side of this mountain. It was like an avalanche in reverse, going up the mountain instead of down. In a place so disconnected from "civilization" and so far from the hustle and bustle we are so used to, I have never experienced more movement or life.

There I am. Don't let the smile fool you. At this point in the hike we are just about at the top and I am under the impression hiking down a mountain will be much easier than hiking up one. I could not have been more wrong. 

When we finally made it to our camp site, I was so cold and tired I could barely move. If Evan had not been there I literally would have been helpless. I would not have been able to start a fire or make food for myself. I would not have been able to pitch a tent. I would not have been able to string our food up in a tree to keep the bears from getting it. I really think I would have just collapsed and slept with my pack strapped to my back. I have never felt so physically exhausted or weak in my entire life. 

There I am in my sleeping bag. I crawled in there at around 5 PM... and there I stayed until the sun came up the next morning. That look in my eyes is me un-verbally telling Evan "Okay. You were right". I was not pleased. I knew I would be a little sore, but I was actually in pain.  I finally admitted I was not up for a six day hike in the rain and we decided to spend the night and head back to town the following day. I thought I could never feel worse pain. 

...

Until I woke up the next morning and had to hike the same 12 miles back. My muscles ached. I felt like I had just climbed a mountain in a pair of crappy running shoes.. oh, wait. 

With every step I took I felt shooting pains travel up through my feet and in to my legs. I limped for 12 miles, making sure to stay at least 50 feet behind Evan so I could whimper and cry to myself without him hearing. I don't mean to sound pathetic, but it really hurt that much. I will never forget taking those last few steps out of the woods, seeing my car across the parking lot, and nearly breaking down. I was SO happy to see a set of wheels that could carry me someplace warm.

While my experience in Glacier was far from what I imagined, and arguably one of the most physically demanding things I have ever done... I have never felt closer to or more intrigued by the earth. Nature is an intense force and we often assume we have power over it. Since that summer I have wanted nothing more than to go back to Glacier and face that mountain again, with a new pair of eyes (and a new pair of hiking boots). I think one of the best ways to come to appreciate nature and all its magic is to be a part of it.