2020 has been a year of surprises. A year I’ve dedicated to growth in spirituality. A year dedicated to taking life as it comes and living in the present. A year of discovery making new and more meaningful connections to that which matters most: beings.
In my 36th year of life I’m starting to see more clearly than ever before. The path that I once thought mattered is now an apparition of misplaced ambition and lost opportunities.
Over the past decade I’ve lived life to the so-called fullest. I’ve excelled professionally, travelled to exotic places, ate the best of foods, drank in much of life’s most intoxicating experiences and tasted all her fruits. Amidst all of this, I discovered one of the most sobering truths… to quote Solomon, “all of this is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
I’ve learned that joy is a gift. Often we find destruction and emptiness on the way to it. And that some pleasures are just an elaborate distraction. Peace is what all people long for. An underlying ever-present peace in ones own life through any circumstance. In ANY circumstance. Joy that comes from a basal contentment that cannot be manufactured, bought, stolen, or forced. It must be received because it is given.
COVID has forced the world to stop. What we knew as life has completely changed. That which we’ve taken for granted, social interaction, has been forcefully altered. World governments are advising the populace to physically social distance from others. Encouraging the literal construction of imaginary tangible physical barriers between us. Our social networks are now a worldwide social experiment in connectedness (or the lack thereof).
Half a year into this forced isolation society has now reconfirmed something we’ve known all along yet taken for granted: We are social beings that need physical human interaction. The best web based socially networked communities are just caricatures of the actual human experience. Although virtual based communities have their benefits, my convictions urge me to consider the unnerving thought that if society did away with the “virtual” aspect of them, human existence as we know it would likely be much better off.
The new COVID induced world existence has been impactful in all aspects of my life. I’ve seen my family the least ever in recent memory. I’ve had to pivot with my business. I’ve reduced my traveling from over 100,000 miles per year the last several years to taking just 3 flights since this epochal new-normal began. Despite all of this, I’ve experienced some of life’s fullness through new conduits. In the stillness of worldwide forced isolation, I feel as though I’m being forced to reconsider life in it’s simplicity… like being awoken and prompted to remember a half forgotten dream.
Freedom, real freedom, is sacred. It is something that is available to every single person. It is fleeting and while each one of us must grab hold of it and constantly remind ourselves and others of what it is we so often exchange it for a mere illusion. Connection…real connection: to others, to nature, to The Divine; is completely free yet priceless and immeasurable. It is abundantly available to all and experienced in various capacities. The very representations of the infinite within the human experience.
And while I find myself enthralled in rediscovery, these realizations are personified most while pondering in the stillness of my mind frolicking in timeless moments through the vastness of the wilderness.
This summer I’ve had the pleasure of satisfying my wanderlust in a different way than I’m accustomed to; hiking and backpacking in my own backyard. Drinking in the natural beauty that is uniquely the Pacific Northwest (PNW).
I’ve noticed that backpacking in the wilderness is one of the purest representations of a dichotomy. The thought of the journey is both dreadful and exciting. Carrying a 50lb+ pack up a mountain is both supremely empowering and unimaginably exhausting. While ascending, the mind is trapped second guessing every step, the very purpose of the quest, the why behind the physical pain being experienced. However, while standing atop the peaks, the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction is overwhelming and unrivaled. One right step can lead to a serious injury and the need for rescue. One wrong step can lead to an open meadow, overlooking a turquoise lake, trapped within a snowcapped mountain landscape and the most overwhelming experience the senses can behold.
Taking in this natural beauty I find there are often moments where I am completely present, completely aware, completely grounded while simultaneously completely transcendent, completely abstract, completely numinous. Mind, body, and spirit in unison. Content. At Peace. Complete.
I long for these moments and will continue to seek them out in the wilderness…
Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Day 1 – Friday Evening
One such journey is this. I went on my second backpacking trip of the summer: Marmot and Jade Lake. Clocking in 22 miles and over 5,000 feet of elevation gain in total over 4 days/3 nights. It was quite the experience. I did it with an all season active friend experienced in the ways of the woods and mountains.
We did this trip on Labor Day weekend making the long drive to the trailhead even longer after hitting some expected traffic. Generally it’s a bad idea to backpack really popular hikes on extended weekend holidays. However, this hike came highly recommended so we decided to tackle it, completely prepared for the reality that it may be difficult to find an ideal camping site.
The last 12 miles of the drive to the trailhead was a dirt/gravel road. After parking at the trailhead at 7:00pm, we geared up and set out in time to catch a bit of useable light for the first mile. After a quick 3 miles we found a site at the northern tip of Lake Hyas to setup camp. It was nestled between two large felled trees and flat enough for a tent, with just enough room for an external sitting area. A good find in the darkness.
Once settled I tinkered with a new camera learning its inner workings, a Sony a6000. Using a 16-50mm lens at the 16mm end I captured a few shots of the night sky looking south through the tree tops. My ability to accurately focus and get good quality images was mediocre at best, but the capability of the optic platform got me excited compared to my lowly Rebel T3. I knew once I learned this camera I’d be able to get at least semi-decent images with better resolution.
Day 2 – Saturday
We woke up semi-early, ate a quick breakfast and hit trail by 7:30 am. We counted several groups and over a dozen people that passed us from the time we awoke to the time we broke trail. This part of the hike would require the most physical and mental strength and a good pace if we wanted to ensure a decent campsite. The plan was to hike to Marmot Lake, assess our physical state and available sites, then decide if we’d make the direct push to Jade Lake. To Marmot was over 6 miles and 2,200 ft of elevation gain. Jade added another 2 miles and 1,000 feet of gain primarily through a boulder field scramble.
We made our way up at a manageable pace taking plenty of breaks to breathe in the nature as more than half of the hike displays the grandeur of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Frequently hydrating and refueling for the more aggressive parts of the trail were a must. There were multiple streams and mini waterfalls along the way. We crossed an intersection with the legendary PCT and passed through Deceptions Pass giving views of the many waterfalls that are most active during the springtime thaw. There are also several other trails to other lakes and mountains in the area so using an offline app (like Alltrails) or some other GPS tool is recommended for the directionally challenged. The last 2 miles are some of the best views as you ascend into and above the clouds looking into the valley.
Once we arrived at Marmot we split up to scout for a good campsite. We found a secluded convenient site with a great view of the lake and quickly setup camp. After getting tagged twice by bees I realized we were basically on top of a bees nest. A mental note was made and we stayed. We were physically spent so decided to eat lunch and hit the lake to relax.
I was looking forward to this trip for all the reasons people like to go into the wilderness. The freedom. The fresh air. The appreciation for nature. The physical and mental exertion. The views. The unimaginable wonder that nature inspires. For me, the most inspirational and captivating aspect of going into the wilderness lies in the ability to look into the sky at night in these remote and hidden places and see the infinite, visual magic.
In the PNW wilderness on a dark and clear night the sky provides a unique opportunity to witness a painting in every moment. This makes for some great opportunities to capture images. Still quite amateur with my photography skills, the images captured of the night sky are what really get’s me inspired to continually pursue photography. I’ve noticed with the mirrorless SONY a6000 I was certainly able to capture insta worthy pictures, but certainly nothing worth framing. My ability to optimize the images still leaves me with much to learn. But my excitement when seeing a couple of the raw images jump out of the screen at me consistently takes my breath away.
Day 3 – Jade Lake
We got an early start and day hiked up to Jade Lake after a quick wash-up, breakfast, and some hydration. I strapped on my sack sans most of the weight. It was a semi tough 2 mile one way that we completed in 1 1/4hrs. Our camp at Marmot was off the northeastern edge of the lake. So we started our hike through a hilly narrow trail that takes you to the southern tip of the lake. After a mile of slightly ascending and descending hills we reached the southern point only to stare up at a boulder and rock field that begins the scramble to the top. After gaining 900 feet primarily scrambling we reached the meadow path to No Name Lake before we were rewarded with the first glimpse of Jade Lake. MAGNIFICENT. A quick descend and you’re on a trail that follows through campsites and around the lake to the southern most point. From here some choose to ascend further to Pea Soup Lake. We setup our blanket here and were content to enjoy a lake day on the shores of Jade.
After a quick swim and stretch, I noticed a decent perch for photography halfway up the 1200ft ascend to Pea Soup lake. I couldn’t help my curiosity and did a solo scramble to the perch. On the way up I met a hiker descending way off path. He informed me of a hidden glacier pond if I ascended a bit further. I was rewarded with what I call Hidden Pond. It’s essentially mountain glacier runoff forming a small body of water that eventually makes it’s way down through the rocks to Jade Lake. While shrouded in complete seclusion and surrounded by snow, glacier water, and granite peaks, I came to the ultimate realization. This would be an epic place to relieve myself of bodily waste. Immediately, I built myself the most majestic stone toilet throne and enjoyed my first real excrement session in days. It was more gratifying than you can imagine.
As far as Jade Lake, the pictures could never do a place like this justice. If you ever make it to Washington during the summer, go see it for yourself, preferably on a weekday for an overnight visit. If you’re about that nature life, this one was worth it. You won’t be disappointed.
Hidden Pond 
Jade Lake (Lookin Northwest) 
Day 4 – Heading Home
On Monday, we lazily broke down camp and packed up. After a solid breakfast and bit of bumming around, we hit the trail by 11:30 am and enjoyed a leisurely stroll back down to the car. It was a peaceful descent filled with the smell of fresh blueberries in full bloom for practically all 9 miles. There’s one burner about 2 miles in that is a reminder that this trek is earned both in and out. Even still, it’s much easier to notice all the beauty surrounding the trail when descending as it’s largely missed when ascending in pain. We made a quick stop at Lake Hyas for a late lunch as we didn’t get the chance to really see it on the way in. In total it took us about 4 hours to reach the trailhead.
All in all, this trip enabled us to see 4 different lakes and several ponds at varying elevations. With this amazing trip in the books, I’m looking forward to the next adventure in my backyard, the Pacific Northwest.
free. like. me. 