Coffee in Desolation

It was late spring when we made it to the lake. The drive up US 50 was beautiful as city gently faded into treeline. The hike up was grueling but what I have found is the more difficult the hike, the more peaceful it is. There is something about the quiet that comes with an exhausted mind. The only thought we could hold was taking the next step. But the landscape and views were more than enough to keep us going.

The memory of our father telling us stories of adventure was the spark behind the trip. My brother and I longed to connect with those stories of hardship and danger that we heard as young children. We chose this backcountry hike on a whim; it hit a few peaks and promised some spectacular views, much like the ones from our father’s tales.

As in any multi-day hike, we packed simple foods, weight being more of an issue than flavor, but there is one item I find worth the weight: Coffee. As we neared the first peak our pace quickened until the surprise of snow hit us. Our paced dragged to a crawl. Snowshoes would have been a good idea but being so close to summer, it never crossed our minds. And as we struggled on the snow made the trails fainter and fainter.

Stopping our trek at around 9,000 ft. The more I “adventure” the more I realize that I often find myself wildly unprepared, and at times a bit lost, but this is what adventure is. It’s not the plan we make, nor the ideal experience, but rather the story that comes with every surprise you encounter.

Through these adventures, I haven’t yet run into a problem that good company and a great cup of coffee couldn’t fix. As we drank the warm beverage, our cold bodies sat in silence. But as the reviving nature of the coffee began to do its work, laughter and good conversation followed.

Although we didn’t get as far as we had hoped; we camped near a beautiful snow-covered peak somewhere in Desolation National Forest.