The Magic of Mountain Memories!

Written by: Sylvia and David

Greetings friends, family, loved ones back home and abroad! We have just returned from a successful first expedition in the Sawatch Mountains, and are eager to reach out about the experiences we’ve had.

An average day on this expedition consisted of: getting up between 6 and 7 a.m. to meet our cook groups in the gritchen (group kitchen) for breakfast. We elect a cook of the day (COD) who is in charge of making the meals, and typically they have to get up even earlier. Our aim is to leave camp about two and a half hours after we get up, so this means we have to cook, eat, pack lunch, brush our teeth, purify water, and stuff our backpacks all in this time frame. Mornings in the backcountry are no joke! Then we embark on our hike of the day, which can range anywhere from 1 to 6 miles, with up to 1500 feet of elevation gain. The leaders of the day (LODs) have topographic maps with a marked X of where we are going, which we find using the natural features around us. This is where we scout out good spots for camping, and then set up our kitchens, midds (tents), and stormproofed sleep systems. Depending on when we arrive, we may get free time up until dinner, which we start cooking at 5pm. This takes us into evening meeting which is around 7pm, and here we debrief the day in a multitude of ways. Then, we finish the day by playing cards or just hanging out, and we’re in bed by 9pm for another long day.

Some of our favorite exped highlights were when: David hauled two full ten-liter drams up a mountain with Ethan during a snowstorm; Yari painted beautiful scenes with watercolors at all of the lakes we visited; Kelsey’s dream of seeing a moose up close came true during our lesson on lightning safety, and Ethan was paid a visit by a porcupine during his morning squat break. Griffin enjoyed our hikes, practically sprinting up the mountains, and taking pictures of the breathtaking views along the way. Courtland made the first backcountry pizza, which was a delicious success, and Drew loved his impromptu lyrical genius with Ethan on the Continental Divide. As for me (Sylvia), one of my favorite memories was from Lake Rebecca, where we all participated in a polar plunge, considering it was only about 50 degrees and windy.

We miss you all dearly, yet we find ourselves consumed by the natural wonders of Colorado. Crawling out of our frosted sleeping bags at the HMI campgrounds, we strapped on our fifty pound backpacks, and rode deep into the Sawatch Mountains. The first night and day were a struggle for community, identity, and backcountry efficiency. However, bushwhacking our way up and along Jonsie Gulch landed us a campsite highlighted with an uncharted mountain lake. Here we would begin learning about the Native tribes who walked this region many years before us, and our afternoon lesson about lighting safety was peacefully interrupted by a Bull Moose wandering our campsite merely twenty feet from our jaw-dropped mouths.

Following this guest appearance, we set our community goals and strided deeper into the Arkansas Valley to challenge ourselves among numerous mountain summits, and recover at the edge of crystal clear lakes and streams. As we gained momentum and communal trust, we headed for a re-ration of food along an empty aspen filled highway. All was joyous with our full bellies of laughter, until we marched through two days of nonstop snow and rain. Things grew quiet as these grim times relentlessly battered us in ways we’ll never forget. Yet, when the sun finally began to sing above us again, we were ready to take on the world. Our final days of the first expedition were spent glowing from all points of the Continental Divide. It was as if we could see the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean with the mere turning of our heads. 

All of us have grown exponentially at leading the group on our designated days. Pulling from navigation, risk management, communication, and endless other skills. Today we returned to the HMI headquarters for a heartwarming hot meal and exped debrief. We are all beginning to understand one another and grow for the common good. We will never be the same, and will never forget the Sawatch Mountains.

Moab here we come!