Annalise

My partner was feeling the exact same feeling, but we didn't say anything because we didn't want to freak each other out. We just wanted to get up there. But it was just like someone was in the trees watching us or something. I definitely am comfortable in the wilderness. I actually, you know, I think it was the this local trail by myself completely. And I did it every single day for 35 days.

So I had been, you know, hiking completely by myself with no problem. It was strange to feel that way. I kind of just tried to sum it up to, I'm doing this crazy hard hike. I got a ton of weight. Um, it's winter. Like I, once I get up there, I got to have everything that I need, you know, to survive three, four days, five days, however long we stay. So I just kind of kept trucking.

So I had been, you know, hiking completely by myself with no problem. It was strange to feel that way. I kind of just tried to sum it up to, I'm doing this crazy hard hike. I got a ton of weight. Um, it's winter. Like I, once I get up there, I got to have everything that I need, you know, to survive three, four days, five days, however long we stay. So I just kind of kept trucking.

So I had been, you know, hiking completely by myself with no problem. It was strange to feel that way. I kind of just tried to sum it up to, I'm doing this crazy hard hike. I got a ton of weight. Um, it's winter. Like I, once I get up there, I got to have everything that I need, you know, to survive three, four days, five days, however long we stay. So I just kind of kept trucking.

And once you keep your head down and you're just kind of going, you don't, it kind of fades away a little bit because you're just determined on getting from point A to point B. So we get to the trailhead and we're hiking up now the actual trail from the parking lot at the top of the road up to the shelter. And this was really intimidating because there was no footprints, no tracks whatsoever.

And once you keep your head down and you're just kind of going, you don't, it kind of fades away a little bit because you're just determined on getting from point A to point B. So we get to the trailhead and we're hiking up now the actual trail from the parking lot at the top of the road up to the shelter. And this was really intimidating because there was no footprints, no tracks whatsoever.

And once you keep your head down and you're just kind of going, you don't, it kind of fades away a little bit because you're just determined on getting from point A to point B. So we get to the trailhead and we're hiking up now the actual trail from the parking lot at the top of the road up to the shelter. And this was really intimidating because there was no footprints, no tracks whatsoever.

And there was a really thick snow on this trail. So when we were hiking up, you're kind of postholing your feet through the snow, which means like there's basically like a foot of snow, two feet of snow, and there's a hard crust over the top, but it's not enough to support your weight. So your feet will just kind of punch right through it.

And there was a really thick snow on this trail. So when we were hiking up, you're kind of postholing your feet through the snow, which means like there's basically like a foot of snow, two feet of snow, and there's a hard crust over the top, but it's not enough to support your weight. So your feet will just kind of punch right through it.

And there was a really thick snow on this trail. So when we were hiking up, you're kind of postholing your feet through the snow, which means like there's basically like a foot of snow, two feet of snow, and there's a hard crust over the top, but it's not enough to support your weight. So your feet will just kind of punch right through it.

You have to be really careful because there's big boulders and rocks on this and you can just stick your foot through and then twist an ankle or something. So we were really taking our time going up there, trying to be careful of that. That was a lot of work. You know, you're sweating at that point and it's cold out and you're just trying to kind of get up there. So we took our time.

You have to be really careful because there's big boulders and rocks on this and you can just stick your foot through and then twist an ankle or something. So we were really taking our time going up there, trying to be careful of that. That was a lot of work. You know, you're sweating at that point and it's cold out and you're just trying to kind of get up there. So we took our time.

You have to be really careful because there's big boulders and rocks on this and you can just stick your foot through and then twist an ankle or something. So we were really taking our time going up there, trying to be careful of that. That was a lot of work. You know, you're sweating at that point and it's cold out and you're just trying to kind of get up there. So we took our time.

It probably took another two hours just to hike that two miles up there. And we get to the top and, you know, we were just like, we did it. You know, we made it up here and we were starting to just put our packs down and stretch out a little bit. And I brought two nips of Jack Daniels whiskey.

It probably took another two hours just to hike that two miles up there. And we get to the top and, you know, we were just like, we did it. You know, we made it up here and we were starting to just put our packs down and stretch out a little bit. And I brought two nips of Jack Daniels whiskey.

It probably took another two hours just to hike that two miles up there. And we get to the top and, you know, we were just like, we did it. You know, we made it up here and we were starting to just put our packs down and stretch out a little bit. And I brought two nips of Jack Daniels whiskey.

So we broke those out and we did a victory shot and we just started unpacking and got our tent set up, pulled out our sleeping bags. You know, we had our firewood going. We had some freeze dry meals. We were heating up and we felt really, really good at that point. But again, I couldn't get over this feeling of someone being up there.

So we broke those out and we did a victory shot and we just started unpacking and got our tent set up, pulled out our sleeping bags. You know, we had our firewood going. We had some freeze dry meals. We were heating up and we felt really, really good at that point. But again, I couldn't get over this feeling of someone being up there.

So we broke those out and we did a victory shot and we just started unpacking and got our tent set up, pulled out our sleeping bags. You know, we had our firewood going. We had some freeze dry meals. We were heating up and we felt really, really good at that point. But again, I couldn't get over this feeling of someone being up there.

And like I said, my partner, the entire time was feeling the exact same way, but we just weren't communicating it because you don't want to let your... your fears kind of show in those moments. Cause what are we going to do? Hike six hours out? You know, we just got up here. We can't freak ourselves out right now. So we were just like, okay, we're going to, you know, hang out.