Marilyn Koolstra

Julia shared updates about her life, too. She'd moved to a place called Park City, a ski resort town in the state of Utah. That's one of the landlocked western states. The Highline Trail Eric wanted to hike ran through a mountain range just east of Park City called the Uintas.

Julia shared updates about her life, too. She'd moved to a place called Park City, a ski resort town in the state of Utah. That's one of the landlocked western states. The Highline Trail Eric wanted to hike ran through a mountain range just east of Park City called the Uintas.

Eric thought so too. And he hoped Julia would join him.

Eric thought so too. And he hoped Julia would join him.

If you don't live in a place with big mountains and strong seasons, you might miss the significance of a big snow year. Utah's mountains are like batteries. They collect snow from storms that blow in off the Pacific each winter. That snowpack builds until the weather warms in the spring, melting the snow and releasing the water into rivers and streams.

If you don't live in a place with big mountains and strong seasons, you might miss the significance of a big snow year. Utah's mountains are like batteries. They collect snow from storms that blow in off the Pacific each winter. That snowpack builds until the weather warms in the spring, melting the snow and releasing the water into rivers and streams.

And the highest parts of the Uinta Mountains, where the Highline Trail runs, are always the last to melt out. That means hikers usually have just a narrow window when the trail is snow-free in July, August, and maybe September. The trail's high elevation passes are packed with snow any time outside of that.

And the highest parts of the Uinta Mountains, where the Highline Trail runs, are always the last to melt out. That means hikers usually have just a narrow window when the trail is snow-free in July, August, and maybe September. The trail's high elevation passes are packed with snow any time outside of that.

Eric scheduled his trip during that window in July and August. But 2011 was an unusual year. The Uinta snowpack was the deepest on record, and a cold snap that spring delayed the start of the melt by several weeks.

Eric scheduled his trip during that window in July and August. But 2011 was an unusual year. The Uinta snowpack was the deepest on record, and a cold snap that spring delayed the start of the melt by several weeks.

Julie had only lived in Utah a few years by that point, but she had been a skier her whole life and recognized how unusual these conditions were. It seemed like more risk than she wanted to tackle. But I'm not clear just how strongly she communicated that to Eric.

Julie had only lived in Utah a few years by that point, but she had been a skier her whole life and recognized how unusual these conditions were. It seemed like more risk than she wanted to tackle. But I'm not clear just how strongly she communicated that to Eric.

She agreed to host Eric in Park City for a few days before he set off on his hike. But her decision not to accompany Eric left Marilyn feeling uneasy with her husband's plan. She applied pressure, telling Eric he shouldn't go without someone to watch his back. Her kids were more blunt, telling him what happened to Alan could happen to you.

She agreed to host Eric in Park City for a few days before he set off on his hike. But her decision not to accompany Eric left Marilyn feeling uneasy with her husband's plan. She applied pressure, telling Eric he shouldn't go without someone to watch his back. Her kids were more blunt, telling him what happened to Alan could happen to you.

We want to have you having a safe trek, and we want to have you back home again.

We want to have you having a safe trek, and we want to have you back home again.

Some of these conversations grew heated, but Eric didn't budge. I've been in his shoes, I've heard loved ones grumble when I insist on going out into nature alone, and I've ignored them because I trust in my skills and abilities. But if I'm being honest, that's also landed me in trouble a time or two."

Some of these conversations grew heated, but Eric didn't budge. I've been in his shoes, I've heard loved ones grumble when I insist on going out into nature alone, and I've ignored them because I trust in my skills and abilities. But if I'm being honest, that's also landed me in trouble a time or two."

Eric understood the concern, but he wasn't willing to give up on his ambition, so he came up with a compromise. He bought an EPUB. That's short for Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. In other words, a distress signal. If Eric ran into trouble, he could press a button. It would send an SOS message to search and rescue by satellite, along with GPS coordinates for his location.

Eric understood the concern, but he wasn't willing to give up on his ambition, so he came up with a compromise. He bought an EPUB. That's short for Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon. In other words, a distress signal. If Eric ran into trouble, he could press a button. It would send an SOS message to search and rescue by satellite, along with GPS coordinates for his location.