Hiking in winter offered me the feeling of being truly alone without feeling lonely: a feeling a lot of people can identify with right now.
Seasonal depression is real and practicing self-care is important now more than ever. Going on a hike in the winter is a great way to get endorphins flowing and get out of the house. Not to mention there’s no bugs, no crowds, and more views on trail; don’t let the winter scare you away, rather, embrace it and have a good story to tell.
My AT thru-hike goals were focused around enjoying the experience and making it to the end with a smile on my face. But somewhere along the CT, I decided that pushing myself and hiking longer days was what was fulfilling for me. So, I ventured off again on the CT, this time 75 miles north of Durango. I headed SOBO down the trail with a goal of completing the trek back to the finish line in 2 days… and I did it.
Covering those four miles an hour seemed like a distant dream. I moved at a pace dictated by the desert. The quicker you moved, the more you slipped about. It could be agonizing. This was a discomfort unique to the desert, one that I knew well from previous sandy sojourns in the Mojave and White Sands. My twisted mind invited the discomfort in. Let’s tango, desert.
My pack was stocked to survive three days in the backcountry. Though there were a good amount of clouds in the sky, the sun somehow found a way to shine through. And my skin found a way to chafe in the only place the sun don’t shine. My feet felt the burning heat from the sand through my lightweight trail runners. My calves punished me for subjecting them to such a rigorous sandy workout.
A .5 mile hike from the main trail and close to a few campgrounds. This lake can dry up, please check! This portion of the South Fork Trail is relentless with hot sun and loose rock. Be sure to have enough water, and sure footing. We were happy to have our hiking poles! With 2 miles left toSouth Fork Springs, remember this from earlier?! we continued onward with ‘half mile water checks’ until we reached the refreshing cold water at the springs.
5:30 AM the alarm goes off and we hop out of the tent. Sun seems to come up a bit faster in the desert. We head out to the back entry of the sand dunes and watch as the sun shades the west side of the dunes, lighting up the sky in luscious shades of yellow and orange. As the sun peaks over the mountains, it’s bright with no clouds reigning all its power. As we climb, we stop to watch (and to photograph). It’s quiet and brings serenity to the climb. Easily my favorite moment of the trip. As we reach the peak of the dune, the sun is in full force, rising and waking life. We should have stayed all week.
