FitnessTRENDz360
No Result
View All Result
Sunday, March 26, 2023
  • Home
  • Health
  • Workout
  • Weight Loss
  • Food
Subscribe
FitnessTRENDz360
  • Home
  • Health
  • Workout
  • Weight Loss
  • Food
No Result
View All Result
FitnessTRENDz360
No Result
View All Result

I Majorly Failed Solo Hiking in the Snow

by admin
February 21, 2021
in Uncategorized
0
I Majorly Failed Solo Hiking in the Snow
152
SHARES
1.9k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


The morning was relaxed and cozy. I watched the sun rise as I sipped on morning coffee, readying myself for the hike ahead. 

I’d made a commitment the day prior to hike every day for 30 days, and set me sights on Mount Rose for day two. 

It was important for me to do this solo. I’d started to feel like I was losing that adventurous side of me, only going out to hike or explore if I was with my boyfriend. 

best photo spots lake tahoe mount rose

I’d summited this mountain in October – pre snow. But how hard could it be in January? After all, it had been a light snow year at that point, and I already knew the way. I was going to solo summit Mt. Rose and watch an epic winter sunset. At least, that’s what I thought would happen. 

But I was wrong. 

Immediately I was worried looking at the road back down the mountain road. Water ran down it, melting from old snow. Could that ice over and present a problem when I drove back down later? I have very little experience driving in the snow or ice, and I felt in over my head before I even started. 

After shedding a few tears I coached myself into getting out of the car and starting the hike. I’d worry about the drive down later. 

Except Mt. Rose was ensconced in a crown of clouds. The wind moved quickly, pushing the clouds above in rapid succession overhead. The weather no longer matched the forecast. 

The signs on the trail were nearly submerged in thigh-deep snow, peeking out every now and then, but not often enough, unfortunately.

I followed a well-established snow shoe path through the snow and felt confident about my direction at first. Despite the fog, the snow was arranged in beautiful peaks and valleys and since I was the only person out there, I had it all to myself. 

All was well until I started to wonder why I was heading so aggressively uphill. I hadn’t remembered that from my hike a few months prior. 
Yet the footprints all pointed that way. I cross referenced with my GPS constantly, but there were so many footprints and backcountry ski tracks it was impossible to orient. 

Imagine you have 20 or so different routes you could take at any given time, many of which intersect multiple times, each seeming like it could be where that little line is on the GPS, but without any trail markers or confirmation. There wasn’t even a mountain to orient with, as the clouds had yet to move out. 

I’d read the recent AllTrails reviews before choosing this hike and none of them mentioned the difficulty of route finding. I guess in my limited snowshoeing experience I’d always had a clear enough path to follow. And in other parts of Tahoe, there would have been one, but not Mt. Rose, with all of this backcountry powder. 

I finally found what I thought was the trail, but it was on a steep ridge and kept pitching my feet sideways. I wondered when an ankle would twist and send me toppling down the mountain. 

And I did slide quite a few times. 

But it didn’t matter what I did. I couldn’t find the trail, and everything was so steep and the snow so deep, that while I totally saw the appeal for backcountry skiers, their tracks kept sending me on wild goose chases thinking I’d found the trail only to be led in the wrong direction again. 

It was crazy disorienting, and I only made it the first 4 miles or so before realizing that there was no way I’d make it up for sunset, and that if it was this disorienting in daylight, navigating at night with a headlamp might be a death sentence. 

Had a little coffee to relax

So I turned around. But once again, which way was up? Which was down? There was no possibility of retracing my steps with 100+ (not exaggerating) other sets of footprints going in every which direction?

Fear started to course through me, aided by frustration and a sense of helplessness. I thought I was good at this. I’d solo hiked so many times before, including in the snow, but it was never this deep, and I could always find my way before. 

It was humbling quitting my first hike, and I felt like a failure. In the end I probably walked, slid, and fell and additional 3 miles just trying to find my way back to the car. I wanted to give up but there was no giving up. I’d headed into this alone and I alone had to get myself out of it. 

So I did the only thing I could do – take a step, look down to check the route, and keep going, painfully slowly, that way. 

And I still got lost. 

It was getting dark and I was getting desperate. I had to find a way back to the car. 

Finally I realized the quickest way out was straight up a steep mountainside, so on I went, cursing all things good and wonderful for the next 30 minutes. 

Though I was hating everything at that moment, once I got above the ridge a dazzling golden sun greeted me, sending misty clouds along the lake’s surface and painting the mountain tops pink. It’s one of the most beautiful winter scenes I’ve ever seen. 

It was ROUGH, but had a happy ending

And I made it back down that mountain in the car. So what if I only drove 30 mph and constantly utilized the pull offs to let people pass? 

I got home safe and sound, wondering what this meant if on day 2 of my 30-day commitment I’d already failed so spectacularly. 

But I still got out there and completed my 30 days, and I learned a lot too. Winter is beautiful, and I love the snow, but next time I try to hike Mt. Rose, I’ll start a lot earlier, and I’ll forge my own path.

READ NEXT:

Click to read more posts about

Solo Female Travel



Source link

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Your Colorful Guide to Santa Fe, New Mexico

Your Colorful Guide to Santa Fe, New Mexico

June 8, 2022

4 Ways To Have a Fitness-Minded Memorial

June 8, 2022

Grilled Tuna over Arugula with Lemon Vinaigrette

June 7, 2022
DOT rolls out Calabarzon Culinary Caravan

DOT rolls out Calabarzon Culinary Caravan

June 6, 2022
WORKOUT WITH ME FOR A WHOLE WEEK! MY ACTUAL WORKOUT ROUTINE..

WORKOUT WITH ME FOR A WHOLE WEEK! MY ACTUAL WORKOUT ROUTINE..

0
Kale and Butternut Squash Salad with Pears and Almonds

Kale and Butternut Squash Salad with Pears and Almonds

0
Study: Could Microbe Manipulation Offer An Alternative To Weight Loss Surgery? | Weight Loss Denver | Weight Loss Seattle | Phentermine Pills

Study: Could Microbe Manipulation Offer An Alternative To Weight Loss Surgery? | Weight Loss Denver | Weight Loss Seattle | Phentermine Pills

0
Tea Time: Bonavita Electric Kettle

Tea Time: Bonavita Electric Kettle

0
The 10 Best Boutique Hotels in Santa Fe

The 10 Best Boutique Hotels in Santa Fe

March 26, 2023
7 Day Healthy Meal Plan (March 26-April 2)

7 Day Healthy Meal Plan (March 26-April 2)

March 24, 2023
24 Things to Do in Key Largo, Florida

24 Things to Do in Key Largo, Florida

March 24, 2023
Best Places to Stay in Key Largo (Areas + Hotels)

Best Places to Stay in Key Largo (Areas + Hotels)

March 24, 2023
FitnessTRENDz360

We publish a comprehensive news feed covering all news relevant to the Fitness and Health. Ketogenic diet and lifestyle information, motivation, and education. Living the high fat, low carb life is the healthiest way to live.

Categories

  • Food
  • Health
  • Uncategorized
  • Weight Loss
  • Workout

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020

Recent Posts

The 10 Best Boutique Hotels in Santa Fe

The 10 Best Boutique Hotels in Santa Fe

March 26, 2023
7 Day Healthy Meal Plan (March 26-April 2)

7 Day Healthy Meal Plan (March 26-April 2)

March 24, 2023

© 2021 FitnessTRENDz360.com

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Health
  • Workout
  • Weight Loss
  • Food

© 2021 FitnessTRENDz360.com