Today was a very simple trek to Rabbit Lake. It was perfect for my last day in Alaska. The view appeared as though God made a black and white pencil drawing of the mountains and lake. No detail went unnoticed. Perfect placement of shading, vibrancy and depth.

Today was an overcast day, yet we still felt inspired to make a climb up Rainbow Peak. Probably not the best decision, but we still had a great time! Everything was going pretty well until we noticed the path disappeared. I was told there was an earthquake that took it out a few years ago. There were boulders and fallen rocks that had obstructed where the path used to be. It looked as though people made a path straight up to the top. We were about a quarter mile away from the summit, but decided to call it since it looked really sketchy. It was a good call because as we were making it...

Peak 3 was a lot harder than we both expected, at least at the time of year we decided to hike it. We made our own path uphill, making our way through the valley. I found a pair of micro-spikes directly on the “path”, at the time where it was just about to get challenging. This was what I meant by I felt protected by Spirit. Things like that would just appear out of thin air. I would’ve been completely screwed without the micro-spikes. As we were making our climb, the wind was fierce and I felt an adrenaline rush surging through my body. Everything went still. All I could hear was my...

Went to Point Woronzoff with a family friend. Then, I went to Arctic Valley and had so much fun playing in the snow! I felt like I healed through the trauma I experienced on the PCT in the Sierra and I was able to be light about the perception of snow again. I didn’t want today to end, not after I saw the freshly-covered-in-snow mountain peaks surrounding me.

Lisa took me hiking up O’Malley. She was a trooper! It was so cold and so windy that I felt the wind would just lift me away. I asked her if we could turn around after we got a view of the summit because I was chilled to the bone, despite hiking uphill.

Fall had approached in Alaska. The leaves glowed golden and the air was crisp. Even the way the sun shone upon the water had an autumn sense to it. The climb was difficult, as most of the trails seemed to be in Alaska. We walked through the clouds. The mountains always had a way of making us feel tiny. On our way down, our footsteps crunched the fallen leaves.

Lisa took me up McHugh Peak via the Bear Valley Trail. I let her lead the way. We came upon frost quite quickly. Near the top, we met a couple who asked us to help them find the summit. It was foggy which made it challenging to see the trail, let alone find it. We walked with them to the top and saw just the most breathtaking view. It was as though the Universe made a picture frame out of the clouds with the view of the mountain ranges, just for us.

Met up with my friend, Chris. He picked me up on the Oregon Coast Trail last year when I was walking the highway in the rain. I wasn’t hitchhiking, he just happened to stop on the side of the road to get an idea of when his friends would be passing through on their bikes. We got to talking and he said he could give me a lift out of the cold rain. He strapped my bag to his bike and drove us to Safeway where I bought us some lemon poppyseed muffins. This year, we happened to be in Alaska at the same time so he picked me up and took us hiking up Flattop! I couldn’t comprehend how people...

After the rain had passed, my little brother (Matas) and I decided to hike up Mount Marathon. About half a mile in, we met a cutie named Cody. He was wearing jeans, carried only a water bottle and felt undecided about continuing on due to the cloud coverage. But, as soon as Matas and I decided to push forward, he followed. It felt so good to be able breathe up the climb, compared to the lack of oxygen in Colorado. Matas was testing my patience on the trek. Every 500’, he was playing the, “Are we there yet” game. I kept thinking to myself, This is confirmation not to have kids. We waited...

Today, I spent time with my little brother and we went on a mini expedition. We hiked Exit Glacier and he used my trekking poles so he could get a taste of what it felt like to be a thru-hiker. He ended up falling numerous times. Afterwards, we stopped on the side of the HWY to take in the scenic view of the clouds merging between the emerald green pine trees. Something about that image could get me to stop any racing thoughts I was having and bring me into the present moment. The nighttime stars had the same humbling effect on...

Today, I drove out to Alyeska and hiked the North Ridge Trail. It switchbacked underneath the tram, went up the Stairway to Heaven and ended at the restaurant. I found a spot at the top that overlooked the town and settled myself into the dirt. With the sound of the wind as my muse, I went into a state of meditation. I realized how much I have emotionally grown in the last 6 months. I felt proud that I learned to speak up for my boundaries, even if it appeared crazy to those around me. I remembered that I was only talking to myself, therefore there was no one to impress, satisfy or even...

We visited the Snow Plow Train and walked along the railroad. Afterwards, we went to Potter Marsh and sauntered down the boardwalk. It was perfect for wildlife viewing. We watched the fish swim upstream, the ducks fluttering their wings and a swan in the distance. We even saw dragonflies making love on the handrails!

My Dad generously bought me a plane ticket to Alaska as a belated birthday present. He knew I had never been and that I would inevitably fall in love with the mountains. He was right. When I arrived, I got hosted by a couple of his friends. They drove me through the city of Anchorage and I fell in awe of the mountain ranges that circled the city. The overcast clouds teased a sense of adventure behind their density. We stopped to get crepes at the Alaska Crepery and afterwards, we visited my Dad’s office. I sat in a cubicle I once worked in for years and realized how proud I was for...