TSP at BSP 2018

      Here I sit, one week out from The Summit Project's 2018 event at Baxter State Park enjoying a cup of coffee and struggling with writer's block.  To be honest, I never had planned on hiking in a hosted event with TSP again.  Hosted events are great for bringing new hikers to the mission - for connecting them with the fallen, the families, and others who share in their passion for honoring our fallen heroes.  Over the years, I've gravitated more to smaller non-hosted events - maybe that's the gypsy in me.  So how did it happen that I joined Team Red in their hike of The Owl on Sunday, May 27th?  As with so many connections in my life - it all started with one very special fallen soldier, CPL Andrew Hutchins.

      As has become tradition, I joined Mama Bear at New England Outdoor Center on the Friday before all of the families and hikers would arrive.  It's a mellow night where we share good food and a few drinks before all the business of the weekend begins.  I look forward to it every year - maybe it's her famous cooking or maybe it's that infectious laugh of hers that lights up the room and makes you just want to keep on cracking jokes to keep her smiling - most likely it's a bit of both.
      Several other key volunteers joined us over the course of the evening, and soon the conversations turned to hiking teams and their stone assignments.  Mama Bear said there were a few last minute cancellations among the hikers which meant several stones would not make it up the mountain.  Of course, I followed up with asking, "Who isn't going?"  One of those stones was Andrew's.  My hand immediately went in the air to volunteer to hike his stone (actually I probably said something to the effect of "to hell he isn't!")  Andy, who coordinates the hiking teams, happened to be sitting at the kitchen table - and so I came to be a part of Team Red.
      The next night at the hiker brief, I sat at the back of the table with Team Red.  I had not met any of them in person before, and only one name was familiar to me.  So many new faces, and everyone I met would assume I was new to TSP.  Little did they know that my rookie season was in the fall of 2014 when I was again a last minute addition to a hiking team, and I had sat in this very spot 3 years before as TL for Team Red listening to a BSP Ranger I had just met give the hiker brief while Mama Bear and I commented on how nice he looked in uniform.  My a lot changes in such a short time, and it seems in recent years Andrew and his family have had a hand in much of it.  And for the record, the ranger still looks nice in uniform....

      Sunday morning came, and it was a very early start time from NEOC.  I think I had maybe 3 hours sleep the night before, but that is typical for Team Red, I guess.  As we made our way to Katahdin Stream Campground, my thoughts kept returning to all of the memories and connections I had built because of Andrew.  That continued to be on my mind for the duration of the hike as I had the opportunity to learn more about each of my teammates, the stories they were carrying, and how they came to be a part of Team Red.  So many connections, so many ripples that will be felt for years to come.  I have shared Andrew's story with people from Maine to California - today, I feel the need to write about the impact he has had on my life.  I apologize for this long and rambling post, and I appreciate your patience in reading it.

      In the fall of 2014, I was single "living" in Massachusetts.  I had just lost my closest family, a chocolate lab named Jack, and had started a career that would have me traveling 2-3 weeks a month all over the country.  To be honest, I was not in a good space.  I felt homeless, and I felt very lonely - sometimes I'd go out to eat just to sit at the bar and be around people.  I don't say that for pity, I say that to paint a snapshot of what life was like so you realize how quickly it can change.
      I honestly don't remember the exact moment I sent a message to TSP to ask to be a part of the Acadia hike.  I do remember that it was out of a need to find a way to honor SPC Dustin Harris's memory.  Dustin was my classmate, and I think we've all sought out different ways to remember him over the years.  Given my love of hiking, I thought maybe this would be mine.  Teams were full at the time, and I was told that "maybe" they would have a cancellation that would make room to join a team.  Last minute, as always, I was added to Team Blackwood to hike the "Courage" spirit stone and excited to see that both Dylan and Lorna Harris would be in my hiking team.  Here is a photo of Team Blackwood just before the start of the hike:

     Now - some of you may have spotted this already, but - not only did I have the opportunity to hike with Dylan and Lorna.  There were also 3 members of the Hutchins family in Team Blackwood that day.  Jeff (Andrew's father), Ben (Andrew's brother), and Heather (Andrew's wife).  Heather was carrying Andrew that day, and I remember being so struck not only by her loss but also by the support Ben and Jeff showed her throughout the hike.
      Our mission that day was completed - and memories of that hike that will always stay with me.  But I will also always remember what life was like pre-hike and how it changed after.  Connections made during the ANP weekend led to another last minute hike the following month carrying the stone of Aaron Henderson.  Andrew and Dustin would also be there.  This hike had us returning to the team house where Mama Bear did what she does best and made it feel like a home.  My family stopped doing Thanksgiving a long time ago, and it had been forever since I had a meal with a large group full of laughter and, not to be mushy, love.  I remember not wanting that weekend to end and being afraid that when it did, that was that.  Let it be known, however, that once Mama Bear adopts you - she doesn't let you go.

      All of a sudden, my life went from all work and time to myself to people reaching out with Facebook messages and texts - just to ask me how I was or share something that made them think of me or invite me for a hike.  It was overwhelming, but in a good way.  Now when I traveled I couldn't wait to get home to Maine - because the people made it feel like home.  I think that was the first step toward my decision that no matter what - I was moving back to Maine.
     Fast forward a few amazing months, and I was up to my eyeballs in everything TSP.  I had been made TL for Team Red in the upcoming BSP hike and was doing my best to help build a solid foundation for the mission.  The decision was made to participate in the Baxter State Park Litter Patrol in 2015 to help strengthen the relationship and show support for the park.  And so I showed up with Jimmy Trout and Jonathan Kelley to pick trash on the State Rd.  Little did I know that Dustin and Andrew would be introducing me to my future husband that day.
      Jimmy, Jonathan, and I stood on the side of the road just having finished 1.5 miles of clean up.  A park truck pulled up, and out stepped Rangers Bruce and Mike.  I always welcomed an opportunity to talk about TSP and the mission, and so the conversation began between myself and Ranger Mike.  He had a friend, Joe, who had been a teammate for Search and Rescue on Wilderness.  This friend had a nephew who was one of the fallen.  Joe wanted to hike this stone on Katahdin, and Mike wanted to help organize that.  I offered to help with transporting stones and even joining on the hike.  Would anyone like to guess who that nephew was?  Here is a picture from our June 2015 Katahdin hike to give you a hint:

      In the end, Joe couldn't make the hike.  That meant that I would be carrying Andrew's stone up Katahdin that day.  Mike and I had our first date two days before this hike - watching sunset from Katahdin Stream Falls.  Without TSP and the heroes we honor with that mission, Ranger Mike and Ziggy never would have met.  In the time since then, there have been countless people and events that all rippled from the impact TSP and the fallen had on my life.  Let me quickly share a few of these -

• March 2015 - I did a GORUCK Light in Seattle and later received this message from another in the event "Hey! Small world, did you know Andrew Hutchins in your photo? Check out the photo from the memorial at my last unit that I shared today. We were in the same unit on my first deployment."
  
• May 2015 - TSP brought our good friend, Dave Lorandeau, into our lives - he would  later lead a Jeep Ride to benefit Andrew's scholarship fund
  

Andrew and Dustin were also in Team Red for the BSP Hike - carried by our good friend Scott Stitham.

• June 2015 - Andrew and Jay were there not only for my first hike of Katahdin with Ranger Mike, but also the first time I was able to visit Dustin at the cemetery in Patten
  
• November 2015 - Andrew was there with us when Ranger Mike popped the question at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
  
• And Dustin, Jay, and Andrew were all there when we got married on Katahdin
  

      I remember a hiker saying last weekend, "This hike really changes you."  And I thought "You have no idea!"  The hike will change you in ways that you can't possibly imagine and even years beyond your time on the mountain, you will feel the ripples of the impact that stone has had on your life.  For me that meant coming to TSP as a lonely gypsy and becoming Ziggy - standing among beloved family and friends that mean more to me that I could ever express.  Jeff once told me that if Andrew were here today, he'd be on that mountain with us carrying as many stones and stories as he could.  I think of that every time I carry a stone, and I believe that being there in Andrew's absence to crack a joke, offer a kind word, or lend a hand and say "It's all good" also honors his memory and keeps the ripples of his impact growing further.

      Every stone that is a part of The Summit Project represents so much more than a fallen soldier.  They represent fathers/mothers, sons/daughters, husbands/wives, friends.... to their unit, they were a soldier who became family.  To their loved ones, they were family who became a soldier.  So to Team Red and all of the hikers that have or will carry a stone and story - be there for one another.  Share in each other's successes and tough times.  Remember the fallen and honor the amazing family you are all now a part of.

Back from Hiatus - again

I came back to my blog today, and I discovered a forgotten post from March of this year.  The post was written when I was still trying to process the loss of a job with a company I had been a part of for almost ten years.  In essence, the longest relationship I had maintained in my adult life was with this company - and while there were many restructures over the years, this was the first time my name was unexpectedly included among the casualties.  Looking at the date, exactly nine months have passed since that day.  It's crazy how quickly time flies... in the last nine months, I have changed jobs twice, we've welcomed home a new puppy, we've lost a dear friend, and we've taken on the new adventure of married life.  So much happens with so little time passing.

Consider this blog a bit of playing catch up.  I plan to spread this out over several posts.  I will no doubt fail to give each event the attention that it deserves, and also miss some events that normally would be included were I keeping up with this blog as I should.  So if you are reading this, bear with me.  And I will make the sincere effort to do better in the future.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
I came home in March.  The original plan was to come home full-time in August, but life had other plans for me.  At almost 32 years of age, I was faced with the question of "What do you want to do with the rest of your life?"  It took me the last nine months to figure that out, but that's better than rushing into anything.  My experience to date revolved around Sales and Use Tax and the software that large companies required to track, report, and remit those taxes.  Coming home to Millinocket, ME - there wasn't exactly a market for that sort of thing.  Honestly - there isn't much of a market for anything in Millinocket.  The mills have shut down, a large percentage of the population is unemployed, and with the current state of the area - there isn't much in the way of full-time employment.  My situation looked bleak, and so I felt a career change was needed.  I applied to Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) with the intent to enter their Medical Radiography program.  It would allow me to continue my unemployment benefits while going to school full-time.  I saw this as a win-win situation...until I realized that they were not accepting applications for this program until the fall...for a start date of the following fall semester.  My timing wasn't right, and so I applied for the Liberal Studies track and continued looking for employment.

I ended up taking a part-time job with EMCC at Katahdin Region Higher Education Center (KRHEC).  KRHEC is a distance learning center for University College (University of Maine System) and EMCC.  I picked up the allowed 6 credits of coursework on an employee tuition waiver, and I continued to look for full-time employment.  I still was not 100% sure what direction I would like to go in my career change, but I had a wedding coming up in September to focus on - and that took up a great deal of my spare time.

The summer flew by, September saw me turn 32 and change my last name (more on that later), and in October I thought I had found a perfect opportunity for me.  A firm in Bangor was looking for someone to fill a position that was almost identical to the position I held in Massachusetts.  The pay was great for this area, and the benefits were better than I had at my prior position.  There was just one catch - it was 60+ minutes each way, five days a week, for a commute.  I came home trying to focus on the positives and stay excited about the opportunity.  The company was well-respected.  The people there were amazing.  But did I want to give up that much of my week to a company/job rather than spend it with my family?  My husband, as always, was supportive of whatever decision I would make.  And in the end - while out duck-hunting of all things - I told him that I just couldn't take a job that would take away my opportunity to do things like this with him before/after work.  Family was my focus now, not career.

That was a hard pill to swallow.  For ten years, career was my focus.  I became defined by my work ethic, my subject area knowledge, and basically... by my paycheck.  When my family talked about me, it was always pride about how much I was making - when someone asked who I was, I always seemed to lead with my career.  So who was I without it?  Who was I without a focus on career?  It took me going back to basics and reaching into the past to figure that out.  I made lists, I wrote in my journal, and I thought long and hard about the things I enjoyed doing - not the things that would make the most money.  It all brought me right back to where I had started - Education.  It was my original intention when I enrolled at University of Maine - Presque Isle back in 2002, and now it seems I've come full-circle.  I think it was also heavily influenced by memories of my great-grandmother, Lyda, who was in the education field for over 40 years.

On November 30th, I began my current position in Milo, ME as an Educational Technician III/BHP.  I work with children who, for one reason or another, cannot be in the regular classroom.  The goal of this program is to help them to develop the necessary coping skills so that they may return to the regular classroom and be successful.  I've only been there a few weeks.  I come home exhausted every day.  But I love my job and truly feel a part of something that is making a difference.  This has led me to apply for my teacher certification with the Maine Department of Education and register for my Praxis exam - a standardized exam required for all teachers.  In the end, I would love to follow in Gram Steen's footsteps - teaching the next generation and having a positive impact.  Every child needs at least one adult they can trust to succeed.  I hope my future students find that in their own families, but if not - they may find that in Mrs. Winslow's math class.

For now - I am happy.  I will not say content because being content leads a person to be stagnant.  We always should have goals we are working for.  I am happy working with my students in Milo.  I am happy to have found my path forward, although there will undoubtedly be some hard work on the road ahead.

The Owl - March 2016

It just so happens that I am lucky enough to be engaged to a Law Enforcement Ranger in Baxter State Park.  I say lucky for many reasons, but on one particular day in March - it was because I had the opportunity to hop on the back of a sled to Katahdin Stream Campground.  Rangers Mike and Bruce were beginning work on replacing the foot-bridge at Katahdin Stream, and they would be there for the whole day.  This gave me a full day of hiking where I could choose from any number of trails that begin there.  Being a solo-hiker, I chose the less strenuous hike of The Owl over climbing Katahdin.

It was really my first time out in the woods since losing my job at Taxware, LLC in Massachusetts.  For the first time, I fell casualty to a corporate restructure.  As with any great "loss" I have experienced, I knew that time in the woods would serve me well.  It's a place to both lose the world and find yourself - a place that offers much healing.

I was fortunate to have a clear, sunny day to hike.  While it was a little chilly in the woods, as I gained elevation and the trees thinned - the temperature rose.  By the time I reached the summit, I had shed all but my base-layer.  On the climb, I lost myself in the simplicity of just placing one foot in front of the other.  The feeling of breathing in the cold air, the sound of all of the birds around me - even just the slight breeze moving through the trees.  It all seemed to wash the filth of the city away from my mind.  Odd as it sounds, it was like hitting a reset button in my soul.

After reaching the summit, I turned back down the mountain to stop at a look-out just shy of the summit.  Clouds had rolled in earlier in the day, so there was no view of the mountain.  I didn't care - I grabbed some plank photos for Boots, took out my PB&J, and just watched the clouds moving through.  I thought a lot about life in the time I sat there.  It's the kind of reflection that happens on it's own and only when you feel a bit isolated from the world.  I know that just a few miles away there were two rangers hard at work, but the feeling of isolation was still there.  It allowed me to process all that had happened in such a short time, and as I sat there counting my blessings - family, friends, the love of a ranger - the clouds cleared along with my mood.  There is nothing more healing than time in the North Maine Woods.

Mt Katahdin - Winter 2016

Katahdin.... Winter... sitting here now, those two words alone are enough to make me shiver.  It was June 2015 when this trip was first mentioned, though, and with 7 months and an entire summer between me and the mountain - all I had was a feeling of excitement about a new adventure.  Ted "Gunny" Coffin and Ranger Mike were discussing the trip quite a bit, and I wasn't even sure if I would be included in those plans given that it sounded more like a guys weekend.  When everyone first started discussing the trip, Ranger Mike and I were barely even friends... my how things change.

Fast forward to January, and now Ranger Mike and Ziggy go together like peas and carrots..or something like that.  So of course in the weeks leading up to the Katahdin trip, Mike was egging me on encouraging me to sign up for the four day trip.  To be quite honest, I was a bit terrified.  The last time I had climbed Katahdin (ok the only time), it was an almost 10 mile trek ascending via Helon Taylor, crossing Knife's Edge, and descending via Saddle and Chimney Pond.  By the end of the day, I was barely hobbling along and sincerely humbled by the mountain.  I would be sore for most of the next week after the climb.

Now Mike was asking me to sign up for a trip that would span four days and include 26 miles of skiing, 6.6 miles of snowshoeing, and a 2.8 mile round trip trek up the mountain and back via the Dudley Trail carrying everything we needed in packs and/or pulling a sled.  I have honestly never been more intimidated and anxious about a trip in my life.  That anxiety came not only from wondering if I could make it through the trip, but also out of a fear of holding up the rest of the group.  It was a very fit group of guys with events like Extremus and Infinitus under their belts.  How was I to keep up?  Of course in the end Ranger Mike convinced me that I would be fine on this trip, that I could and would keep up with the group, and that I would be kicking myself with regrets if I did not go.  And in all cases, he was right.  It was an amazing adventure, and now that I have had a taste of the mountain in winter, I am hooked.  Here is a little bit of our first trip for those who have never been.  Maybe it will encourage you to overcome your fears and head out into the woods, too - and maybe we'll see each other on the trails!

Day 1 - Thursday, January 21

The day started with an early morning wake-up to meet Gunny at Baxter State Park Headquarters.  He was to follow us to Abol Bridge where we would be parking our vehicles during the trip.  In winter the park is accessible only via snowmobile (Tote Road only) or by skiing/snowshoeing in from Abol Bridge.  The road to the gate is not maintained in the winter, and only snowmobiles are allowed on that road.  Read that as Don't drive to the gate expecting to access the park or you will be fined!

This day would begin at Abol Bridge and end 13 miles away at Roaring Brook, taking us through the woods on the Abol Stream Trail and then traveling the Tote Road and Roaring Brook Road.  We had spots reserved in the bunkhouse at Roaring Brook once we got there, and I remember wondering who would be sharing the bunkhouse with us and hoping they would have a fire going when we got there.

Gunny would be making the trek on snowshoes, and Mike and I would be traveling with skis.  I think the last time I had been on skis was around age 12, but after a refresher that Monday night I was confident I could make the trip in just fine.  We each had packs with our gear, and Mike was towing a sled behind him as he skied.  I was surprised at how much easier travel was on skis.  I guess I just never had thought about it before, but as I let gravity carry me down every downhill we came to - it made me wonder why I had given it up so many years ago.

The only people we saw on our entire trip to Roaring Brook were Ranger Dave Loome and Ranger Greg Hamer as they passed us on snowmobiles.  It was a big change from my typical experiences in the park where you encounter people every few minutes unless you venture way into the back-country. The feeling of solitude was a welcome break from the busy work life I have in Massachusetts.  The trip to Roaring Brook took us at least 6 hours, but it passed by very quickly.  It's hard to maintain any sense of time when you are gliding down hills, breathing in the crisp winter air, and being blessed with a magnificent view of Katahdin. 

That sense of solitude ended when we arrived at the bunkhouse at Roaring Brook.  We had a bunk-mate who had decided to begin his trip at 2am from Abol Bridge.  Unfortunately, he didn't seem very adept at building a fire, and the temperature inside the bunkhouse was significantly colder than it was outside.  Mike quickly got to work building the fire while we unpacked and loaded up on calories - a 13 mile ski is a great excuse to gorge yourself on cookies, and I took full advantage of that!  That's actually how we spent much of the rest of the day with some cribbage games thrown in for good measure.

As we chatted with our bunk-mate, Isaac, we learned he was on a solo trip spanning several days.  He had never snowshoed hauling a sled, and so he had gotten a significantly earlier start than we had to allow himself ample time to reach Roaring Brook.  After several conversations about his planned trip, dreams of long distance hiking in Alaska, and sharing some dried squid from Marden's with Gunny (seriously... I can't make this stuff up) - Isaac spent most of his time reading or napping in his bunk.

We were scheduled to have two more bunk-mates for that evening, and they soon came rolling in (skiing in?) and entered the bunkhouse to warm up.  They were both Canadian, and their first language was very obviously French.  It was a language barrier that made conversation both challenging and humorous.  We were suspicious when one of the first questions they asked us was "Do you speak French?"....none of us did.  I wish I had because I'm sure there was some great color commentary when we broke out the cribbage board a short time later.

The Canadians - as they will be referred to because unfortunately none of us exchanged names - were in Baxter to do some ice climbing.  They chatted with Mike for a bit about the conditions they could expect when they reached Chimney Pond, and then they decided to hike the extra 3.3 miles up to the bunkhouse at Chimney Pond to take advantage of one more day of ice climbing.  From there on it was a quiet night interrupted only twice - once for Ranger Greg to stop in and humiliate me at cribbage...and then again when a mouse decided there must be something yummy in Gunny's ruck.


Day 2 - Friday, January 22nd
Our morning at Roaring Brook was pretty uneventful.  We had planned on getting an early start so that we might get ahead of Ranger Greg and help with shoveling off some bridges on the trail.  But - early wake-ups were never something I was very good at.  Greg rolled through about 20 minutes or more before we were ready to hit the trail.  We caught up with him at one of the bridges not long after we left Roaring Brook, though, and between Gunny and Mike - they made short work of the snow removal needed on the bridge.

From there, we snowshoed the rest of the way to Chimney stopping briefly at halfway viewpoint and crossing Basin Pond on our way.  The view from halfway viewpoint was Gunny's first close up view of the mountain in winter, and he looked like a kid on Christmas morning.  It didn't take us long to reach Chimney Pond from there, and we had the good fortune of being able to stay in the Ranger Camp with Ranger Greg.  We had been set to use the Crew Camp, but why heat more than one camp if you don't need to, right?

The camp had been unoccupied for a few days, so it was colder inside than it was outside...and this trip to Chimney Pond was considerably colder than our trip at Christmas.  Temperatures were in the teens while we were there and -3F on the morning we left.  Mike set to building a fire while we unpacked our bags and sorted through our gear.  Not long after, Ranger Rob Tice showed up - followed by Ranger Greg.  Similar to Mike, Rob is a Law Enforcement Ranger in the park and supervises staff and operations at Roaring Brook, Chimney Pond, and Russell Pond.  He was only stopping in to check the batteries at the Ranger camp, but stayed a little longer for lunch and to talk about skiing for a while.

Mike and Gunny got ambitious enough to want to try some ice climbing while there was still light out.  I decided to sit that one out, figuring I would get my fill of climbing the next day when we made our way to the summit.  I stayed behind for a few more games of cribbage with Greg - the well-respected "Cribbage Champion of Chimney Pond."  It turned out that was a wise decision since the snow conditions made for difficult travel for Mike and Gunny.  They returned a short time later and opted to fill the rest of their day with cribbage, as well.

Day 3 - Saturday, January 23rd
The day was finally here - Summit Day.... after conversations with Greg the night before, Mike and Gunny wanted to do a longer route for the day's climb.  The plan originally had been to ascend/descend via the Saddle Trail.  The new plan was to ascend via the Dudley Trail, cross Knife's Edge, and descend via the Saddle Trail.  That would end up making for a much longer day and include a challenging climb through the Chimney as we left Pamola Peak.  But the Canadians had done it near dark descending via Dudley Trail to break the trail out the night before.. so how hard could it be?

We set out around 8am to climb to Pamola Peak.  It was an icy climb, but with the right gear it didn't seem so bad - minus my crampons coming off a couple of times...guess it's time to buy my own gear, not use hand-me-downs.  Many times when I climb, my hip will bother me with the repetitive motion of climbing a trail like Chimney Pond trail, but on Dudley there was none of that.  It is my favorite trail I have climbed in my time in the park.  I had so much fun scrambling over the rocks and trying to figure out the easiest/safest way to climb some of them that the hike didn't really even feel like work.  I think that when your mind is challenged along with your body, you don't notice the physical strain as much.  It seemed like it took us no time to reach Pamola Peak, even though in all likelihood it took us a couple of hours.

I've climbed to Pamola Peak, done Knife's Edge, and stood on Baxter Peak.  There are still others I need to climb, but so far Pamola is my favorite.  The view from Pamola looking across Knife's Edge to Baxter is amazing.  If you've never been there, add this hike to your bucket list.  Looking at the mountain from this perspective in the summer is breathtaking.  Looking at the mountain from this perspective in winter is also intimidating.

We paused for a few pictures at the Pamola sign.  It was so covered in ice that you could barely tell there was a sign there.  As fortunate as we were to have a beautiful day to climb, it made me wonder what a severe weather day would be like on the mountain.  We began our descent down behind Pamola Peak for a safer trek into the Chimney.  While Mike is right at home ice climbing, down-climbing into the Chimney was not something Gunny and I were comfortable with.  As we stood in the Chimney looking up at the climb we would need to make to reach Knife's Edge and continue our trip - Gunny got very quiet, and I got very nervous.

We had rope with us, and we had mountaineering axes.  But we had no technical ice tools, and Mike was the only one with real experience in these climbing conditions.  In the end, facing the very real possibility of falling during our ascent, we all decided it was the better course of action to descend via the same trail we had climbed.  We made our way back to Pamola Peak and began our hike down the Dudley Trail.

For Gunny, I'm sure the hike down seemed much faster than the hike up.  For me - well I seemed to find every patch of snow that was unstable enough to drop me through the crust.  I came away from the mountain looking like I'd been kicked in the shins for an hour and feeling thankful no children were at Chimney Pond waiting to expand their vocabulary.  Both Mike and Gunny seemed to get a kick out of the color commentary, though, so I guess it wasn't a total waste.

When we reached the camp, we were all happy to have a seat and relax.  I got to baking, and soon we made a meal out of a pan of gingerbread - minus a couple of pieces for the Canadians on their way by the camp.  You should have seen their faces as they came off the ice to find a piece of gingerbread handed to them through the window...still warm from the oven.  We may not know their names, but I still think we gained a few friends.  We spent the rest of that night much like we had the night before - with good food, great conversation, and more than a couple games of cribbage.  I got a few wins in against Ranger Greg, but by the end of the night - he was still the reigning Cribbage Champion of Chimney Pond.

Day 4 - Sunday, January 24th
We woke up earlier than we needed to on Sunday.  I guess something in me was restless knowing that it was time to go home.  As Mike and I laid there watching the sunrise light up the mountain, I wondered if there would ever be a time that I tired of the sight.  I really don't think there will be.  We quickly packed our bags and fueled for the trip back to our vehicles....over 16 miles away.

All of the days leading up to this trip, this was the leg of our journey I was most intimidated by.  It wasn't the mountain, it was the long haul back out from Chimney Pond after 3 days of running my body ragged.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was more capable than I had thought.  The trip out was relatively uneventful.  We met several groups on their way to Roaring Brook, ran into Ranger Rob Tice once more, and just had fun enjoying the relatively warm winter day.  We had only left Chimney around 8am, but by 230pm - we were back at our vehicles.  Other than an insane craving for a burger and a beer, I really didn't feel that bad off.  So that's just what we did...stopped at The Sawmill for lunch before we said our good-byes and headed for home.

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Baxter State Park in the winter, I strongly encourage you to do so.  There is so much more to see than the Tote Road will show you.  But if you venture out on snowshoe or ski - be sure to educate yourself before your trip.  As beautiful as the wilderness can be in winter, it also offers a whole new set of obstacles that need to be considered for a safe and successful trip.

Gunny, Ranger Mike, and me

Mike on the ski in

View into the basin from the chimney.

Ranger Mike and me on Pamola Peak

Gunny on Pamola Peak

Ranger Mike testing out the conditions in the chimney.

Pamola Peak sign covered in ice.

Knife's Edge and Baxter Peak in the background.

Ranger Mike on the Dudley Trail.

View from the chimney.

Gunny and me on the Dudley Trail.

Christmas at Chimney Pond

There are many perks to being the fiance of a Baxter State Park Enforcement Ranger, and it turns out that this past Christmas holiday - one of them was taking a turn covering the Back-country Ranger position at Chimney Pond.  Mike had told me around Thanksgiving that it looked like he would be assigned to cover the time just before and just after the Christmas holiday, and with a 3.3 mile hike up and back - we figured why not just stay the extra day there over the holiday?

It was our first Christmas together, and it was almost like something out of a romance novel to be able to spend it in the middle of a 250,000 acre state park without another soul around for miles.  We arrived at Chimney Pond on December 22nd, and we would stay at the Ranger Station there through until December 27th.  There was far less snow on the trail than is typical for this time of year, and the trip up passed quickly.  This was a good thing given that we were planning on making another trip down the following day to pick up more supplies ("supplies" meaning "food" - we are both fat kids at heart).  We arrived at the Ranger Station a little later in the day and quickly set about the process of unpacking, getting a fire going in the wood stove, and just making ourselves at home.  It was a quiet night, of course, and that was exactly what we both needed.

Arriving at Chimney Pond

Chimney Pond and Mt Katahdin

 The following morning we got a bit of a late start to hike down to Roaring Brook and pick up the last of our supplies.  By the time we stopped to have lunch at Roaring Brook and hiked back up to Chimney Pond, it was approaching darkness.  It was worth it, though, to be able to have more than just backpacking food while we were there.

Christmas Eve started with a trip up to Pamola Caves.  Our original plan had been for Mike to teach me  bit about ice climbing while we were there, but the weather took a strange turn around Christmas this year.  We had temperatures in the mid-50s at Chimney Pond, and the breeze off the mountain actually felt warmer.  That's unheard of at that time of year!  By the time we would leave to go home, there wouldn't be much ice left that was good for climbing.  The trip to Pamola Caves was fun, though.  Mike gave me a few basic pointers when it came to being on the mountain in winter, and neither of us had ever been to Pamola Caves before.  Honestly, I just enjoyed being outside on the mountain with Mike.  It never seems to matter what exactly has gotten us out into the woods - just that we were there and there together.

Mike at Pamola Caves

View from the trail to Pamola Caves

Christmas Day was more of the same.  Waking up to a winter morning at Chimney Pond with no one else around - I cannot really explain what it is like to someone who has never been there.  Everything is quiet and peaceful.  The air is crisp and clean.  Maybe it's Chimney Pond, maybe it's Ranger Mike - but of all the Christmas holidays that I have spent with friends and family, none has felt more like home than this Christmas.

Celebrating Christmas

Collecting water for the Ranger camp.

Skies over Katahdin

 It was difficult to pack up when it was time to go home.  As much as a part of me was ready for the luxuries such as running water, a hot shower, and a glass of wine - part of me didn't want the holiday to end.  When you are at Chimney Pond, it's as if the rest of the world doesn't exist.  All of your troubles are so far away that it's easy to get lost in the contentment of a simple life.   But like all things, our time at Chimney had to come to an end.  We made the hike back down to Roaring Brook, and it was an odd feeling to get into the truck and drive somewhere rather than hike.  It wasn't long before we were back at the house in Millinocket, but I think a piece of my heart will forever be at Chimney Pond.

Ziggy - Chimney Pond Trail

A Maine-iac (or two) Out West

Many of my adventures take me to other parts of the country, and this one is no different.  After being surprised with several days on Monhegan Island for my birthday - I set out to surprise my boyfriend, Mike, with a trip for his birthday - which was also Veteran's Day.  Planning began, I blabbed so it was no longer truly a surprise, and then on November 10th - two Maine-iacs set out for Grand Canyon National Park.  So many good things happened during our trip, so forgive me if this post is a bit jumbled together and long.  I will do my best.

Trip Details

Our trip was set to start the night of Tuesday, November 10th, and we would be flying back on the red-eye Sunday, November 15th.  That meant roughly 5 days worth of time out west that would include Las Vegas and Grand Canyon National Park.  We also had the honor of traveling with the memorial stone of CPL Andrew L Hutchins, which would be carried with us down into the Grand Canyon for our trip.  Andrew was lost on November 8th, 2010.  This trip would not only be about celebrating Mike's birthday, but also honoring Andrew's memory.

Day One - Traveling to Las Vegas

Our trip began in Boston, MA at Logan Airport - where things started out smoothly.  We checked our bag (full of camping gear) and carried our hiking packs through security with relatively no hold-ups.  TSA agents did pull us aside to ask about Andrew's stone, but this also gave us the opportunity to share his story with them before leaving the security checkpoint.  

Now we had a couple of hours before our flight, so it was the perfect time to toast the beginning of our adventure.  Mike and I have taken small trips in Maine, but this was to be our first real vacation together.  It was also Mike's first time carrying Andrew's stone.

Sharing a toast with Andrew

A short time later, we boarded the plane.  Mike and I love to read, and Andrew approved of our book selections for the flight.  The connection was totally unplanned, but my book was "For Love of Country" (full of stories about veterans and what they have done at home after serving) and his was "Tales from Misery Ridge" (full of stories from Maine about fly-fishing, hunting, and paddling in Western Maine).

Andrew on the plane

We settled in for the flight as the plane began taxiing to the runway...and then the pilot came on to announce that weather conditions in Philadelphia would hold up our departure by as much as two hours.  Acting like true Maine-iacs...we dug out our cribbage board and cards.  I won several games while we waited, but I think that was mostly due to the fact I was not playing anyone from the Hutchins family.  Watch out for them - they are card (and pool) sharks!

Our flight ended up leaving only an hour or so off schedule, and Mike and I crossed our fingers hoping to still catch our connecting flight in Philadelphia.  Unfortunately, that did not happen.  With only one gate separating us from our connecting flight and the plane to Las Vegas in full view - American Airlines could not get us off the plane in time to make our connection.  And so "Day One - Traveling to Las Vegas" became "Day One - Traveling to Philadelphia".  I sorted out re-booking our flights and a hotel room for the night, Mike chatted with Mama Bear (Andrew's step-mother, Betsy Hutchins) about our change in travel plans.  Mama Bear told us Andrew's phrase "It's all good" came to mind.  Listening to me fight with American Airlines, Mike pointed out that he doubted that it was a phrase in my vocabulary.

We ended up at Clarion Hotel for the night, and I believe that Andrew may have had a hand in that.  After our nasty experience with American Airlines - Phil and Leslie at Clarion Hotel were amazing.  Phil got us set up with a room for the night at a discount given our predicament with our flights, and he even spared a few minutes at the desk for us to share Andrew's story and get a photo of him with Andrew.  Leslie worked in the hotel's restaurant where we shared several games of cribbage that night.  She also gave us a few minutes of her time to share Andrew's story and get a photo with Andrew.  They seem like great people, but they also had a sense of pride in their work - no matter what task they were completing.  It reminded me of Jeff Hutchins and his quote "Pride is no sin.  Always have pride."

Phil and Andrew at the front desk.

Leslie and Andrew in the restaurant.

Day One was a test of patience, but looking back at it now I think there was a reason we ended up in Philadelphia for the night.  Time spent together is time well spent, and having the chance to share Andrew's story was worth the inconvenience of a detour.

Day Two - Actually Traveling to Las Vegas and Grand Canyon National Park

Day Two started bright and early with a 5:15am flight to Las Vegas through Dallas.  In my recent travels, I have been far too familiar with the Dallas/Ft Worth Airport - and not in a good way.  Luckily this experience was a good one, and we were able to fly through with no issues.  I'll admit I spent most of our flight to Dallas catching up on some sleep.  Our layover, however, was spent at Starbucks sharing coffee over a few games of cribbage.  We were able to grab a Veteran's Day photo with Andrew's stone, Dustin's dog tags, and a Brainard Lake patch I came across while hiking with the story of CPT Jay Brainard.

Remembering Jay, Dustin, and Andrew on Veteran's Day.

I don't know if it was because it was Mike's birthday or because he had some help from Andrew, but Mike showed cribbage skills that I had not previously seen from him.  That day he gave me a run for my money with a few very close games - somehow I still managed to win, but it wasn't easy!

The most note-worthy thing about our flight on to Las Vegas was that it was an uneventful flight that went smoothly.  I will say my favorite moment was seeing Mike's face as he saw Grand Canyon National Park out the window of the plane.  Mike had never flown out west, and so this was the first time he had seen it.  He was like a little kid on Christmas Eve - his excitement and his smile were infectious.  That moment was worth every headache we had with our flights the night before.

We landed, grabbed our rental car, and started our 4.5 hour drive to Grand Canyon Village.  Well - supposedly 4.5 hours... :)  We stayed at Yavapai Lodge, which is located inside the park.  If you ever have the opportunity to visit the South Rim and are looking for lodging - I would definitely recommend them.  Everything you need can be found right around the lodge with a Post Office and General Store (which serves very good breakfast sandwiches).  They had clean and comfortable rooms, and their service was great. 

Day Three - South Kaibab and Tonto East

Mike and I rested up from our travels and then were up early to hit the Backcountry Office to get our campsites.  We had read online that it can be difficult to get campsites if you don't get there early, so we were one of the first in line.  A ranger came out and made the announcement that there were no campsites available at Bright Angel Campground until the next night.  My heart sank - our plan had been to hike down the South Kaibab Trail to Bright Angel, stay two nights there, and then hike back up the Bright Angel Trail to the rim.  We decided to ask the ranger and see what our alternatives were.  There were four others with numbers from the day before, so we still had to wait our turn.  When we got to the counter and asked our options - I think this was again where fate had stepped in.  It turned out that there was one primitive camping site available that night in an area called "Cremation"....and it just so happened to be about 2.1 miles off of the South Kaibab Trail.  Mike and I locked in our first night there and our second night at Bright Angel Campground, got some advice from the ranger on a late start time, and then headed back to the General Store for breakfast.

In all honesty, the change in camping plans worked out perfect.  The later start time allowed us to spend some time at the General Store picking up a few last minute items, and instead of taking a shuttle from the parking area at Bright Angel Trailhead to our start point - we had the option of taking the Rim Trail around to South Kaibab Trail (just over 4 miles).  This provided for many photo opportunities and even a chance to talk about Andrew, Dustin, and Jay with Nettie, a volunteer with the park.   

Andrew at the South Rim

All smiles and excited for our trip

Rangers wore these years ago - not exactly comfortable hiking footwear.

Nettie was a Navy wife who used to work in the park, but now volunteers in the store.  She had all sorts of information to share about Grand Canyon National Park.  She had also spent some time traveling to Maine and was familiar with the Rumford area.  I thought this a funny coincidence given that the Hutchins family lives in Leeds.

Nettie and Andrew

Old Stone building near the rim

The South Rim had snow, but the Canyon was much warmer.

Mule Deer - tame enough that he didn't mind people.

We arrived at the South Kaibab Trail near 2pm - which was perfect because the ranger had recommended we start our hike into the canyon at 2pm.  Grand Canyon National Park is equipped with watering stations at several places on major trails and campgrounds - and this made things much easier for us because it meant we did not need to carry as much water with us or through our 4 miles along the Rim Trail.  We filled up and began our descent - it would take us down the South Kaibab Trail 4.6 miles to Tip Off where we would turn east on the Tonto Trail for 2.1 miles before hitting Cremation.  Grand Canyon National Park's primitive camping areas are interesting in that they assign you an area, and then you camp wherever you want in that area - unlike other parks, there are no designated campsites.  This would add 4.2 miles out and back on the Tonto Trail that we hadn't originally planned for, but keeping in mind "It's all good" - we just went with it.

Looking down the South Kaibab Trail

Andrew at the trailhead

Can't resist a pre-hike selfie!

Mike looking out across the canyon

One of the first stops on the trail was called "Cedar Ridge".  Apparently it is a popular place for day-hikes because of the views of the canyon and the fact it's only 1.5 miles down the South Kaibab Trail.  We stopped here for some photos with Andrew and to grab some water before heading on down the trail.

Cedar Ridge

Cedar Ridge viewpoint on South Kaibab

The next marked viewpoint was "Skeleton Point" about 3 miles from the South Kaibab trailhead.  I'm not sure how this marker got it's name, but there has to be a story involved somewhere.  There is so much history in the park that we did not have the chance to learn.

Mike at Skeleton Point

Beautiful scenery

Looking back to the rim

Almost to Tip Off

When we arrived at Tip Off, we had a brief break to use the last bathroom facilities we would see for the day.  Many of the stopping points along the trail have composting toilets available for hikers, and I was pleasantly surprised by how clean the park keeps them - especially when the ranger told us that they have as many as 5 million visitors to the park every year.  After our short break, we turned east on the Tonto Trail for the 2.1 mile hike to Cremation.  The Tonto Trail is far less traveled than South Kaibab, and really at times it seemed like little more than a game path we were following.  There were often cacti close to the trail, and Mike probably heard me cuss more than once as I encountered them.  It made for a quick 2.1 miles, though, and we even had the opportunity to watch some mule deer near what would eventually be our campsite.  They seemed much less acclimated to people than the one we had seen at the rim, but they didn't travel far that night.  We had the opportunity to see them wander near our tent the next morning, as well.

Andrew at Tip Off

Andrew and Mike - before heading East on Tonto Trail

Our only company in Cremation were some deer.

Finding a place for our tent in between all of the rocks and cacti was a challenge, but when we did - we had an amazing view.  Sunset was still far off for people at the rim, but it was already starting down in the canyon.  Mike and I set up camp and settled in to cook dinner (Maine-based backpacking meals from Good-to-go) and watch the sun go down.  Sunset at the Grand Canyon is amazing, but sunset in the Grand Canyon is something special.

Our accommodations for the night.

Mike's a good camp cook.

Sunset in the canyon

Cribbage before bed

We did take the time to fit in some star-gazing after sunset, though.  My camera is not good enough to capture night-time photos like that, so you will have to experience it for yourself someday.  It was absolutely amazing, though.  The closest lights were far off at the rim, and it was amazing how many stars you could see.  We ended our night with a few games of cribbage and were probably fast asleep by 8pm - which was probably a good thing because around midnight we woke up to the wind howling through the canyon!  If I remember right, Mike estimated that it was only maybe 15mph winds, but being in that tent on the open plateau made it seem much stronger.  It also served to emphasize just how remote our campsite was.

Day Four - On to Bright Angel

A fitful night's sleep meant that we were awake for sunrise - so it was a blessing in disguise.  One of the luxuries we afforded ourselves on this trip was to bring coffee with us, so Mike set to making us a strong batch.  The caffeine and warmth was welcome on a chilly morning.  We filled our cups and hiked up to a viewpoint near our campsite to watch sunrise.  I had just enough service there to send a quick message to Betsy and Jeff and say "Good morning" with a sunrise photo to let them know we were thinking of them.

Andrew at sunrise

Looking back towards the rim

Sunrise for the Hutchins

Mike looking into the canyon

If you look close, you will see the blue dot that is our tent.

It was so windy we had to make breakfast inside the tent.

After breakfast, we packed up our camp for the 4.8 miles that we would be hiking to Bright Angel Campground that day.  It was a very easy day by our standards, and we were looking forward to getting there early to get a prime campsite for the night.  It was a little difficult to leave Cremation that morning, though, as we knew our next campsite would have closer neighbors.  The 2.1 miles back to Tip Off seemed to take longer than the night before, but I think that was all in our heads.  We made good time back to the South Kaibab Trail and even ran into a group of tourists riding mules down through the canyon.  Seeing them dismount for a bathroom break, I was glad we were hiking rather than riding.  I'm sure they were much more sore after their trip than we were.  We said hello and then continued on our way.

Mule team carrying tourists

Looking down at the Colorado River

Mule team heading back to the rim.

The trail down to the river seemed to take no time.  I'm not sure if that was due to the pace we set or the views we enjoyed on the way, but I was surprised when we saw the bridge come into view.  It all went by so fast!  Reaching the bridge, we couldn't help but marvel at what it would take just to construct.  It came right out of the rock to cross the river and had to be sturdy enough to stand up to the teams of mules that would cross it carrying tourists.  As we neared the tunnel to the bridge, we also saw a group of rafts across the river at "Boat Beach".  Bright Angel is a stop for many rafting trips on the Colorado River, and there were several guides resting on the beach.  Mark, a high school classmate of mine, was supposed to be on the river near the time we were there.  We looked for him, but he did not appear to be in this group of guides.

Kaibab Bridge

Boat Beach - rafting stop on the river.

Tunnel to the bridge.

After crossing the bridge, it was a quick hike down the river to Bright Angel Campground.  Reaching the set of campsites, I don't want to say we were disappointed - but we both agreed that we much preferred the remote primitive campsite and the privacy it provided.  We quickly found a campsite, and honestly - I think we had the best one in the campground.  It was tucked in behind other sites, so there was no traffic by our front door.  We also had rock walls along our site that provided more shelter.  The campground was relatively empty when we arrived, but throughout the day it filled in until every site was taken.

We set up our campsite and took the opportunity to catch up on a little sleep before exploring the area.  Yes - we reach the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and the first thing we did was take a nap!  It was sorely needed after listening to the wind all the night before, though.  Post-nap our plans were to head over to check out Phantom Ranch where we had heard we may even be able to buy a local beer...

Bright Angel Creek

Our campsite

Crossing the bridge to Phantom Ranch

On the trail to Phantom Ranch

Phantom Ranch is about 0.5 miles from Bright Angel Campground, and they offer full accommodations..most likely for those that decide to take a mule or a helicopter all the way to the river.  Walking up to the ranch we both were struck by the modern luxuries the place offers - the cabins even had AC units!  It made me appreciate Mike even more when he agreed that he much preferred sleeping in a tent in the campground.  While I appreciated the cold beer at Phantom Ranch, part of me felt it took away from the experience to see people coming in dressed in yuppy clothes and knowing they had all the comforts of home. A very small part, though - it's hard to take away from the amazing experience we had on our hike down!

While we aren't much for the tourist trap, we did take the opportunity to mail a postcard while we were there.  It was important to both of us that we make this trip special for Andrew's family, not just us.  Jeff and Betsy, if you read this - you have a postcard coming from Ziggy, Ranger Mike, and Andrew that was sent from the bottom of the Grand Canyon where we shared a beer and a few games of cribbage.

Mail for the Hutchins

They even had a cribbage board! :)

Cantina at Phantom Ranch

Andrew at Phantom Ranch

It wasn't long before Phantom Ranch started to fill up with people, so we packed up and headed back for camp.  It was nearing supper time, and Mike made the suggestion that we pack our dinner to cook by the river.  How could anyone argue with that!  The walk to our campsite made me glad again that we had arrived early and gotten the campsite we had.  So many people had sites mere feet from the trail.  Thank you to the ranger that provided the "get there early" tip!

View from the trail back to Bright Angel

Andrew at camp

Bright Angel Creek

We hiked back down to Boat Beach where we turned downriver and found a smaller beach with no people.  It was perfect!  If it weren't for the occasional hiker we could see crossing the bridge and the rafts that eventually went by - we would have felt like the only people in the canyon.  Ok - so there was a helicopter at one point, too, but that was kind of cool to watch - and I admired the pilot's skill to be maneuvering through the canyon.

Mike at "our beach"

Helicopters are for yuppies.

Rafts headed down river.

This raft guide was more polite than the last.... 

At least he didn't moon us lol

Andrew by the river with Kaibab Bridge in the background.

So at this point in the photos, I have to stop.... because up until now I saw this trip as a surprise for Mike.  I had wanted to do something special for him for his birthday, and so I had "surprised" him with this trip.  Really I told him about it about 2 months out so that he could help plan for what he wanted to do - but still we'll call it a surprise. :)  I wanted to do something to show him just how special he is to me and how much I love him - and to me the best gift to give someone is the gift of adventure.

Mike had his own surprise in store for me, though.  He was firing up the stove to cook dinner.  I stood on a rock just at the edge of the water, watching upriver as people crossed Kaibab Bridge.  He came up behind me to put his arms around me, and I could feel his heart pounding... At first I had no idea why and was worried and then.... he popped the question!  That's right everyone, Ranger Mike proposed to Ziggy!  It was like something from a fairy-tale movie.  Sunset on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, him down on one knee telling me how much he loves me and that he's never been more sure of anything.... of course I said "Yes"!

Mike - when you read this (and I know you will) - I've known for a long time that you were the one for me.  I've never been happier than I have been with you, and I'm so lucky to be able to spend the rest of my life with you.  You're the most amazing, giving, supportive, loving man, and I can't wait to become your wife!  Here's to the start of our biggest adventure :)

I don't think our smiles could be any bigger!

Betsy, Jeff, and Ben - All of you (and Andrew) became a part of our story that day.  Andrew was right there with us on the beach when Mike popped the question.  I found it so fitting given how much you all have become like family to Mike and I.  We love you all, and we feel so fortunate that you are all a part of our story.. a part of our family.

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And Betsy - I know there are few that will get the inside humor in this, but as we shared our first dinner together as an engaged couple... we looked up to see what looks like a mountain goat across the river watching us from the canyon walls.  I tried to snap a picture for you, but he was too far away.  That small white dot is him.

Day Five - Back to the Rim

Our first morning as an engaged couple was at a campsite at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  What a story to tell your kids someday!  We were set to spend that night in Las Vegas before our flight the next day, and there was a 4,000ft+ climb followed by a 4.5 hour drive between us and Las Vegas. We had planned on an early start but didn't break camp until after 7am.  Coffee in hand, we said goodbye to Bright Angel Campground and started our long hike up to the rim.  This hike would take us downriver before crossing another bridge and then starting up towards Indian Garden.  

Tree near the helicopter pad

Morning person - sure why not? :)

We decided to wait until we turned up into the canyon to stop for breakfast.  It was again some backpacking food from a bag, but you know what?  Those things are actually pretty tasty :)  We sat next to Pipe Creek by the rest house for a while just enjoying the last of our coffee, our breakfast, and the sound of the waterfall nearby.  Mike has some great pictures of this that I'm hoping he will share so I can add these later :) But for now, here is our sign-in in the trail registry - next stop is Indian Garden!

Mike signing the trail registry at Pipe Creek

Bright Angel Trail

Headed for Indian Garden

Indian Garden is a campground that is about 4.5 miles from the Rim.  The campground has a lot more amenities than the two we had stayed at, and it gets it's name from the lush vegetation that is in the area.  I'm paraphrasing, but an informational sign indicated that due to the change in the type of rock at this part of the canyon - water is forced to the surface.  It creates an eco-system very different from that of Cremation where we were our first night.  The closer we got to Indian Garden, the more variety we saw in the plant life.  And (to my relief) the fewer cacti we saw.

Trail nearing Indian Garden

Looking back towards Bright Angel

Mouthy crow at Indian Garden

We stopped at Indian Garden to have a snack and some water.  At that point, I was feeling pretty good - then remembered we had 4.5 miles left to go.  To this point the hiking had been relatively easy, and we hadn't encountered many people.  In reaching Indian Garden, we now started to run into day-hikers and saw more traffic on the trail.  It was a sign we were nearing the end of our trip, and I wasn't quite ready for that.  We finished up and headed on to pass through  3 Mile Rest House, 1.5 Mile Rest House, and then the Rim.

Leaving Indian Garden

Hard to believe that we started somewhere far below this plateau

Ziggy, Ranger Mike, and Andrew back at the Rim.

It surprised me just how many people we saw as we got closer to the end of our trip.  Many people travel down the Bright Angel Trail just for the viewpoints they can see from the Rest Houses and Plateau Point (a short walk from Indian Garden).  We saw seasoned hikers, and we saw well...not-so-seasoned flat-landers.  We kept looking back down into the canyon going "I can't believe we started our day down there!"  Even with all of our stops along the way to take in views, have breakfast, and re-fuel, we still reached the Rim around 2pm - roughly 6 hours after we broke camp.  It was a 9.3 mile hike in total, and we were both sad/glad it was finished.

It was a short walk back to the car, but of course there was a cafeteria between us and the parking lot.  Anyone that has been on a long hike knows we couldn't just walk by haha  We loaded up on food for the road trip back to Las Vegas (probably too much food) and headed for the car.  The 4.5 hour drive sounds like it made for a long day, but it went by quickly and soon we were checking into our hotel in Las Vegas.  Mike had booked us a room at the Stratosphere.  Three days in the backcountry meant one thing - I have never been so happy to see a shower in my life!  

After cleaning up, we had the good fortune to be able to meet up with Mike Keighley and Matt Barcomb.  We knew Mike from his time on the AT carrying the stones of Jay Brainard and James Zimmerman.  Matt is a former co-worker of mine.  It was nice to be able to celebrate our engagement a little with some familiar faces.  We ended up at Downtown Container Park which was a lot more interesting than the name would suggest.  Basically the businesses were all housed in converted shipping containers.  They had several bars and restaurants there, and live music started up after 9pm.  We were too exhausted from our trip to stay very late, but even sitting there for dinner it was shocking the contrast between where we had breakfast and where we sat at dinner time.

Day Six - Touring The Strip and Heading Home

Our last day out west was Sunday, November 15th.  We didn't fly out until 10:40pm, so we had plenty of time to tour The Strip and see the sites.  We decided to bring Andrew and go for a walk down to Caesar's Palace to try a Gordon Ramsay restaurant.  It was a bucket list item of mine to eat at one of his restaurants someday, and I know it seems gimicky and touristy - but it was also very tasty :)  We splurged on wings, burgers, and an IPA before heading on to see some more of The Strip.

Andrew at Gordon Ramsay's Pub

So. Much. YUM!

Fountain outside Caesar's Palace

One of my favorite things on The Strip is the fountain at the Bellagio when they are playing Frank Sinatra.  They weren't playing a Sinatra song, but we still stopped to watch the show and take a photo of Andrew.  The whole day was so surreal thinking that 24 hours ago we were making our way up out of the Grand Canyon.

Andrew at the Bellagio Fountain

We continued walking The Strip and stopped at New York New York to watch a bit of the Patriots vs Giants game.  After all the hiking, it was difficult to sit so long, though.  Soon we began walking back towards the Stratosphere, pausing outside bars to get the football score as we went.  Las Vegas was setting up for the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, and it was neat seeing everything that was going into it along the way.  Once we got back to the Stratosphere, we decided to check out 107 Lounge to relax before our flight - sitting on the 107th floor and looking out at the city, we had a small couch to ourselves.  It was nice to cuddle up for an hour and just relax.  

From our viewpoint, the marathon runners looked like ants and the lights of the city seemed to go on forever.  As much fun as Vegas can be, 24 hours of it was enough for me to have my fill.  Although I was sad our vacation was over, part of me was glad to be heading to the airport to fly home.  A four hour flight to Philadelphia meant we could get a nap in before heading on to Boston and work the next day.  I wasn't excited that Mike would be heading on to Maine while I stayed in Massachusetts for work, but I was (and still am) excited to be going home to Maine on Thursday.  I am excited to share the news of our engagement with everyone, and I'm excited to share stories from our adventure with the Hutchins family.  Andrew touched many lives during our trip, but none more-so than the Winslow family.  

Now I sit in an office cubicle on my lunch break writing a blog about all of the experience, and it seems so surreal.  We spent three days in Grand Canyon National Park, we shared Andrew's story with people from Philadelphia to Las Vegas, and we got engaged!  So many good things in my life to be thankful for, so I will start with:

Thank you to the Hutchins family for sharing Andrew's story with us and allowing us to carry his stone on our trip.  His story is now part of our story, and you all are a part of our family.  I can't wait to give you guys a big hug and tell you all about our trip.

Thank you, Mike, for an amazing trip and asking me to take on this great big adventure by your side.  I thought love like this was something for Hollywood and fairy-tales.  Thank you for proving me wrong.  I love you more than you will ever know, but I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to show you. 

Ziggy