Remember reading something about the ridge being the safest route in snow so I hook a left to find a clear break line I just walked underneath of. Danger now officially not imagined and can no longer be ignored.


Remember reading something about the ridge being the safest route in snow so I hook a left to find a clear break line I just walked underneath of. Danger now officially not imagined and can no longer be ignored.

“Oh fuck,” I say under my breath, and reach for my bear spray. I have it out in seconds, aiming at the thick slope of huckleberry bushes, still rumbling with activity. A series of loud snorts comes at us and I know we have to retreat.

The mountains’ shadow now envelops us, offering cooler air and a rushed sense of excitement over what we just did. We stand in a line, looking back at the cliff, and let a joint sense of accomplishment settle into us. Now we can move on.

Katie and her boyfriend Colin invited me for a weekend of camping and exploring at the Lion’s Head (north end […]