Not so solo

Bubbling voices and laughter echo down the canyon. I’ve stashed my tent and gear at my designated campsite, and have repacked for an afternoon of dayhiking. Just as I’m about to rejoin the main trail, I hesitate and consider staying out of sight so I don’t have to interact with the two hikers. Then I hear “JOAN!” and I look up and realize they are my friends/ coworkers!  I hadn’t heard where they’d decided to hike when I’d left work the previous day, but turned out we’d all decided on the same area. Perfect timing!

And we even find someone to take our picture all together.

Of course I wanted to tag along with them. Where were they going? Oh the Joint Trail/ Chesler Park loop, that’d be great.

Still laughing.

All that laughter I’d heard when I first encountered them wasn’t just a one time occurrence. Soon I am laughing too. Oh how I love hiking with people who “oh and ah” at everything and stop at every view and say that it’s like we are in a painting!

Painting-like landscapes.

It’s A.’s first time to the Needles and when we reach the 8-mile mark, we celebrate and congratulate her because this is also the longest hike she’s ever done. Way to go!

Arches

Portals

A. and E. start laughing again and they tell me they’d been listening to a podcast on the drive down (This American Life’s RomCom episode) and they can’t stop giggling about it. I check to see if it's one I've downloaded and sure enough it is. So I tuck it away for later. 

Haha snow.

Late in the afternoon, I listen to their laughter fading up the canyon as I head back to my campsite, alone. A. and E. are heading back home to warm beds and hot food. I’ve got my usual peanut butter and tortilla (no stove). Forecast said 18 degrees. The sky gets dark with clouds and the clouds fill my brain with dark thoughts.

I climb above camp. Scrambling up the rocks to watch the sunset normally makes me feel more relaxed. But the higher I climb the colder and more biting the wind is.

Up above camp.

Then higher still.

I get up high enough that I have signal so I check the weather and it says the low tonight will be 9 degrees and 30% chance of snow, which is even worse than I’d thought. My hands go numb from the icy wind that cuts right through me. As I scramble down, I get lightheaded and realize I need to eat more but I don’t have any extra food since I cut it to save weight.

Nothing about this is fun and sheesh how did I get up here?

There is nothing to do but get back to camp and get into the sleeping bag and not get more chilled than I already am. 

I totally miss sunset.

As I wait to see if I will freeze to death or not, I remember the podcast and put in my earbuds and press “play”.

Soon, I am shaking with laughter. Full on belly laughs. Then silent bouncing laughter. And rolling on my side laughter. Maybe it's not all that funny, but I am laughing too at the joy that comes from sharing a day with friends, and for the absurdity of being alone on a cold night and having it be the best and worst experience at the same time. Before I know it, my sleeping bag is toasty warm and the wind dies down and I fall fast asleep. 

When I wake to the sound of graupel hitting the tent, I’m so warm I don’t care and I just roll over and go back to sleep.

Not much graupel. Just loud.

Sunrise the next morning makes up for my lack of a sunset. The canyon wrens sing their song as if it’s spring.
 


Instead of heading back, I decide to check out a few trails I’ve never seen. My legs are more tired than they ought to be, but I’m still only 6 and a half weeks out from the surgery. 

I check out the Devil's Pocket Loop, which is awesome because you walk through a grabens (which is fun to say, and cool geologically too). Also there is a privy at Devil's Pocket campground, so if you time it right, you won't have to use your wagbag. Win!

Then I decide I might as well take the long way back since that’s all I need to complete all the marked trails in the Needles and ISKY. A little goal I’d been working towards. I am also thrilled when I realize I hiked 10 miles the first day and 12 miles the second day. Goals are arbitrary, but still satisfying nonetheless.

Laughter on this trip gave the extra boost that was needed. Life is so much better with chance meetings and silliness.

More information
Backcountry permits are required for camping in Canyonlands National Park. My route the first day in blue and the second day is shown in pink. I camped in EC1, which was not my favorite since it was so exposed but it had a good scramble spot and it was also nice to stroll down Elephant Canyon (north) from camp for a bit.