Never Giving Up - Adventure on the Trails

Being an avid outdoors person, I have encountered more than my share of things that would make most people pause, stop and possibly turn around on the trails.  But not me!  I find times like that as the perfect opportunity to stop, assess the situation, analyze the possibilities and then make the next move.  This goes for encounters with wildlife and crazy weather conditions.

Wildlife on the Trails

I think of all of them, wildlife is the scariest, but is also the most amazing.  Mountain Biking has usually provided me the most interesting encounters.

Running into a mother black bear with her two cubs in northern Wisconsin.  Thankfully I saw them early enough that I was able to stop, assess and turn my bike sideways to make myself look bigger and then just wait.  Finally after standing on her hind legs, she dropped down and took her cubs back into the woods.  After a little while, I jumped back on my bike and continued on - definitely making sure to watch and listen closely as I rode by where she wandered into the woods.

The second scariest was while mountain biking in Moab, UT.  Taking a break at the top of the Amasa Back trail, I took a walk to the edge to look at the Colorado River and was standing next to a tree.  Next I know I heard a rattle - let me say - I looked, saw how far away it was and backed away quickly.  I don't mind snakes, but standing close to a rattlesnake is not where I wanted to be.  The bike ride back down Amasa Back was much more uneventful.

Crazy Weather on the Trails

Backpack with me and be ready for anything.  Because that's probably what you're going to get.  Rain - not just rain, but torrential rains, snow, sleet, wind, mud, ice...  Shall I go on?  It will definitely be a trip you'll never forget.

Cabinet Mountains and Glacier National Park

My most memorable was a vacation out west.  First three days was a trip up into the Cabinet Mountain range of Montana.  On day two as we climbed up to St Paul Pass the storm moved in.  Not a bad storm, but snow started falling as soon as we got to the top of the pass.  What makes it memorable is when you are heading down and you realize that with all the wet snow and then rain, that your Goretex boots have finally given out.  

St Paul Pass, Cabinet Mountains

It was a long hike back down to camp in the rain and snow with cold, wet feet.  At camp I had to ring out my socks and put them back on.  Still had one more day before heading out and moving on to Glacier National Park for part two of the trip.  The next morning my socks were almost frozen when I put them on and made the long hike back down to the car.  

Thankfully we found one store in Libby, MT that had a pair of boots.  I bought them and decided I would break them in while backpacking through Glacier National Park over the next four days.  And I had plenty of opportunities to make sure they were waterproof.  Almost every day in Glacier National Park it rained.  Lots of rain, lots of mud and glaciers. 

Boulder Peak - Glacier National Park

Someday I really need to go back here and see the back country without the rain.  

El Chalten, Argentina

Yes, typical Patagonia weather, hard to predict.  Woke up one day and decided to hike the trail up to Fitz Roy - it was supposed to be a nice day.  I thought perfect day to view the infamous Fitz Roy.  I packed my lunch and threw my rain gear in my backpack for a day trip.  As I headed up - the weather changed.  Rain, sleet, snow - it was all there.  At the climber's camp many people were hanging out in the shelter and turning around to head back down.  From there up to the lake and the route to Fitz Roy was where the wind and wet snow really hit.  While most people turned around to head back to town - I continued and ventured up alone to the top.  Very slowly climbing the trail of wet, snow covered rocks, I finally made it to the top.  I connected up with the two other guys who ventured up before me - the three of us exchanged cameras and turned around knowing if time permitted, we'd have to come back.  The weather was so bad you could just see the lake but no view of Fitz Roy.

Lago de Los Tres and "Fitz Roy"

Thankfully - I did have the extra day and did get to go back up and catch a great view of Fitz Roy.  Gotta love Patagonia and the crazy weather.

Lago de Los Tres and Fitz Roy on a clear day.

Nope, I never gave up and continued on with my adventures and still do so today.  I love the adventure, I love the challenges it all brings and by never giving up - I always feel accomplished when the adventure is over.  And then of course, I'm ready to start planning for the next.