New Dawn II. North Cascades. Washington State.

From here there is a trail that runs a 1/4 mile after that Bear claw marks in a tree (6 1/2 feet up) and the trail stops. End of the line. Every step after that is a bushwhack. The easy parts are fields of water protectors (nature’s barbed wire). The hardest part is a knife ridge* that if you fail on, well, you’ll likely end up in the Rapid River….aptly named. Also, it’s best to make the trek when there is just enough snow left to make bridges over the many river crossings. (always a danger because they can give way and you may end up in rushing water/snow tube).

*I learned the hard way about the Knife Ridge, I was “skiing” down the backside in my boots and post holed with one foot down to my knee…..momentum carried me forward I could feel that I was about to fall over and my leg would stay in place…..so I did a flip…got out of the hole and was now sliding down the icy slope on my butt…..I rolled over and dug in with hands and feet till I stopped. All without really thinking about it mind you. FUN stuff!

Resilience at Mesa Arch

We should have known something was up when we had Mesa Arch all to ourselves.  A fellow photographer and I had been in the backcountry of Canyonlands National Park all week, isolated by location and design.  It had been 85 each afternoon so it was a surprise when this spring snow storm rolled in just after dawn.  White out conditions and 3 inches of snow would cover the slick rock before noon.  This dashed our hopes of backpacking down to the Green River…..we actually lost the trail….which was mostly over bare rock.  This was a good thing because neither of us would pull the rip cord, stupid and stubborn.  I would not have wanted to be on the edge of a narrow canyon trail in a blizzard….is exactly what I thought when I completed the journey in much better weather.  Either way was a hell of an adventure.  And that is the point.  Get out there and see what Mother Nature will throw at you.