

There were definite benefits to
my position at the back. For one, I was truly enjoying the solitude and quiet of the mountains, since the crunch and slap of snowshoes were ahead of me and no one was there to provide chatter or heavy breathing. I could also feel free to stop and take photos since it was a pretty decent day (in the NW, that means it wasn't precipitating). The group stopped often, for just a brief period of time to make sure I was still there and then set off again. Leader Lawrence checked in with me periodically, making sure I was eating and drinking, which I was. I don't know if he remembered me from a hike of his I did, but I didn't feel the need to explain why I was so tired, I just allowed him to be concerned and assured him that I would be ok, just slow.

We gained the summit of Hex after climbing for 2,700 feet; my legs feeling every single one of the feet gained, like a counter clicking off the trees passing by in the scenery. It was pretty windy up there, but we had views to Mount Stuart and we spent some time taking summit photos. Then, the fun part was before us- the descent. It was the best snow of the season: light and fluffy and suddenly I had a little more energy. After lunch, we continued our descent with me abandoning my guard position in the back so I could make fresh tracks in the snow. I was having a great time but feeling grateful that someone else was going to be driving; I was exhausting myself.

We stopped in Cle Elum for some coffee for the long drive home and by the time we left the cafe, I was already having a tough time walking. I would wake up the next day with a fever and chills-oh, that's what my body was trying to tell me.
1 comment:
Wow Louise! You impress me, snow-shoeing so rigorously as illness was coming on.
Are you still sick or how did you rid yourself of the crud?
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