Since we started dating, every one of phin’s family members (and friends) have told me “ just wait until you go on a true Phin adventure…. You’re in for it”!
Me, being me… I’m plenty used to “sufferfests”, “type 2 fun”, and hours of bloody feet. So, I of course always said “bring it on”!
Well, I can say now that I have experienced a proper “phin adventure ” and damn, it was the most painful day of my life.
So, we start out the night before the “adventure” with a solid game plan to do a casual 2 mile backcountry skin adventure with nice & easy ski laps. I had mapped it on CalTopo, checked avalanche conditions, & felt more than comfortable about a relaxing skin into the wilderness.
Then, around 11pm, Phin proposes we merge my planned trip with a high alpine lake route. And guess what?! It’s only 3.5 miles in total, so very much worth the extra 1.5 miles.
Excited for the next day’s adventure, we go to sleep and wake up ready and rearing to go!
We pack up the car, download the maps, grab a couple small water bottles and head to snag breakfast at my favorite breakfast spot in leavenworth!
After a delicious biscuit sandwich, we drive the 40 minutes to the parking area and start getting geared up. By this time it’s 11am, but we aren’t expecting more than a few hours of being gone from the car. I force piñon to hop out into the snow and pee, and we get goose wrangled up with his leash and harness.
We pack a couple snacks, and look forward to a big late lunch once we get back.
Note: while you will learn we were inadequetly prepared, we still had all of our emergency supplies and extra clothing to survive the night if needed.
We start the skin on a groomed road, through an adorable Bavarian styled neighborhood to the start of the uphill skin track.
Then came the steep side hill sections!
After about 45 minutes, we link up with the Pacific Crest Trail (oh, how I missed it!) and I start taking photos of the trail markers to send to my PCT buddies.
While my heels are properly destroyed (due to heavy ill-fitting boots) and bloody, I’m having the time of my life skinning the PCT on a beautiful winter day!
The trail provided us with outstanding views & while it was hard to see any tracks, I just used my far out app to read the trail.
Then a couple hours in, I insist on taking a snack break due to getting lightheaded. At this point, I’m starting to get concerned about the mileage. While I am always game for heavy mileage days, we were almost out of water (BIG scary for Liv) and the sun was starting to set. We had a discussion on where we were on the map, and couldn’t agree on how many miles were left until the downhill. This is when I found out that my dear Phin had possibly “approximated” the mileage and had not counted the downhill… but it was still gorgeous out so I couldn’t be too upset 😉
By the time we got to Lake Vahalla, I was dry heaving from exhaustion and getting truly concerned about the length of this “quick ski tour”.
I followed Phin across the frozen lake, hoping it was solid enough to cross (but we really didn’t have another option, other than turning around fully and re-tracing our steps)… it was, and I paused to appreciate the beauty surrounding us.
While my physical body felt absolutely destroyed, my soul was lit up and appreciative! I loved my adventure partner, and I knew we would get out alive (at some point during the night)!
At dusk, we had a solid 7 seconds of a beautiful ski down a moderate slope. Truly was a great 7 seconds…
Then, the nice slope turned into a heavily treed icy mess- not something I could conquer in my current physical state. My legs were cramping up and collapsing, and with the dark skies I was worried I was going to crash into a tree. While it was becoming an urgent matter of getting down, I wasn’t quite to the stage of risking breaking my leg again!
Then began the grueling post-holing (up to my waist) hike down the mountain. Phin was still on his snowboard, with goose tied to him (who was trying to hunt squirrels)…. And then his headlamp died!
While trying to get ahead of him- to lead the way-I fell over from exhaustion. While the snow wasn’t bad, it was enough of an impact for me to forget exactly where I was. I was disoriented, yelling for Phin, hoping goose hadn’t pulled him into a tree well.
Finally he yelled back, asking if I was okay. Frankly, I wasn’t. I made it to him, he took my heavy skis off my back (against my will) and put them on his own back.
At this point, we had to pair up to make it down. We were a train wreck of blisters, frustration, and exhaustion… but we made it down past the thick trees to the moderate slope (that I originally had planned we ski) where I could ski again. I kept my skins on, since I had very little control of my legs, and we made it down to the creek.
Earlier in the day, we crossed multiple creeks (photos below) so I wasn’t too worrried… but also not too excited…since it was pitch black at this point!
We found where the road crossed the creek on a map, headed that way, and finally linked up with a groomed snowmobile trail!
I fell to my knees in appreciation, and started hysterically laughing.
We were ALMOST there.
The last mile was painfully long, but nothing compared to what we had just endured.
After 8pm, we made it to the car and I just laid in the snow with piñon (who had slept all day in the car) until Phin made me get up.
On the way back to Wenatchee (where we had rented a cute little Airbnb), we consumed thousands of calories and McDonald’s and tried to relax.
After much discussion on what had happened, what we thought was going to happen, “lessons learned”… and a couple weeks at home…we were ready to go back out on our next adventure!
Remember:
1) Always double check your mileage and maps. Hiking on a trail is a lot different than skinning/ side hilling on a steep snowy mountain
2) Allow more than enough time & pack enough food and water for a full day/night- even if you think it will be easy
3) Listen to your body, and be sure to communicate your needs to your partner
4) Don’t take so much pride in finishing, that you can’t turn around
5) Always bring extra clothes, a satellite communicator, and supplies to survive the night
6) Even if you are struggling, try to see the beauty that surrounds you
7) Heed the warning of a “Phin adventure” and only bite off what you can chew!
Well, thanks for tuning in! My blisters are almost fully healed (28 days later) and I am still in love with my best friend. Be safe out there!
-Liv
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