Dusk to Dawn

Wasatch Mountain Range, Utah

 

    What first comes to mind when looking at this image in the context of the phrase written with an unstructured font over it, is a feeling of nostalgia. I find myself reminded of the backpacking trips I would go on yearly. I would go on an approximately ten-mile hike in the Wasatch Mountains of Northern Utah just outside Salt Lake City. The Wasatch mountains are known for their aesthetics and also their common mountain lion sightings. The distance and elevation change while carrying a 50-pound pack was not the challenging part, what ended up usually being the most rewarding part of the trip was being all alone in the woods with your thoughts.

 

    The preparation for the trip was meticulous: The tickets were booked, the rental car was reserved, the tent was all prepped and looked over for damage, the food rations and cooking supplies were all confirmed. Every contingent needed to be prepared for whether it was to find water while in the backcountry, the possible inclement weather, or the potential for handling an emergency if necessary. After it was said and done once you are at the trailhead facing the unknown on your own. The hikes where I decided to set up camp typically went without any problems aside from the physical challenges, everything around was rewarding. The sights, smells, and sounds were all beneficial to creating a calm that is lacking in the lives of many.

Gear prepped for backpacking trip

    After camp was set up and dinner was cooked, I would always hike to a higher location to get an unobstructed view of the sunset before heading to bed for the night. The sun setting over a mountain range from a high vantage point will always be worth a little extra effort to see. The difficulty always lies after the sun sets. As the phrase over the image states, "this is the part where you find out who you are”. Everything becomes more challenging; your mind starts running and every sense is heightened while there is a seemingly prevalent silence. With your pathway lit only by the moon or your headlamp, sometimes with a 1000-foot cliff within reach of a missed step, at other times without a trail to follow, you need to focus on what is in front of you before you focus on what you heard in the distance. Luckily, I always made it back to camp, but this usually does not come with complete peace of mind. Some nights were less stressful than others, but every night was met with concerning noises in a territory that is not mine. Over time, I am able to become comfortable with being another creature in the woods and accept the fact that dangerous encounters are likely to occur. In my mind, they are worth the reward of a solitary sunrise that was to come in the morning.

Ascending Pfeifferhorn, Wasatch Mountains, Utah

    I will always look back at this time in my life as rewarding and truly challenging what today’s society does not always embrace, the strength of being truly alone. As I have grown older, I realize that these trips may never occur again, and I can’t wait to introduce my sons to backpacking so they can one day reap the rewards of self-reliance. 

    With the end of the semester quickly approaching, the sunset is on the horizon. After the sunsets, there are bound to be further challenges that life will throw our way. The dusk brings the most difficult hours, but in the end, when the sun rises will all be stronger among the lessons we have learned through our struggles. We will all be stronger because we’ve prepared for the warmth of the sunrise while enduring the challenges when the sun is set.

A welcomed sunrise over the Wasatch Range