Flying through the mountains and over lakes pooled in valleys brings with it a sense of magic and wonder. The landscape was spread out below us with the mountains stretching into the distance, as far as the eye could see. I felt so small, but so grateful that I got to experience that sort of view. Landing in Big Creek was amazing. I never thought I would get to live in a place surrounded by mountains. Every way I looked, snow-capped mountains towered over me. If I looked long enough, I could imagine them breathing, moving, standing, and walking away. Being in that sort of place, where you can see human influence but nature is still so present and alive, is what I’ve always hoped to experience. I’ve never been to a place where I felt like I could see nature breathing and living. And whenever I got tired of hand pulling, all I had to do was look up to be reminded of what we’re helping to protect and restore.

Waking up on the morning of our fifth day of hitch was magical. Snow-dusted trees and hillsides greeted me and made freezing in all my layers worth it. The whole day, I felt as if I were in a completely different world of faeries and magic. As Jaylee described it, it felt like we were in Narnia. There are no words to aptly describe the hike we all took to Lick Lake that day. Halfway up the mountain, it started lightly snowing, covering the pines and shrubs in a sugar coating of snow. I felt transported into your stereotypical Christmas movie, but it was so much better because it was real, and despite barely being able to breathe and hiking up a never-ending hill, I was so indescribably happy the whole time. But making it to the lake... that was a whole other experience. Seeing the turquoise water peeking through the line of trees as snow drifted down was otherworldly. It felt like I was in a snow globe. I’m so lucky to have experienced something like that, and I don’t know if anything after will be able to compare. But I’m more than ready to see what the rest of the season brings.