Out/Back: Sauer's Mountain
2.8 Miles Straight Up
Sauer’s Mountain is hidden behind the fields of grapevines and pear trees that blanket Leavenworth, Washington. Beginning on private land, you are free to choose from several routes as you make a 2.8-mile ascent toward the mountain top. Hiking along a narrow trail, a single misstep could mean a dangerous fall off of this small but mighty mountain. It is best not to find yourself too concerned with the fall. Instead, focus on the trail underneath, the sweeping views on exposed ridges, and tree covering offering shade once you reach a higher elevation. When you arrive at the top, you are treated to a sweeping vista with mountains, trees, and the majesty of Washington exploding in every direction.
After the PCT
Sauer’s Mountain is my first hike since being forced off the Pacific Crest Trail in mid-March thanks to COVID-19. Over the past three months, I have felt pretty sorry for myself. Lost in my own self-pity, I have found myself mad at the world, the trail, and hiking itself. Finding myself on the trail once again, even for a short hike such as this, reinvigorated my spirits and reminded me what I find so special about hiking. This is an activity built on self-reliance and communal experience where the joy of accomplishment is both internally and externally shared. On these dusty trails, you are offered something primitive and monumental. In a noisy world, we are afforded an opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and nature. As we do, rebirth becomes reality. After months of heartbreak, it felt great to be reminded of these truths.
Back in Washington
Sauer’s Mountain was my first hike since moving back to Seattle. Driving to and from the trail, I was reminded of the sheer beauty of this place I call home. Standing on top of a mountain, I felt like the luckiest man in the world. All around me and in every direction, nature’s bounty was evident. I have been fortunate in my life to call a few places home, but no place inspires me like Washington. Living in Los Angeles, I knew what I was missing. I just had no idea how much I missed these moments.
Done with All Trails
For those who do not live and breathe hiking, All Trails is a popular app offering lists of trails and vital information needed to make wise hiking decisions. Unfortunately, I have been burned by this app one too many times. Seriously, I should be reimbursed for the gallons of gasoline I have burned driving to trails that are closed, inaccessible, or nonexistent. I also deserve an apology for the trails I have hiked only to discover that I am also sharing this small space with mountain bikers and ATV drivers. Well, never again. All Trails, we are done. By all means, do not mourn my uncoupling. With no doubt in my mind, it was you, not me.
Hiking Is Too White
Hitting the trail during a moment of nationwide protest gave me great pause. As I hiked on Saturday and passed white person after white person, twenty in all, it dawned on me that this hobby of mine is too white. There is virtually no diversity to be found on the trail. Thanks to cost, access, and misinformation, we have somehow made a wide range of Americans believe that her trails are not for them. We have deprived them all of the joy that comes with nature. We as a hiking community can do better. We can extend invitations to those who look different than us. We can actively seek out opportunities to hike with new people with different backgrounds than our own. In this instance, I do not want to merely preach. I want to act. Recently, I launched a Facebook group for LGBTQ hikers in Seattle. Over the next couple of months, I am going to focus on inviting people of color to join us. It is not much, but it is a small step toward a more diverse trail.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
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