The best and worst times from Wonderland 2019.
AusFrog
Best: The suspension bridge. It was last day on the trail and I think we all had an electric buzz of confidence flowing. After everything we had been through, it felt like nothing could stop us now. It was exhilarating crossing a one person bridge. Followed by a feeling of accomplishment passing one of the last major hurdles.
Worst: The landslide. I Thought everyone was going to watch me helplessly as I fell to my death. Then I thought I was going to watch everyone fall to their death following my lead .. not a good feeling.
3 things to do differently:
Bring less food / meal plan better
Get to sleep sooner – wake up sooner – start sooner
No 15+ mile days
Sp0rk
Most Memorable Moment: The landslide. The sheer magnitude of it, how unexpected and seemingly impossible to cross it appeared. How just like always, AusFrog stepped up the the plate to spear the difficult task ahead of us. With teamwork and perseverance, we made it across in one piece.
Schmem
Best: Getting to the top of Golden Lakes after almost 16 miles of hiking with like 5000 ft of elevation gain total, and accidentally burning the bottom of brothers pot cause we tried to boil snow with little to no water.
Worst: Realizing after driving 25 min down the road, finally headed home, that AusFrog had dropped his phone somewhere on trail cause he didn’t have it, and having to drive all the way back so he could run up trail looking for it. {at least he found it}
3 things to do differently:
Be prepared gear wise (better to be slightly over prepared than under)
Set a good pace so that you can go for longer periods without breaks
When passing a water source and you are mid to low on water— FILL UP.
alinamouse
Best: I want to say all of it. Even the hard times, I look back on it now and I wouldn’t give it up for anything.
Worst: The last morning, when I woke up to wetness. Wet shoes, wet clothes, wetness everywhere.
3 things to do differently:
Pack LESS trailmix. That sh*t weighs a ton and I didn’t even eat half of it.
Put dry (even almost dry) clothes in a bag. Don’t let the condensation get them.
Take more group photos and selfies.
Poseidon
Best & Worst: Absolutely drenched, cold, exhausted, hiking up to the Golden Lakes with no end to the downpour in sight. Hungry as hell, not even enough energy to be pissed off – just miserable. Climbing some little hill when the lightning – thunder combo rolled in, counting the seconds in between as it approached till it was right overhead. For a half a second, the entire forest turned hot, blinding white and my brain had just enough time to think about thinking when the air was rent apart by a thunderclap. Like a bomb going off overhead. The sheer, incalculable magnitude and terror I felt at how small I was, how fortunate I was to be there in that place – all in the span of a second. The moment passes. Heads down, shoulders hunched, eyes squinted against the rain. Back to it. Take another step.
3 things to do differently:
Way less weight (get rid of redundancy)
Manage / plan food better cause every ounce counts
Leave earlier in the morning rather than later, no matter how sore
