Over my 18 years of life, I have fallen in love with the great Montana and Idaho outdoors. I can confidently say that all of my favorite hobbies involve outdoor recreation in some sense or another. My love for the beautiful area I have grown up in my whole life (Libby) has brought along countless memories of different backpacking trips, early mornings hunting, days out on the river or lake fishing, or even evenings huckleberry picking with my family. It is hard to choose just one favorite memory in the wilderness, but there is one that stands out the most to me. This memory was one of my first backpacking trips ever and specifically the trip that made me eager to go backpacking in the mountains summer after summer.
This trip was my first real overnight trip, and it was to Lower Hanging Valley Lake in the Cabinet Mountain Wilderness. This is about a seven-mile hike up to the lake, which was a sure challenge for me as I was in the 6th grade. I vividly remember the steep trail that seemed like it would never end as a young kid. This backpacking trip was shared by my two brothers, my dad, and our black lab at the time. We departed from the trailhead very early in the morning, and it was notably a warm and sunny summer day. As we climbed higher and higher into the Cabinets, there were incredible views on sections of the trail, specifically sections that were just on the edge of several-hundred-foot cliffs. I walk over and stare down cliffs like it’s no big deal now when I go backpacking, but as a young 12-year-old, the intimidating drops were enough to keep me hugging the inside of the trail all the way up.
After about seven miles of grueling trail, we had finally reached our destination at the lake, and just as I do every time I reach the end, I threw off my pack and found the nearest comfy-looking stump. The next several hours consisted of me and my family members setting up sleeping pads, gathering firewood, and fishing, all while our black lab, Willy, sniffed around the campsite. Almost every cast there was a bite, and we caught several cutthroat trout that we cooked for dinner. The summer heat eventually got to me and my brothers as we decided it was a good idea to take a swim in the crystal-clear waters. This was my first time swimming in a mountain lake, and I very quickly realized that they do not get very warm, even in the dead of summer.
This wilderness experience, however, is extremely special and memorable for one very important aspect that happened late at night. Because there was no rain in the forecast, we slept only in our sleeping bags on blow-up pads under the stars. I remember the night sky that was as clear as I’d ever seen it, covered with millions of stars as we stayed up for hours talking, with Willy laying by our side. We soon went to sleep until we woke up to the sound of Willy growling. My dad signaled me and my brothers to be very still and pointed to our right, where about 15 feet away were two mountain goats eating huckleberries right next to us in the moonlit night. This was by far the most incredible experience I have had to this day with any kind of wildlife, and I will remember it for the rest of my life. Willy eventually broke loose from my dad’s grasp and chased the mountain goats off for the night.
The hike back to the trailhead in the morning was much easier than the way up, probably because I couldn’t stop thinking about the event that had unfolded the night before. This backpacking experience was just the beginning for me, as I spend several days a summer now hiking up to new lakes and peaks in the Cabinet Mountains. This trip and the events that unfolded sparked my love for wildlife and the outdoors that has become a huge part of my personality today, and I will never forget this memorable experience.
Tristan is a graduating Senior from Thompson Falls High School. They submitted this essay for FSPW’s high school scholarship contest. Stay tuned for more winning essays from students across Idaho and Montana.
