by Martin Bril
I Love Overnight Hiking.
It allows me to take on longer trails, enables me to spend more time to appreciate nature and disconnect from the busy life. Winters in the mountains are usually pretty quiet. Most of the wildlife has either traveled to warmer climates or gone into hibernation, the sap of the trees and bushes made its way down to the roots until the temperature rises again in the spring. The layer of snow that covers everything dampens all sounds and creates a feeling of stillness and peacefulness. A few hikers might brave the cold for a day trip.
On a cold winter day, I decided to hike a 14 mile round trip up in the mountains of the Chugach National Forest.
It ends on a 9 mile-long, 4-mile wide glacier-fed lake between 4,000 ft mountains. A small, public use cabin is tucked away in a cluster of tall cottonwood trees by the water. I’m quite familiar with the trail, as it has been one of my favorite hikes (summers or winters alike) which made it easy for me to know what to pack. From experience, I learned to carry with me only the essentials, as a backpack can quickly fill up to an uncomfortable weight. I wasn’t counting on too much snow on the way, as it is a much frequented trail, especially by snowshoers. Accordingly, I only brought a pair of hiking boots and a spare pair of socks. I knew the cabin to get very hot at night from the small wood stove located at the center of the room. Therefore I decided to only bring a sleeping bag with not much extra clothing.
