Winter Paradise Lost

 Went to my favorite winter hiking destination and found that the wild life gate was wide open and the sign about seasonal closures was gone.  Decided to hike anyway, even though I could have just driven to my destination.  Felt a bit tense the entire time not knowing if cars were coming and if they were being driven by potentially bad people.

Not sure if I will go back now.  As a solo female hiker with PTSD, I do not feel particularly safe hiking on an open road.  I found several gut piles, finding a gut pile never really improves my mood.  The legs in the gut piles still looked good with their little hooves still attached, beautiful animals, now dead.  Probably killed by some obese hunter with huge expensive truck.


When I got to the top I could see a truck down below driving very slow.  Hunters looking for an animal to kill.  Glad that I had my dog dressed in orange.  Sad that my winter paradise is gone.  Hope it does not get as gross as the capital forest.  Hoping they don't start enforcing passes where I park for the start of my hikes too.  Guessing the open gates are a money grab by the state for hunting and discover passes.


My knee was really hurting after my 10.5 mile walk in Seattle.  I rested up for three days and my knee was not getting better.  So I took the chance that hiking would cure my knee problems.  To be safe I wore a brace that I found in my mother's condo after she died.  Knee felt pretty good during the hike, but I was not up for any brush crashing.

After I got home I took the brace off and forgot about it.  A few hours later I suddenly realized that my knee did not hurt anymore.  Ah yes!  Hiking is the cure for all of my ailments be they physical or mental.

Two days later my knee feels great now.  I'm thinking hard about where I will hike this winter though.  Staircase might be an option for solitude with the access road washed out.  But Sage is not welcome there and I like hiking with sage. Also I get claustrophobic hiking those tunnel trails in the winter.

5 miles with 800 feet elevation gain, a very easy day.