The longest 1.75 miles of my life

At first, it was hard to tell whether we were hearing thunder or just the sounds of more planes. We were camped at Minotaur Lake, a short hike near Stevens Pass, and the lake is clearly under a flight path.

It was the afternoon, we were flopped in the shade and enjoying a nap. Slowly, the thunder drew close enough to be clearly thunder.

My husband, Jerry, and I sleepily mulled our options. Our 4-year-old was asleep with her head pillowed on Jerry’s leg.

We hemmed and hawed, not wanting to wake our kid or hike out when we had planned another leisurely night, but also not wanting to stay badly enough to deal with a lightning storm and wet gear.

Then the wind changed in an instant, blowing dirt in our eyes and leaving a layer of grit over everything. Hazel woke up, the wind continued to blow in weird gusts, a clap of thunder started Hazel screaming and it started to rain.

We packed in a rush, tossing gear into our bags quickly while trying to not further freak out our kid.

We had planned to walk out slowly the next morning, with Hazel walking as much as possible. But we’d already done a decent amount of exploring around the lake, including some scrambling up to the ridge behind the lake. Hazel was too tired to hike out quickly, not to mention completely freaked out by the weather and picking up on our own anxiety. So she went on my back with our tent, some food, and whatever else got shoved in there.

Now, Minotaur Lake is not a long hike. It’s only 1.75 miles each way, but it gains 1,850 feet and it feels so much longer. It’s also not a great trail. It’s better than a climber’s path, but not a ton. It’s steep and slippery and rooty and rocky. In short, it’s nasty.

On the way down, my daughter on my back, I have never hiked a longer 1.75 miles in my life. I think I’m in decent shape, but my legs were exhausted. I could have kissed my car when we finally reached it.

When we got home, I had to know. I stepped on the scale wearing the pack and Hazel and did some math. Fifty-five pounds. I carried 55 pounds all the way down that horrible trail, and 34 pounds of that were whining, wiggling 4-year-old. I felt vindicated for the amount of whining I did on the way down.

I hiked Minotaur Lake last year, and at the time I was entranced. I wanted to come back for an overnight trip, and I’m so glad we did. Even though our trip was cut down to one night instead of two, we had an amazing time. We swam in the lake and scrambled the surrounding hills. We watched the stars and watched our daughter splash in the stream.

And I felt like a bit of a badass hiking down the hill with probably the heaviest pack I’ve ever carried.

That training will come in handy. I’m off to backpack in the Tetons for nearly a week. Things will be quieter around here for a bit, but I’ll check back in with Teton photos when I return.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.