This weekend was all about celebrating. The Friday before we left to go backpacking, we finished our Internal Medicine board exam, meaning no more tests for 10 years until we have to re-certify. Can we get a hallelujah!? So, to commemorate this right of passage, we hit the trails for a weekend of unplugged fun.
Amethyst Lake had been on our Utah bucket list for some time. It is a 12 mile round trip hike, the perfect distance for an overnight backpacking trip. We camped at the lower lake due to warnings of insane winds at Amethyst Lake. Even at the lower lake, the wind was so gnarly that three of our tent stakes were ripped from the ground in the middle of the night, causing our tent to completely collapse on us at around 3am. I don’t think anyone slept a wink, but waking up to a beautiful alpine lake was worth every minute of wakefulness.
We were a group of eleven, and as we sat by the light of the campfire, I remember thinking about how much the mountains make me feel at home. As the flames licked the night sky, the moon cast shadows on the cliff face, creating zebra stripes of moonshine and black shadows. The moon reflected off the lake as small waves lapped on the shoreline. The creaking of tall pines echoed across the lake as everyone settled in for the night. It was exactly what we needed, a space to unwind and decompress. Nature is life’s best medicine.
Uintas, you stole our heart. We will be back soon!