Winter Hiking Hough Peak

Overall the hike was a fun challenge and a good accomplishment. It felt good to triumphantly stand next to the peak sign and reflect on the effort it took to make it to the top. By the time I got back to the car I was more than ready to take my boots off and stop walking, but I was left with a peaceful satisfied feeling. Would I do it again? The answer, resoundingly, would be a YES!

My third hike was with a group of students, parents, and faculty from Carden Academy in Sandpoint. Sandy Compton was leading the group up Practice Mountain. We reached the trailhead and parents, kids, and one very excited dog spilled out of three vehicles and were introduced to Ms. Mitchell, the summer intern. This is going to be interesting, I thought. And it certainly was. Energy, energy, energy! There was so much of it, it was contagious! As Sandy showed the students different species of trees and answered all kinds of questions, I thought about how lucky these kids were to spend a day in the forest. The world is so big and there is so much to see! It was great to see parents and faculty that understood that learning can occur outside the classroom. It was also really encouraging to watch ten students following Sandy without hesitation up the side of Practice Mountain. These students were ready to take on anything! It was another beautiful and eye-opening day in the Scotchman Peaks. I realized just how lucky I am to be here.