This might sound a bit crazy but I realized I had never actually tent camped by myself. I have slept in my vehicle at trailheads, and stayed at many hotels, hostels, and mountain huts by myself but somehow I missed tent camping by myself. Cloud Peak seemed like the perfect trek to explore this opportunity. Also, this peak had my number. I had made two previous unsuccessful attempts but I was determined and armed with a new game plan this time. This first time, I took my dogs and didn’t quite understand the route once I left the trail. First off, my dogs at the time were not very well leash trained and this hike is in Wilderness aka a leash trail. I was dragged all over the place by two 55-pound dogs. My patience and muscles were worn out by the time I made it to Mistymoon. My friend DeAnna was with me on this one and we decided to turn around and did not actually attempt to summit. The second time, I made it halfway through the boulder section after leaving the trail. I had tried a new brand of electrolytes and it did not go over well. That coupled with the fact that I was making an attempt to do it in one day and I wasn’t in the best hiking shape. I ended up doubled over with stomach cramps, dehydrated, and a bit delirious just over a mile from the summit. Thankfully there were a couple of trail runners who helped guide me back to the trail and fed me some of their electrolytes. So, the third time’s a charm.
Day 1: West Tensleep Lake Trailhead to Mistymoon Lake
Day 2: Mistymoon Lake to Cloud Peak; Cloud Peak to West Tensleep Lake Trailhead
I left West Tensleep Lake Trailhead around 5:00 pm and arrived at Mistymoon Lake just before 8:00 pm to pitch my tent. I spooked a cow and calf moose early on that were grazing near the creek’s edge that fed West Tensleep Lake. They trotted off into the trees after I unintentionally startled them. It was a beautiful clear evening and I stopped to take some photos at Lake Helen and Lake Marion as the sun started to cast long shadows across the valley. After my tent was up, I ate my dinner and contemplated staying up to take some star photos but was pretty tired so I opted for falling asleep and assumed my bladder would wake me up sometime during the night. There were two other tents in the area which gave me a sense of comfort. They were far enough away, I never spoke to anyone else but could see them across the lake and I would be able to notify them if I needed help. I was correct about my tiny bladder. I woke up around 11:00 pm but noticed it was a half moon. I attempted a few photos but it was way too light out for any great star photos so I returned to my tent and quickly fell back to sleep.
I woke up around 5:30 am. I had set an alarm for 6:00 am but was a bit restless so I got up and packed my bag for the day leaving my tent, sleeping pad, and bag behind. I continued hiking over to Paint Rock Reservoir and up into the boulder field. I stirred up five mule deer that had been grazing as I passed through the reservoir. Five hours after leaving my tent I finally arrived at the summit. The couple of miles of scrambling through boulders and not letting my anxiety get the better of me was physically and mentally draining. I had to keep my mind focused on making it to the summit and not analyze the crevasses between large rocks that I could slip into and be stuck in or imagining a rock the size of a vehicle shifting and rolling over the top of me. At a couple of points, the incline was steep enough, I couldn’t see more than a few boulders ahead of me so choosing a route was really a random guess. They say there are rock cairns to guide the way but someone got a little excited and they are just about everywhere so my guess on the best path was really as good as any signs up near the peak.
Finally, I made it to the top. There was one person who had passed me early on in the boulder field who was relaxing at the top. We sat up on the peak and chatted for a bit. Between my anxiety, the overall tiredness I felt from life and trying to escape it, and it being my 34th birthday and not quite being where I thought I would be by now, life kind of hit me for a second on the summit. Michael gave me a quick hug as I apologized for randomly crying. Lovely emotions I have sometimes. I asked him if he was working to set any speed records on the way down or if he would mind if I accompanied him through the boulder section as I didn’t quite feel comfortable navigating those rocks alone. He kindly agreed. We took some photos of each other and laughed a little as I realized I was actually terrified of approaching the edge of the jagged cliff. He took some really awkward photos as I crab-crawled to the edge and let one-foot dangle over. He asked if I knew the names of the lake below us. I told him I didn’t but I had a map! I proudly whipped out my Cloud Peak Wilderness Trails Illustrated Topographic Map (Waterproof and Tear-Resistant!) and pointed out Glacier Lake below. He asked if that is how I navigated my way up here, a bit surprised, which it was. He was using the All Trails App. I think there are pros and cons to electronic versus old-school navigation and I work to carry both on me in the event that one fails me.
As we left the summit, one elderly gentleman arrived and Michael asked him if he wanted a photo before we left. The gentleman kindly declined, “I have passed that point in my life.” This is an interesting concept to me. Obviously, I grew up in a different era but I love having a few photos of each of my trips. I have experienced a lot of life and love to have these to reflect back on or to share with others. I also enjoy photography in general. I am not sure if taking a few photos will ever be something that I move past in my life.
Just after we left the summit, we passed a couple on their way up and chatted briefly. The next few hours were filled with boulder hopping and chatting about bucket lists, favorite books, next adventures planned, previous favorite adventures, business ideas, camping food, and whatever other random topics came up. At one point there was a large rock slide across the canyon. I knew the rocks were a bit unstable but this reinforced my worries. I was grateful to keep my mind occupied in conversation.
Another person caught up with us on our descent as we neared the end of the boulder field. He had traveled to the top with his dog which is quite the accomplishment for a four-legged travel partner. He expressed he was grateful he found us as he was getting a bit turned around and couldn’t locate the path he had taken up. Once we were back in an area with a slightly marked path, he trailed behind us. Shortly thereafter Michael split off to his campsite to break down his tent and head out.
I hiked back to Mistymoon from Paintrock Reservoir feeling accomplished and also blessed that there had been another human willing to cross the boulders with me. I broke down my camp, ate my lunch, loaded my backpack, and headed back to the trailhead. I passed a few groups packing in and a few groups fishing for the day as I made my way down. One bull moose was sitting at the edge of Lake Marion Lake in the marsh enjoying a shady spot.
Reflecting back on this trip, solo tent camping was the least worrisome part. I acknowledge that I am a trail girl and I love having a path to follow. Sometimes, I will push my boundaries for amazing views and if I do, I prefer to do it with company. For this trip, I was grateful for a stranger that was willing to walk part of the way with me until I got back to my comfort zone
Loved what you read, share this post to your favorite social website!