August 6-7, 2023 August 6: ~3 miles hiked I wake up without an alarm around 7:45. It’s smoky today all of a sudden. I’m extremely grateful all over again for the great weather we’ve had this whole trip. Apart from Trauma Night, as we’ve been calling the cold wet talus experience, it has been very …
August 5, 2023 ~3 miles hiked Without an alarm, I wake up around 8. The sun is filtering through the trees and warming up my tent so pleasantly. Ahh. Sleeping in. When I pop my head out I can see that Carrot and Chelsea are sitting on the gravel bar around a fire in the …
Continue reading Brooks Range Day 7: Morning Fire, Afternoon Meander
August 4, 2023 ~10 miles hiked It’s town day! Town day! The energy is decidedly excellent this morning even if the packing up of wet sandy tents is not. It feels exactly like a short nero into town along a long-distance trail. We follow the gravel in the river until we spot the ATV track …
August 3, 2023 ~14 miles Our starts are creeping progressively earlier every day. Today my 5:15 alarm wakes me up mid-dream, open-mouthed and drooling. I can’t locate my phone and I’m so confused. Finally I find it, struggle very hard with the temptation to just go back to sleep, and force myself up. Hello! It’s …
Continue reading Brooks Range Day 5: In the Land of Cloudberries
August 2, 2023 ~10 miles hiked Since I put off going outside to pee last night for so long, I wake up pretty early and decide to just do that and get my bear bag at the same time. I have what feels like all the time in the world to have breakfast and wake …
August 1, 2023 ~12 miles Another chill morning, another day when we leave slightly later than planned, but hey ho, we’re doing the thing. I have my breakfast and coffee and then pack up and have a little cathole moment and I’m ready to go! We walk downhill towards the huge bog at the floor …
July 31, 2023 ~8 miles I dream that my best friend picks me up from the Brooks Range and takes me to Poundland, the UK equivalent of Dollar Tree. There I buy everything I’m missing on this trip and am angry at myself for forgetting: waterproof gloves, long pants, an extra set of leggings, sleep …
July 30, 2023 ~8 miles hiked I think I developed some sort of negative association with being the last to get ready in the morning on the PCT. This morning, I wake up and think I have all the time in the world because everyone else is still in their tents, but somewhere along the …
Continue reading Brooks Range Day 1: Wildflower Heaven and Wet Talus Hell
July 29, 2023 ~3.5 miles hiked I sleep all the way through the night and my eyes pop open when people start moving. I already feel so much more rested than yesterday and I am relieved. I enter then kitchen where once again Gahl and Carrot are bustling about. Carrot asks me again, and just …
2 AM and the sky in Fairbanks is a soupy dusk. We’re driving through rolling land of stunted-looking spruce and aspen as far as the eye can see, the boreal forest, which Carrot is describing as “sometimes shitty looking but magical.” At least I think that’s what she called it. I’m exhausted and confused with …
Sarahmarie Specht-Bird 