Lost in the WILD

You can get lost in the Angeles Forest, and eventually the sun will set. This was the lesson derived from our wilderness excursion last week.

It was Sunday morning, and Beccs was going back to N.C. to visit with family and help with a conference on Monday. The design of the hike was to get out in the woods for roughly 6-7 miles and just get some good time together before she left for the week. Little did we know how much our marriage would be tested on this trip.

We were told by one of the people working at the park that there was an amazing loop trail in some high elevation cedars that people often spotted big-horned sheep. We could not refuse, as it met our initial criteria of seven miles. That and we really wanted to see some sheep.

It was GORGEOUS!!!! We summited the mountain at 8,036 feet and sat down in a small dug out spot between some cedars and pulled out the ol' back packing stove and made some hot soup, sandwiches and tea. All this while breathing in the cold upper elevation breeze and the smell of the surrounding cedars. It was quite ministering to our souls as we both had moments of feeling God in His creation. We also did a little hiking and climbing up there as well.

Oh but how we did not know where the trail was. As we exited the mountain and hiked all the way to the other base, we came across a sign that all but told us we had gone the wrong way. "Nonsense" I (Josh) thought, we must be very close. After roughly three miles and the sun starting to set, I sucked up my pride and confirmed, we are not going the right way. So after re-climbing the mountain and backtracking another 7-8 miles, we got back just as the sun was fading over the mountainside. Legs intact but numb, food and water completely gone, and two exhausted hikers eyeing their car like it was a newborn baby. It was an amazing hike. In the course of getting lost we stumbled across beautiful fields, lush GREEN cedars, and all this backed right up against the desert. More importantly, we got some great time together and both of us would concur that our marriage was strengthened and bettered by our time of being lost in the Angeles Forest. I hope you enjoy the pics and get lost in the woods for 15 miles sometime soon.