Today’s Blog post marks the middle of my John Muir Trail Journey.  In reality, I am camped in Sequoia National Park experiencing my last night in the wilderness as I finish writing this with my cell phone.  I honestly tell you if not for the impact of this part of my journey on my life, I think I would have quit and given up.  My days were much physically harder than I can express.  I am so thankful that I have learned how to reach out and hold on to the strength, peace, and joy that is higher than I. When you don’t quit you win.

This is almost my fifth time hiking the JMT.  Doug and I spent a month out here after college graduations in 1984 and 1986. We completed half the trail in 2006 with our young teenagers. Last year I hiked the trail solo.  This year is my longest trek, 7 weeks out here with my daughter Emily.  My husband Doug is joining us on the front and back end and in-between to resupply us with food and to share in a bit of the hiking journey with us.  We could not have done this without Doug’s support. He is amazing!

Because I hiked the JMT solo last year, It has been difficult not to compare and contrast the two years a bit. Last year was the 100 anniversary of the National Parks. The weather was clear and perfect nearly everyday. I never got my feet wet. The trails were in good shape and I never faced any re- routes because of fallen trees, rock slides, or snow.

At the end of the trip, I was not ready to leave. My calling as a chaplain was revived on the trail and God used me in surprising ways to meet peoples’ spiritual  needs with a word of encouragement, a prayer for healing, wise counsel, or spiritual direction.  I felt as if my 20’s were restored physically in strength  and my medical physical proved I had excellent health.   After this solo trip, I felt a leading to return to the JMT the following year  and began to process and plan for this.

However, last December,  something showed up on my mammogram and further tests revealed breast cancer.  I went through biopsys, surguries and radiation to deal with the cancer finishing about a month before leaving for John Muir Trail journey 2017.
Now instead of going solo, my daughter who would be inbetween jobs for several months asked to join me.  My husband additionally wanted to join us with vacation time and to resupply us.

This year i was very aware of the trauma my body had gone through.  I had difficulty breathing going uphill and in high altitudes.   I was easily fatigued.  Daily, I gained physical strength,  but I had to endure this weakness for most of the trip and rely on faith and trust totally in God to help me press on and not give up. 
The JMT had a record harsh winter in 2016-2017. Stream crossings are high, lots if snow, trees fallen to climb over, rock slides to go around, bouldering, rerouting everyday.  People died in some of the stream crossings and many cancelled trips at various times because of trail conditions.

I hope with these comparisons you will see that 2017 has been very different than 2016.  I have no regret going but it has not been easy.  I feel thankful to be here despite my weaknesses.  I am journeying slow,  but sure, one step at a time. At the same time, I feel like I am stepping back into the celebration of the life I love with more.

I was happy to learn at Muir Trail  Ranch (MTR) that 2017 is the 100 year anniversary of the John Muir Trail!
I have known about MTR since the 80’s but for various reasons never went until last year. This place is heaven on earth to any backpacker who has reservations there.  Home made meals, a warm bed, hot spring baths and a wonderful, attentive, staff are amazing! This year Emily and I were able to schedule a massage as well as take about 5 bath soaks a day. We also played an amazing long game of scrabble safely in the screened library lounge during thunder showers.  
I was inspired to read again A shepherd’s  look  at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller which happened to be in the library. The  main gold nugget I tucked away that sustained me during this trip is ” The Lord is my Shepherd…I lack nothing.”  I received, believed and experienced that when I relinquish my rights to own my life in favor of my creator owning me, all my needs are taken care of. I am provided for, protected, directed, strengthened, helped, and blessed with the loving, peaceful presence  of the Shepherd.

I shared this book with 90 year old Ms. Suzy who has been coming  to MTR for over 30 years. She had never read it and showed much interest and said she would read it.   She knew the former owner who was a cook at MTR years ago and whose name was written in the book.

One man Emily and I hiked with also stayed at MTR. As we said our goodbyes, I handed him an art- prayer card   and told him God loved him and shared an encouraging word.   It turned out he was a recent believer and was very encouraged by the gesture.

Doug hiked into the MTR with a resupply for Emily and I to cover the next ten days.   He stayed with us for the three nights and helped us firm up our itinerary as well as for support and to explore some of the wilderness in the area dayhiking.

After our zero days at MTR both Emily and I were loaded with ten days of food and the associated increase in pack weight. We anticipated going over five high (10,000- 13,000 ft) passes in the days ahead, including climbing up the infamous “Golden Staircase” ( 2 miles straight up and over 900 ft. altitude gain) on our way to Mather Pass.  
Our first  day hiking on the trail again was the day of the Solar Eclipse. Emily had special glasses and lenses so we could view and photograph the event.  Later in the day, I was delighted to rediscover Muir Rock along the trail with the year 1917 inscribed on it. Happy 100 years JMT!

Emily and I hiked many miles before camping at one of our favorite campgrounds along a river. We celebrated being on the trail again sharing our bags of olives and sipping a little bit of wine.

Next day, We walked through beautiful Evolution Valley and camped for the night in a quiet horse camp I discovered the year before.  
Muir Pass was ahead. We got an early start the next day so we could hike as close to the pass as possible which would enable us to make the climb early before the heat of the day and the possibility of afternoon storms.  We camped at Wanda Lake. A storm came through after dinner and rain, thunder, lightening and hail the size of gumballs pounded on our tents whitening the ground outside for over an hour.  It was loud blasting on the mountain peaks surrounding us. I was a little scared and sang songs until it stopped.

Emily and I climbed the pass in the morning.  I had a vision on the way up while praying and worshipping.  I saw the Lord my Shepherd pick me up and hand me over to the Father to be carried on His shoulders up the pass.  I felt so loved and it was fun as I had the experience of bouncing and skipping up the path. I broke out of the vision and Muir Hut was before me. I had made it to the top.  The memory of this vision  and revisualizing it has helped me get up every pass since.

Emily  and I enjoyed being the first ones over the pass.   We celebrated by sharing our bag of olives (oloves) and exploring the Muir hut.

The hike down was much more challenging. There were lots of snowfields to navigate, bolders to climb and obstacles to tackle. It was strenuous but we pushed through slowly, and cautiously completing the entire pass in more hours than usual. 

We camped at Grouse Meadow in Emily’s spot she camped at in 2015 during her own JMT solo hike.  The next day we were feeling the anticipation of gearing up both physically and mentally for the “Golden Staircase” that was our gateway to Mather Pass.  The “Golden Staircase” has a reputation. It is about two miles straight up gaining over 900 feet in elevation from start to finish. To most JMT hikers it is the most dreaded part of the hike. Both going up or down is brutal.

Emily and I woke before dawn to try to get to the ” Golden Staircase” early to beat the heat of the day. It was very sunny and probably the hottest day we had experienced to date.  We stopped at a creek to refill and purify our water. While doing this task on the trail a guy hiked toward us wearing a backpack while holding  a bear can in his hands in front of him. This was an unusual sight.   Emily asked, ” Why are you holding a bear can?”  He told us he was helping a friend who had to leave the trail because of blisters by carrying her stuff to the ranger station.

A short while later, I walked in the direction of the Golden Staircase singing songs of praise, strengthening myself for what was ahead.   Emily was already out of sight ahead of me up the trail.  I began the climb up the staircase gentle at first, and saw three people coming down before me and asked,  “Are you the gal with blisters?  She nodded yes. I told her that I often pray for people and animals on the trail and God heals them sometimes. Could I pray for her? She said “yes.” I knelt before this gal and laid hands on her feet and prayed. I spoke encouraging words over her and she said she felt better.  We all talked and by the end of our time, I experienced new friendship with Adam, Rochel, and Elizabeth.  They prayed for me.  After our little prayer party on the trail, we said goodbye and I continued on up Golden Staircase.

My pack was heavy, I  was already sweating from the record heat day. I began thinking of Jesus, my Savior,  and what the weight of the cross must have felt like as he walked the road to Calvary.  My thoughts were broken by a voice behind me calling out “Lauralyn….Lauralyn”.   It was Adam the young man who was helping his friend with blisters.  He told me that since leaving me he was so blessed and felt a renewal of his faith.  He said God put a burden on his heart he could not shake off or resist.  He felt that he was to carry my pack for a while up the Golden Staircase.

I was stunned and at first refused but then relented as I felt this was a special miracle and gift from God.  As I continued walking up the trail I had many opportunities to share with others this amazing gift. People looked at me without a pack like I was crazy as they assumed I was day hiking up this horrible trail.  They wanted to know  “WHY?”  I would explain and share my story about Adam and we would be amazed together.  It was a truely unbelievable act.
Later, Emily was sitting at the top waiting for me and a little worried. She saw someone who looked like me but they did not have a pack on so it couldn’t be mom she decided.   She asked the next guy who came up if He had seen her mom and described me.  Adam grinned, and said “oh Lauralyn, yes she’s coming. I’m carrying her pack! ” Emily was surprised and after making sure I was okay thanked Adam telling him she was sure she would hear the story later. Adam left my pack at the  top with Emily  and then returned back down the trail.  As we met up again, I felt thankful and encouraged as we took a selfie and gave each other a quick  hug before Adam pretty much ran down the mountain to rejoin his friends.

I really don’t know if  I would have made it up Golden Staircase that day and go on to lower Palisade  Lake  for camp the night before Mather Pass if Adam had not offered to hold my pack.   For me, this gesture was a miracle.

As I continued to finish my trek up the staircase weightless, I again thought of Jesus carrying the cross and pictured Simon coming along side to carry the weight for a time.  Other friends were there as well, cheering Him on, simply being there.  That is where my strength comes from. The love and support of friends, strangers, family members, God, simply being there.  Thank you.

Today I am actually completing this 7- week journey in the Sierras but writing about the middle. It is an interesting advantage for a writer. I can give you my reader’s a sneak peek at what is ahead. I did not quit though tempted to quit at many junctures.  I grew in endurance that will accompany me as I continue to go forward.  I learned to trust that the Lord is my Sheperd and not only cares for me but preserves, protects, guides, heals, and directs me. I also found truth in my experience of God being good all the time even if it does not look like it. Yes. God is good!  Every glimpse of glory in people, visions, experiences, plants, flowers, insects, trees, blue sky, stars, rocks, clouds, mountains, wind, rain, thunder, lightening, mountains, trails, rivers, and birds are captured in my heart and I am forever grateful. ❤️❤️❤️

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