I never took a wilderness trip with my daughter, Hannah. I took multiple trips with my sons — three with Isaac, and two with Ethan — but never one with Hannah. Sports schedules, work schedules, and other conflicts seemed to always get in the way. This summer, determined to take her on a trip, I reserved a week for that sole purpose. For years I watched her compete on soccer fields and hard courts, but aside from a few day hikes, I never really saw her in a wilderness environment.

Summer schedules appeared unlikely to allow Isaac and Ethan to join us, and without their experienced assistance, I was too short-handed to pull off any legitimate Cascades glacier family climb. So Hannah and I instead decided to try a new area in the famous Wind River area of Wyoming. We hoped we could find something big, without the technical and logistical hassles of a glacier trip.

Mountain trips clear the clutter from my brain. The grueling days and extreme terrain force me to focus on essential things. After a few days of focus, and many hours of trail reflection, I relearn what’s truly important, and recognize (with some embarrassment) the number of unessential concerns I let soak into my daily life. Accordingly, I return simultaneously exhausted and restored.

Hannah and I hiked 12 miles up high into the Rockies and made a base camp at Island Lake in the Titcomb Basin. On the second day, we made a 10-hour summit on Fremont Peak (13,750’) on the Continental Divide. On the third day, we explored the upper Basin and then hiked out, enjoying a spectacular 17-mile day, and some well-earned Subway foot-longs back at the hotel.

The relationship between a father and daughter can be a tricky, but special thing. The past six days, including three huge days in the wilderness, two cross-prairie drives, and a summit with my daughter, complete a week I will cherish forever. Hannah is funny, strong, smooth, and efficient. She’s a good trail cook, demonstrates strong map memory, and she’s an excellent route finder. She cannot possibly know how much this trip meant to me. I can’t wait to go again!