Adjusting the straps of my pack, I continued to venture up the trail. My friends ahead of me whistled as we scaled the ridge of the mountain. The sun just began to dip to our west, slowly turning the sky a soft orange. I looked down at my feet, realizing how sore they were from the hours spent on the trail. Looking around me though, it was clear that every moment was worth it.

We continued to hike the ridge as the sky faded around us and we reached the beach where we planned to set up camp at for the night. Grateful to set my bag down, we assembled our tents and built a fire just as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. As the world shifted from light to dark, we cooked over the fire and retold the best moments of our day. Someone strummed a ukulele as our talk shifted from stories to laughter and then laughter to singing. The warmth of the fire reflected the warmth in my chest for the people around me, their smiles and laughter creating a wild and free feeling of home.

As the fire died down we lay down in the sand and turned our eyes to the stars. Above us, the fingers of the Milky Way grasped at the deep blue of the sky, so vast it was incomprehensible. Looking up at the universe we felt indescribably small, but also a sense of belonging, knowing that we were meant to be nowhere else. As the night grew older we retired to our tents and burrowed into our sleeping bags, exhausted from a long and beautiful day.

I was the first to wake up the next morning, my friends still deeply asleep as the first dim light of the day pried into our tents. I quietly left my sleeping bag and wandered into the early light, the sun not yet visible in the sky. I stretched and took in the quiet around me. I was only able to hear the lapping water of the lake and the distant singing of birds. I walked to the waters edge and carefully dipped my toes into the water, letting the cold send tingles up my spine. I felt connected to the world in a way that can only be described with the feelings of open hearts, tired muscles and adventurous friends.

I encourage every person to take such an adventure into the wilderness, with both the proper gear and amazing people. There is something truly special about spending a night in a world untouched by society, completely free and uninhibited. It is a different and beautiful world, best explored with those you care about and a desire to discover something new. Happy adventuring!