Hart Lake Trek

I am getting settled into the community where I work, live, and play.   Right now there are approximately 85 short and long term staff at Holden living alongside around 250 mine remediation workers.  This will be the last summer without guests if the work at the mine goes as planned.  We all have different work assignments during the day, but eat together three meals each day in the dining hall, sleep/live in chalets along chalet hill, worship together every evening, and participate in a variety of programming opportunities throughout the week.  Programs vary from tournaments (trivia, BB, ping pong, cribbage), movie night, ice cream at the snack bar, and coffee and conversation.  We get two days off each week – the days are dependent on your work assignment.  How did I keep busy on my days off this week?

I hiked to Hart Lake on Friday by myself.  I am grateful that I have my health and can make the walk.  On the way the only living creatures I saw were deer and on the way back I crossed paths with two villagers on their way to Hart.  It is a nine-mile round-trip hike which I have done several times on previous visits.  The first time I made the hike with Patrick and Peter in 1999.  It is strenuous but absolutely breathtaking when you cross the waterfall and can see Hart Lake.  Peter and I hiked the trail on subsequent visits and it became one of our favorite things to do when we visited Holden.

In 2011; Katie, Patrick, Andrea, Zach, Dawson, Kameron, and I made the trek to Hart Lake during out family trip to Holden.  For the newbies, it is a little hard to describe the physical wear on your body for those not used to mountain hikes and to be honest I thought I might scare them off.  We hiked that day to honor Peter and to scatter his ashes at the spot where you first view the Lake.  I was so proud of my family as we all made the nine mile journey.  Dawson wanted to walk all the way to the lake, but we were so tired we didn’t let him and he is still a bit peeved about that.  Next summer when they come visit we will all trek down to the lake and visit Peter.

On Saturday, I helped other villagers tie quilts for the five high school graduates.  The quilts were made with simple blocks of fabric that will help them remember their year(s) at Holden.  I made the binding for three of the quilts.  It felt really good to have my sewing machine out.  I started on a wall hanging for my room after the quilts were finished.  I am getting settled and feeling a part of the Village and excited about what is to come.