Chapter 13
For The Memories
The stone wall warms the palms of my hands as I lean against it.
It’s the perfect day for a hike in Grand Teton National Park.
I was instructed to meet Codie and her group of hiking friends at Jenny Lake, near the ferry dock.
A tan stone wall borders the sidewalk overlooking the lake and the gray mountains jutting out of it at sharp angles.
The tops of the peaks are covered in a blanket of snow even in June. The contrast between the field I drove through to get here and the tall mountains is so jarring, it’s hard to believe a place like this even exists.
In Idaho, our mountains are more gradual. Crawling out of the ground slowly enough that people build homes on the benches. Green and filled with grass and trees.
Here, they’re so severe I can’t imagine what event occurred in Earth’s history to cause such an abrupt change. The gray rock shutting out any hope for grass and plants to grow on the steep cliff faces. These mountains are drastically newer, not yet shaped by millenia of weather rounding them out.
Jenny Lake doesn’t look big enough to have a ferry to cross it, but a water taxi heads towards the dock in front of me with a white wake trailing behind.
It’s really just a big silver pontoon boat gliding across the water, with rows and rows of forest green faux leather chairs to transport hikers to the start of the trailhead.
It’s a crowded day in the park. When I got to the parking lot, it was already filling up even at seven in the morning. I’m glad we got an early start today. The water taxi is only about half full, and the line waiting to board to cross the lake isn’t very long.
“Katie!” Codie runs towards me, arms outstretched, pulling me into a hug. “I’m so glad you came!”
“Thanks for inviting me! It’s such a perfect day, I’m so excited,” I exclaim.
Codie introduces me to her three other friends hiking with us, Erin, Morgan and Nicole.
They all live in the Jackson Hole area and are around our age or a little older.
Codie tells them I’m here for the summer renovating the old barn on Lone Pine Ranch.
All of them seem to know exactly what she’s talking about.
“We’ve all been to a few gatherings out on the ranch, especially back in the day.
Those ranch hands know how to throw a good Branding Night.
And don’t get me started on their Fourth of July fireworks,” Erin says, her blue eyes crinkling at the sides.
“Plus, Morgan has a huge crush on one of the cowboys there.”
“Hey, that was a million years ago,” Morgan shoots back, her brown curls bouncing as she talks. “I haven’t seen Parker in so long.”
“You have a crush on Parker?” The words come tumbling out of my mouth before I have a chance to stop them.
“Yeah, have you met him?”
“Actually, yes. A few times. The Autry’s invite me over for dinner every Sunday and he’s usually there.”
“You have dinner with the Autry’s?” Nicole, who hasn’t spoken more than a quick ‘hello’ since she arrived, gasps, eyes wide.
“Yeah, every Sunday. I’m staying in their guest cabin. It’s been pretty fun.” I shrug. I didn’t realize how small of a town this is. Everyone seems to know Miles’s family.
“I can’t believe you get to have dinner with Miles and Parker every week, at that mansion of a place they call a ranch house. You’re so lucky,” Erin says, eyes wide. They all know Miles too. Great.
“Wait, you actually see Miles? I haven’t seen him in… probably years. That guy has become such a hermit lately,” Morgan chides.
“Honestly, I wish I saw Oscar the Grouch a little less,” I reply. That earns a laugh from the girls.
“Come on girls, let’s get down to the boat,” Codie says, waving the giggling group towards the dock where the boat has come to a stop. Hikers file off of the boat, and we hop in line to get on board. We take up two rows of seating in the middle.
The boat ride over to the trailhead is pretty short, but it’s the prettiest one I’ve ever been on. And I’ve spent a lot of time at beautiful lakes.
Nothing compares to this.
The blue of the water and white of the wake trailing behind us. Full panoramic views of the Tetons jutting out from all around us. Pine trees climbing up the mountain and lining the lake, their scent surrounding us. The cool mountain air whipping my curls around my neck.
I take out my phone and snap a few photos of the mountains, and a selfie of our hiking group. I want to remember this day.
We are ushered off of the water taxi when it docks at the trailhead. The dock on this side of the lake is much smaller, and there’s a lot less of a line. The trail starts immediately afterwards, a dirt trail heading up into the tall lodgepole pines.
“Okay ladies,” Codie claps her hands, standing in front of us. “We are hiking to Hidden Falls today, and then up a bit further to the Inspiration Point. We’ll have a great view of Jenny Lake from there.”
“Lead the way!” Morgan shouts.
Our hiking boots crunch on the dirt trail as we head up the hill into the pine trees. A mix of green and blue fills my vision. I’ve spent my life exploring the mountains, hiking up to peaks, riding horses on rocky trails. But this is different somehow. More majestic.
I listen to them update each other on their jobs and their lives, and more than a few dating horror stories from Morgan. Erin reminds me a lot of Hazel. She’s got the same grit, a determination that flows off of her naturally.
For the first time since I got to Wyoming, I really miss my friends. I love being independent, but I miss having Hazel a short drive away. I wish she were here on this hike with us. She’d love it. I would love to bring her here someday.
The trees sway in a cool mountain breeze as we hike up and up, through switchbacks and over rocks solidified into the trail. The scent of pine fills my lungs. Truly fresh air. Before we’ve even reached a waterfall of overlook, I already love this trail.
Morgan and I fall into conversation about her many jobs around Jackson Hole over the years.
“I’m a bit of a wanderer, as my parents say,” she smiles, looking down at the dirt trail below us. “I love doing all kinds of things. So I do. And I love Wyoming. I couldn’t imagine living in a big city.”
“I get that,” I reply. “That’s why I like my job so much. It’s always different every day. Sometimes I’m turning over the properties, sometimes I’m helping guests plan their vacations, sometimes I’m renovating houses and decorating rooms.”
“Sounds like you love it.”
“I do. And I love that I get to learn different places while I’m at it. Be a resident of a different town every once in a while.” I reach back, clipping my hair up onto my head as the breeze turns from cool to warm.
“Do you think you’ll stay in Idaho forever?” Morgan asks.
I’ve never planned on staying in Idaho forever. In fact, I’ve always thought I’d move away eventually. Probably a few times. Explore new places. Open up new areas for MacPherson. Like what I’m doing here, but on a bigger scale.
But now? I’m not so sure. I could see myself wanting to find a home and stay somewhere. Traveling is fun, but it would be nice to have a place I can call my own.
I never really had that growing up. I’ve always pretty much been able to live out of a suitcase ever since my parents shipped me off to Juniper Ridge.
Even with all of my Aunt’s efforts to make me feel at home and welcome there, it still wasn’t ever mine.
Not in the way that it’s Hazel’s. I still feel like somewhat of a guest there. A transplant.
“I’m not sure. I think I want somewhere to call home, but I don’t know if I’ve found it yet.”
Morgan considers my words for a minute before replying. “I could see you here, you know. You fit in pretty well. Plus, we could really use another hiking buddy. We even have a book club in the winter when we’re all stuck inside.”
My heart swells a bit in my chest at her offer. I haven’t let myself consider it, but I do feel like I could stay here. I love it already. What if I could live in Jackson Hole? I know I’ve only been here for a short time, but maybe.
No, that’d be crazy.
I don’t even know what I’d do here. We just have the one cabin to run, that wouldn’t be enough to justify me hanging around.
Codie stops in her tracks in front of me so abruptly I almost trip onto the dirt.
When I glance up at her, she’s staring ahead through the clearing of trees at a beautiful waterfall.
The water had been rushing past us in a small creek for the entire hike, I must not have heard the waterfall as we snuck closer to it.
Hidden Falls isn’t the tallest waterfall I’ve seen, but it’s by far the prettiest. White water rushes down dark gray rocks between the pine trees, with the jagged mountains raising up impossibly tall in the background.
The creek after the waterfall rushes past a viewing point a few people take photos at, around a bend and down the mountain towards Jenny Lake. The water shines a light turquoise color as it flows past us.
“It’s beautiful,” I murmur to no one in particular.
“I thought you might like it.” Codie nudges my arm with a laugh.
We stay and take a group photo in front of the waterfall with Erin’s phone. Codie insists on taking one of just me ‘for the memories.’
The next half of the hike is a lot faster. Or, rather, it just feels that way. We laugh and talk the entire way up the mountain. I’m not sure if I could remember anyone else that passed by, how loud we were, or anything outside of the fun we were creating.
Seemingly out of nowhere, we stumble upon another clearing. This time, on top of a rocky mountain face.
“Come on, let’s sit on the edge,” Morgan yells from behind me, rushing past me with surer footing than I could hope to have.
We all make it over to the edge of the rock, taking in the view at the lookout. In front of us, Jenny Lake stretches out from the mountain we stand on, its dark blue water sparkling in the sunlight.
Past the lake, rows and rows of lodgepole pines lead to open fields of light green grass, just starting to turn golden in the summer heat. I can see all the way to the cabins on the other side of the clearing, built in the early days of ranching in Jackson Hole.
The sun warms my cheeks and I take a moment to take it all in.
The summer breeze blowing past. The calm of the mountains in the middle of the day.
The songs of the birds flying by, making nests in the trees nearby.
The feeling of the rocks, sturdy below my hiking boots.
The comradery of hiking up this mountain with new friends.
It’s been a while since I’ve slowed down to evaluate how I’m feeling in the life I’ve built. I’m proud of the work I do. I’m not sure where I’ll end up, or what’s next for me in the grand scheme of life. But, here, in this moment, I’m happy.
I know after this hike, I’ll return to renovating the cabin, and eventually, back to real life and the shuffle of everyday tasks.
But just for now, I breathe a sigh of relief and take in the moment. Give myself time to stay in the feeling of being content.
I look over to the other women surrounding me and think about how grateful I am to have this experience with them. It’s nice to not be alone. It’s nice to have friends.