Deer watching the sun come up Mt Shasta from Heart Lake

It’s late, later than it should be. We’re the only car winding our way up the snaking backcountry road just outside the town of Shasta. The original plan was to arrive earlier but a delayed departure and taco detour slipped the itenerary. After a blasé drive through “no man’s land” central California, both Sierra and I are eager to climb into our bags. The highbeams barely penetrate the peripheral darkness as we swing past bends in the road. Shadows and chaparral distort into mountain lions only to change back in the blink of an eye.

It’s a short, uncomfortable night crumpled in the back of the CR-V. I’m oblivious when the alarm goes off but rouse to Sierra pulling on clothes. Inside, I’m begging her to cave so we can go back to sleep; who cares about a stupid sunrise anyways? She’s determined however and I’m forced to jumpstart my mud brain or forever hold my peace.

We race the sun up 2 miles from Castle Lake to Heart Lake. The trail is well traveled but splinters into parallel side routes. A few wrong turns but we make it in time. Sierra goes to work scoping out the location and unfurling her tripod. Bugs flit along the lake surface, rippling communication in some language I don’t understand. Shasta, the second monolith of the Cascades, bathed in pink light of the new day. Big thoughts for a big mountain.

There are a few tents setup around the lake so we don’t say much. The camera shutter clicks in short bursts. A deer materializes out of the nearby brush and is surprised when it notices us; as if it wasn’t expecting anyone else to be awake. It poses for a few shots and carries on foraging for breakfast. I find a luffa discarded on the lake shore and ponder the morality of mankind.

The next day we’re not alone as we stop to fill up on water from Luella Lake. Hundreds of ink black tadpoles wiggling their way through life dot the lakebed. We’ve completed over half the 20 mile journey around the Four Lakes Loop in Shasta-Trinity National Forest and are now making homeward progress. There’s another group of four swimming on the other shore. The bravest reports to the others on water temperature. I for one don’t want to step on our amphibious friends.

My pacifism is quickly overruled and I can’t help but take a dip in Deer Lake, the next and final swimming option in the loop. Laying on the shore drying, an overly curious Chipmunk peers inside my backpack. He’s unfazed by my attempts to shoo him away and instead starts a game of hide-n-seek. He seems friendly but is probably only interested in the salami chunks we’re having for lunch.

Back in the car, the celebratory beer’s not as cold as I’d like but tastes good anyways. I know it’s against the law to drink while driving but I’m still not back under civilized rule. Sierra wants to stay another day but we’re both ready for a shower. As she puts it “We smell like pee”.

Monday comes sooner than I can unpack. The weekend’s a blur and a sunburn and I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. At the office, coworkers recount the weekend’s events. One thing’s for sure, I’d rather be outside than caught up on the latest Netflix binge.

~Reid