Page 11 of Tracked By the Mountain Man
"Exactly. The North Ridge approach is more demanding, but the views are spectacular. And it's the route that leads directly to Eagle's Rest, the summit she wanted to reach."
I trace the elevation lines with my finger, trying to imagine Katie studying this same route, planning our adventure with her characteristic enthusiasm.
"You can complete what you and Katie started. You can carry her memory to that summit and experience what she wanted to share with you,” he says.
I think about Katie's excitement in the days leading up to our trip, how she'd pored over trail guides and weather reports despite her usual spontaneity. How she'd talked about the moment we'd reach Eagle's Rest together, about the photos we'd take, about proving to ourselves that we could handle something this challenging.
"How long would the hike take?" I ask, wiping my eyes with a napkin.
"Two days if we do it properly. Camp overnight at Whispering Pines, the same spot you and Katie planned to use. Summit Eagle's Rest on day two." Tyler traces the route with his finger. "I know every water source, every potential hazard, every place where the trail gets tricky."
"And you're sure you want to do this? Guide me up there?"
Tyler covers my hand with his. "Leah, helping you reach that summit won't just honor Katie's memory. It'll help me find some peace with the search, with the fact that I couldn't get to her in time."
The honesty in his voice, the way he's opening himself to his own healing, makes my decision easy.
"Okay," I say, thinking of Katie's excitement about the summit, about the experience she wanted us to share. "Let's finish Katie's Trail."
Tyler nods approvingly. "Good choice. And don't worry about gear. I've got everything you'll need. My family's been outfitting hikers in these mountains for thirty years."
"We'll start early tomorrow," Tyler says, already making notes on the map. "Today we'll get you properly equipped and do some conditioning hikes on the easier trails. Build your confidence back up after yesterday."
"Conditioning hikes?" I raise an eyebrow.
Tyler grins. "City girl, you were winded after a quarter mile yesterday. Eagle's Rest is a twelve-mile round trip with threethousand feet of elevation gain. We're going to make sure you're ready."
"I used to hike regularly," I protest.
"Before Katie died and you spent five years avoiding anything that reminded you of her," Tyler finishes gently. "It's okay, Leah. We'll get you back in shape. I promise."
As we spend the morning planning gear lists and studying trail conditions, I feel my heart fluttering with hope. The familiar anxiety about hiking, about being in the mountains where Katie died, is still there. But it's tempered now by anticipation, by the growing certainty that this is what I need to do.
Not to punish myself or prove something to Katie's memory, but to reclaim the part of myself I lost when she died. The part that loved the outdoors, that felt alive in the wilderness, that understood why Katie was drawn to high places and wild spaces.
"Ready for our first training hike?" Tyler asks, standing and folding the maps.
I think of Katie's excitement about reaching Eagle's Rest, of the experience she wanted us to share at the summit, of the sister who always believed I was braver than I thought I was.
"Ready," I say, and for the first time in five years, I actually mean it.
Katie wanted us to reach that summit together. Tomorrow, with Tyler beside me, I'll finally keep that promise.
six
Tyler
Thealarmgoesoff,but I'm already awake, lying in the darkness listening to Leah's steady breathing beside me. Today's the day. After hours of preparation hikes and gear checks, we're finally going to attempt Katie's Trail the right way.
"Time to go?" Leah's voice is soft in the darkness.
"Time to go." I turn to face her, making out her profile in the pre-dawn light filtering through the curtains. "Are you ready for this?"
"No." Her honesty makes me smile. "But I'm going to do it anyway."
That's the Leah I've come to know, scared but brave, uncertain but determined. The woman Katie wrote about in her journal, the twin who would face down any fear if it mattered enough.
We dress quietly, shouldering our packs in the B&B's hushed hallway. I've checked and rechecked our gear: first aid supplies, emergency shelter, extra food and water, communicationequipment. Everything we need for a safe two-day journey to Eagle's Rest and back.
