That Time I...
Half Died of Hypothermia for a Sunrise from the Lake of the Clouds Escarpment




Winter camping in the Porcupione Mountains is a lot of fun. The park is almost totally devoid of people outside of the snowmobile trails and ski hill, which makes it the perfect time of year for some solo hiking adventures. I decided it'd be fun to hike up to the escarpment above Lake of the Clouds to camp and catch the sunrise the next morning. The forecast looked good for a brilliant show! A little snow and wind in the evening wouldn't hurt, right?
Well, in my early winter camping days I wasn't as attentive to layering and sweat management as I am now. I busted partway up the snowmobile trail before breaking trail through deep snow all the way up to the ridge. It was tough going and I got quite sweaty as I went. I figured I'd dry out as I set up camp, but in reality I just got colder and colder. I neglected to bring fresh base layers or many extra warm layers to swap out my soggy jacket with, just as the evening lake effect set in. Let's just say it wasn't ideal.
I eventually warmed back up inside my sleeping bag and survived the night. The sunrise the next morning made it all worth it! It was glorious, and the best part was that I had it all to myself. The hike out was much easier because for once, it was all downhill.