Translations available

Old Friends and Falling Snow : Winter at White Salmon Creek

A group of old friends set off on a weekend of backcountry snowshoeing in the magnificent North Cascades of Washington State. As the snow falls (and falls), they rediscover their shared appreciation for unscripted adventure and renew deep connections.

I am old enough to have experienced the profound benefit of long friendships.

The arc of a lifetime, when shared with folks who are special to you, is in some way measured and calibrated by these interactions. Things change. We change. But the joys of sharing the adventures that stir one’s soul with equally passionate people does not fade.

A cadre of these old friends have made it a habit to join me on a winter outing each year, having long ago discovered a mutual appreciation for winter backpacking and snow camping, either on cross-country skis or snowshoes (the choice determined by both conditions and ambitions). An annual excursion along these lines had become a custom, an obligatory rite of winter, a sacred duty.

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