During my time in Wyoming I have come to realize how fun an adventurous outdoorsy culture can be. A few days ago our crew headed up to the Snowy mountains. As we drove the flat plains shifted into hills scattered evergreen trees. Eventually forests surrounded us. As I stepped out of the car I found my eyes captured by the landscape of wildflowers and snowy mountains. It was a funny feeling realizing part of me truly wanted to look out at the sight in front of me for hours.

The Medicine Bow Peak Trail was both one of the most beautiful and trying hikes I’ve ever been on. Along the way the rock formations, wildflowers, beautiful streams, and even snow made me feel like I was in a dream.

As the climb to the summit became progressively more inclined my muscles burned. Yet group support and my own excitement to see more of the landscape from above pushed me forward.

I found interactions with fellow hikers to be encouraging. As we climbed up the summit, several hikers trekking down not only said hello but also tried to boast our group’s morale saying things like “you got this” or “you are so close.” In addition to this, many stood to the side and insisted for us to pass first as we crossed paths. During one break a hiker even offered us trail mix when hearing that someone in our crew was hungry.

These niceties feel more out of the way than the ones I am used to at home. On hikes in Pennsylvania the exchanging of greetings – as opposed to both that and the exchanging of motivational wishes – feel the most typical. Although this may very well be due to the specific difficulty of the Medicine Bow Peak hike, I think it has something to do with the regional values. Perhaps the value of encouraging adventure in Wyoming is what allows such a supportive outdoor culture to flourish. That warm energy sure is contagiously fun out here!