Backpacking to Reyes Peak: Windy, but Beautiful

Dad and I went backpacking again, this time to Reyes Peak. He said the trail was short, only about a mile, so it would be perfect for me.

We drove through the mountains, listening to Beethoven. I looked out the window and said, “It feels like we’re in a movie!” Dad smiled.

On the trail, I kept stopping to look at pine cones and footprints. I even made my own “bear tracks” in the dirt for fun. We saw deer tracks and squirrel tracks too. Dad kept nudging me to keep going because it was getting colder, but I liked seeing everything.

The sun was setting, and the air smelled like pine needles. I could hear the wind in the trees. It was so pretty.

When we got close to the top, the wind was really strong. Dad set up the tent and used big rocks to hold it down so it wouldn’t blow away. I crawled inside, ate my dinner, and felt warm in my new sleeping bag while Dad worked outside.

The night was chilly and noisy from the wind, but we both slept well. Even though it was windy, I thought the view was amazing. I was glad we went.

In the morning, we packed up and climbed to the very top of Reyes Peak. The rocks were big, but I liked scrambling over them. When we reached the summit, I could see mountains and valleys all around us, and clouds moving fast in the wind. It felt like I was standing on top of the world.

After that, we hiked back down to the car. I was tired but happy.