There are some hikes that instantly take my breath away, and the Donner Peak trail was one of those. With this hike being less than 4 miles and under a 1,000 ft elevation gain, I wasn’t expecting the views I was about to receive! Nor did I realize what gnarly beauty I was about to witness. Against all odds these epic trees have somehow discovered the pure grit required to survive in this windy, sheer, and rocky terrain.
As you’re hiking this trail, the predictable pattern of the wind becomes obvious because you can literally feel it as you turn each corner. But you can also see it in the way the landscape has adapted. The trees in particular have been forced to grow in the direction of the wind and the result is truly breathtaking. To me, they looked like massive bonsais that a master arborist must have carefully sculpted into these stunning shapes. But nope! Nature.
After exploring this epic rocky terrain (and filming our beer pairing video), Vance and I took our obligatory selfie from the top and he grabbed some shots of me taking photos and doing handstands. I seriously lucked out with the best insta husband ever 😉
I didn’t want to leave the mountain, and kept lamenting the fact that I should have brought a hammock tent. But Vance finally convinced me to leave with the promise of a craft beer at the Truckee Brewery. And I have to say… it was worth the hike back down.
And of course, a Wired to Explore adventure would not be complete without a proper craft beer pairing. Enjoy 😉