Adventure Girls

Judy proposed a hike to Kennedy Hot Springs in the Mountain Loop area of Washington’s Cascades. The trail was snow-covered and the day overcast, damp, and cold. Despite the conditions, Judy was in good spirits, urging her doubtful companion forward. We saw no one until we arrived at the springs. Simply a small, square liquid hole in the ground, about six feet across, battened on the inside with wood timbers with an entry facilitated by a rustic wood pole ladder. Flatwood slats wrapped around the perimeter of the pool, which was not clear or inviting.

     The whole thing was an untidy, messy affair that would have disappointed most expectations. The water appeared a murky muddy brown color, but it was hot, and we were chilled. We encountered another couple already in the water and quickly shed our clothes and joined them. The relaxing liquid heat revived our spirits. After a long and slightly muddy soak, we emerged and gingerly walked, stark naked over to the nearby stream, and stepping carefully over the river rocks, entered it and splashed ourselves clean.

     After our experience at Kennedy, Judy was excited about another hot springs destination and proposed a night hike to Goldmyer Hot Springs. Sited on a privately owned property in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, it featured natural, clear, hot water pools both inside and outside a cave in the middle of a dense forest. It sounded much more enticing than Kennedy.

     I don’t remember much about the route we took as it was a covert operation, just the two of us sneaking mile after mile towards our goal under a cold luminescent night sky. We hiked stealthily with only intermittent moonlight as flakes of snow drifted lazily around us, covering the miles in semi-dark, and making one dicey river crossing before arriving at the hot springs.

     We removed our clothes and waded alone into the water inside the cave. Arriving at the back end of the cave and settling into the soothing warmth of the water, we were astonished and delighted to discover more than a half dozen fat candles, already flickering, providing a magical light, as soft as fireflies, dancing across the walls and ceiling of that quiet chamber. We stayed for quite a while, speaking softly and laughing contentedly with our good fortune. And surprisingly, we did not encounter anyone else. Reluctantly, leaving the fat candles burning, we emerged and hiked back out through the snowy night.

This is an excerpt from ‘Adventure Girls,’ an early story from my recently released memoir, Banquet of the Infinite, which is now available as an eBook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.