What a Storm in Desolation Wilderness Taught Me About What Really Matters
After the storm, Lake Aloha glowed with a sunrise that reminded me why the struggle was worth it.
One of the most powerful ways I reconnect with inner peace is through nature. Nowhere was this clearer than during a five-day backpacking trip in California’s Desolation Wilderness.
When the Mountains Quiet the Mind
The trail into Desolation Wilderness offered me no shortcuts. A 40-pound pack pressed into my shoulders, every switchback dragging me higher over granite slabs baked in the sun. It was tough at first — the kind of climb that tested my lungs and legs — but soon my breath fell into rhythm, step after step, and the chatter of everyday life slipped away.
Out there, I wasn’t a coach, a partner, or a woman with a long to-do list. I was just me weight, sweat, stone, and sky.
The Teamwork That Carried Us
Nothing gets done alone. Dave, Trish, and I fell into rhythm — one hauling water, another checking maps, another setting up the stove. We shared cooking, cleaning, and camp duties, each picking up where the others left off. The packs were still heavy and the climbs still steep, but with three of us carrying the load, it felt lighter and we felt stronger together.
The Storm
The skies opened with monsoon-level rain. My tent quickly became surrounded by water, filling like a bathtub. I dug a trench, but it didn’t help. Eventually, I had to move my tent in the pouring rain to higher ground. That’s when the storm escalated hail began pounding the ground, lightning split the sky, and more rain fell than I had ever seen while backpacking. In the chaos, I lost all my tent stakes and found myself scrambling in the mud, desperate to track them down before my tent blew away in the wind. I wasn’t thinking about emails or errands just the basics: stay dry, stay safe, and recover the stakes before my tent blew away in the storm.
The Gift of Morning
When the storm cleared, the sunrise over the lake was unforgettable. Golden light shimmered across the water, granite peaks glowed, and stillness filled the air.
Sitting there in mud-stained clothes, I felt more peace than I had in weeks at home. The experience reminded me: peace isn’t the absence of challenges. It’s being present, even when life is messy.
My yoga space turned into a swimming pool — the mat went with the flow!
Lessons from the Trail
That trip taught me lessons I now share with clients:
Simplicity clears the mind. Nature strips away the nonessential.
Discomfort builds resilience. Storms — literal and figurative — reveal inner strength.
Beauty is always present. Even in hardship, there’s something to notice.
Presence creates peace. Calm isn’t chased; it’s allowed.
Closing out my trip with the most unforgettable sunrise!
An Invitation
You don’t need to trek into the wilderness to find inner peace. You can invite it into daily life:
Take a walk in a nearby park.
Watch the sunrise or sunset.
Sit quietly under a tree.
Listen to the sound of rain.
Notice the air on your skin and the colors in the sky.
When we allow nature to slow us down, the wilderness outside awakens the calm within.
Until Next Time,
Wendy Wheeler
