“Single Black female hiker here! My love of hiking started with local parks like Robinswood, Coal Creek, Kelsey Creek and Weowna. Then, I graduated to Cougar Mountain. Now, I’m working on Tiger Mountain trails. There are a few extraordinary experiences that heighten my senses — from hearing the domino effects of the wind through the leaves and branches to seeing Mother Nature constantly change with each step and season. The trail community is wonderful and sometimes challenging. On a late hike, I miscalculated my ability to make it down the mountain in a timely matter and found myself alone in the dark. Then, I spotted another single woman in the same predicament. When I finally approached the woman, I suggested we walk together, but I could feel her fear of me was more than the dark and the possibility of being eaten by a cougar or whatnot in her absolute silence and tense body language. Even though we could work as a team, I didn’t want to take a chance that she could be a wood-Karen. So, I passed her and hastened down the mountain. Another chance encounter with a hiker was on [Tiger Mountain Trail] nearing the peak. It was snowing with freezing winds, and I forgot my gloves and didn’t want to turn back. Then, another fellow hiker who was heading down gave me his liner gloves. OMG! I was humbled by the random act of kindness and coincidentally was able to return his gloves further down the trail. Personally, taking on the great outdoors took months for me to be more mindful and release the outside world inside the outdoors in every step.”

— Donna Carpenter