Dear reader, this story starts like many others that I have from this season of life. At the time I worked at Stovepipe Wells Village inside of Death Valley National Park in California. I was working many hours in a restaurant in the village and to save money I was exploring the endless mountain summits inside of Death Valley National Park. Each day I would wake up and see the Panament Range looming in the distance. The Death Valley Buttes just past the Mesquite Sand Dunes. On a windy day a person could watch a sandstorm roll in from the dining room that was my day-to-day office. The few days rain would dance around the valley were rare but beautiful. The clouds above the Ridgeline would bring an emotion to the park that was not like a normal day feeling in the air. On this specific morning my sites were on Mount Perry. My goal was to sleep under the stars atop or near the summit of Perry. I packed my Hyperlite Pack and checked the Weather one last time, the only things left to do were to acquire a backcountry permit and start walking up the Mountain. I acquired my Backcountry Permit thanks to Death Valley easy to use Email Permit System. I then drove to the Trailhead…. Once parked, I finished packing my Backpack and began walking. The Mount Perry Trail was not anything technical but a desert walk that was not consistently maintained. After taking in the views the entire way as the trail follows a mostly ridgeline, I finally made it to the Summit. Upon arriving I discovered a Smart Wool Beanie that I still use to this day. At the time of myself writing this story. I do not recall if the Mountain had a summit register. I do remember Looking for a spot to camp and deciding on a pretty rocky spot on the ridgeline. I started my Jetboil and cooked my Mountain house meal. Shortly after I took Photographs of Sunset from up perch up so high.

Soon after I discovered that I was camped on top of a Mouse colony and my next realization was a few hours after sunset… the little guys were not going to leave me alone. every few minutes a little mouse would pop up in the moon light from between the rocks. Seemingly perplexed by my being on the Mountain. I decided for the sake of my gear and possibly my health I should find a new camp. I packed up and walked down the Mount Perry Trail until I came crossed an even better Cowboy Camping spot. Pictured at the beginning of this article is Sunrise from this new home.

After taking in the Sunrise, I packed my backpack and began my pilgrimage back down the Mountain. The views of Bad Water Basin and the Panament Range to my side. A memory I can only begin to try to express and share. One back to my Jeep I drove to Pahrump Nevada, to have a Burger and process my new experience. Tomorrow, it was back to work.

-Sky