What is “Huts for Vets?” He asks, already inwardly weary with acceptance at another trip, another week with me gone, another challenge. “It’s a sick hiking trip here in Colorado where they take a bunch of female veterans and hike to a cabin. It sounds pretty intense.”
I can already feel my blood pumping, my mind racing and the trip becoming something to work towards.
“I met with Chris today over the phone, and he gave me physical training tips and suggestions and wished me luck.”
My cheeks hurt; I am so excited. I live for this stuff, and I know my grin of pure joy gives him a little happiness, too.
“Of course, you can go. I’ll hold down the fort.” He smiles.
And so, it began. I spend some of my free time Nannying for a little girl and we begin every morning with a 2-mile hike. I got faster, switched from a stroller to a hiking backpack, and eventually added the mini incline in Castle Rock to our daily routine. I finished the last few weeks partaking in the strict 21-day Daniels fast with no animal products or sugar.
I was ready for the mountain.
The day before the trip arrives and excitement is in the air as I stop to fill up my gas tank before the big drive in the morning. I use my phone to pay for gas, which holds my wallet and driver’s license and fill up my tank. Laughing with my kiddos and the windows down, I realize my phone is gone. My husband pulls up find-my-iPhone, and we watch as my little face moves away down the street, and then it disappears. Someone stole my phone, ID, VA card, and debit card. My contacts, my photos, my memories.
My heart sank.
How would I get from Centennial, CO, to a small mountain town named Basalt that I had never heard of 4 hours away? I spent a few minutes pouting and experiencing that fresh loss of my communication with the world. I didn’t have the money to replace a brand-new iPhone instantly, so I sucked it up and printed out my MapQuest pages. With a purple highlighter, 200$ in cash for gas and food and a passport, I kissed my children farewell and headed out for my adventure.
Praise be, I made it safely, and we briefly met at the local library before caravaning to base camp.
The very first thing I notice is the vibe. A cute cabin food trailer awaits you on the side of the foothills while a large teepee towers over camp and you are instantly met with smiles. Everyone begins to welcome, and chips and guac are set out while dinner is being prepared.
It’s thrilling to be in a new environment to meet new women who have experiences so similar to mine it’s uncanny. How often do I search for these connections in my everyday life? How often do I stand surrounded by people, admired and well-liked, and feel completely alone?
It’s different. Huts for Vets is different. I could take you through every moment from start to finish and explain how each was an impactful as the last, but I’ll take you through my top ones.
The food. Man. From the very first moment I arrived, there was constantly good food, snacks, water, electrolytes, coffee, teas, and just all of it. After hiking that first day, being exhausted and beat at the finish, we had a hearty meal of grilled salmon, strawberry salad and bread. It was amazing—and every day after, breakfast, lunch and dinner. For a family who has experienced pediatric cancer, I value nutritious food more than most. What a gift it was to be served for a week by a woman who poured their love and time into the meal. I ate far too much and enjoyed every moment.
The women leaders. On the way to the trailhead the first day, I had a minor medical issue that left me in a tight spot. Should I seek care and potentially miss my trip? Or suck it up and just make it through the weekend. One staff member, with the kindest, gentlest soul, looked at me and told me it the surest voice that it was okay. Someone would swing by the urgent care with me on the way up and I could meet them at the 2 mile marker. Not only did she see my insecurity and fear at leaving the group, but she also reassured me that I wouldn’t be left behind to get the help I needed. This gentle moment has become a core memory in what womanhood is. It’s looking out for and supporting those who may be too afraid to share their voice even if it costs them dearly—something women are usually accustomed to swallowing without complaint.
The hiking. I am a native to Colorado but after spending 10 years in Boston, I can tell you the hiking was wicked awesome. Don’t get me wrong, it’s tough and seriously, the incline at altitude is no joke, but there is truly something incredibly rewarding to finish a difficult hike to a remote cabin in the middle of the mountains. To eat good food and soak in fellowship. It is life-changing. Your body feels good, your mind feels good, you learn to truly breathe.
That week was so impactful in so many different areas of my life. I am not the same woman I was when I first arrived and I have become such a more genuine one since I left. I quit my nanny job, stepped back from my demanding position on the board of directors, ended a long-term relationship, and cleaned every room in my house. It has been a complete reset. Huts for Vets wasn’t a mental health workshop, it was a community of woman who have experienced a rare feat of service that most men will never, who come together and live. They hike, stretch, pray, laugh, cry, eat, greet the sunrise, and stay awake long after it sets.
For me, Huts for Vets is a place where veterans get to come and feel not only free and worthy but accomplished and held in venerability. Thank you. Thank you so much for giving me these moments that will long live in my memory. Seeing those girls drive away to the airport, I felt an overwhelming loss. Genuine tears of happiness and sadness poured down my face, but I truly believe that because of the atmosphere created at Huts, these relationships will thrive outside in the “real” world.
I won’t be completely alone out there anymore.
