3 Dune Challenge,
Redux:
Welcoming the New Year
Indiana Dunes National
Lakeshore (now National Park) and Indiana Dunes State Park
January 1, 2019
Could we do it again?
Richard and I had done the 3 Dune
Challenge on May 29, 2014 (my, how time flies – that seems like
just two years ago!) The Challenge was brand new at the time. The
official opening was not until mid-June, but everything was set up
for it, so we went.
To see our first 3 Dunes Challenge
experience, check this out:
Moving up to late 2018:
We had been to some First Day Hikes
before (McCormick's Creek State, Shakamak State Park) and felt we
were due for another one. They are a great way to step into the new
year on the right foot.
What about trying the 3 Dune Challenge
again, which is the First Day Hike always offered at the Indiana
Dunes? Why not? We could pair that with a visit to my father in the
southern part of the same county (Lake). Reservations were made at
our favorite Dunes area place to stay, and we were off to spend a quiet New Year's Eve before the Big Climb.
During the day, I like to step onto the
balcony of the Springhouse Inn and take in the wooded, swampy scene
behind and below the building. I watched squirrels chasing each other
through the trees near me, then adjusted my vision toward the swamp
area to the ESE, which drains into the nearby Little Calumet River.
The strange flowering heads of Skunk Cabbage would be appearing soon,
and later the area would be filled with the giant leaves of that
plant.
We took off to the east, then north,
toward Indiana Dunes State Park. The approach to the park always
fills me with joy remembrance, and anticipation.
As we swerved around the curves after
the park entrance, we saw some other cars and followed them uphill
toward the meeting place (the Nature Center, on the other side of the
large campground).
More cars. And more. And more. People
directing us into the campground. Other cars driving around on the
campground roads. Cars, cars, cars, filling every camp spot. We ended
up parking on the far end of the campground and started walking to
the Nature Center – with lots of other people.
There were a number of distinct
differences between our 2014 hike and the one on New Year's Day,
2019. In 2014, it was just us and the very few people (and one little
dog) we happened to encounter. This time, a major difference was …
#1: Way, way, way more people! All at
the same time!
Of course, we knew that the First Day
Hike meant walking with lots of other people (a special event, plus
the fact that the Dunes is near a number of dense population areas),
but … WOW! If someone had told me ahead of time how many people
might be there, I would have thought this wouldn't be such a great
way to experience the 3 Dune Challenge. But, it never seemed like so
many, as usually we were all straggled out, with the exception of the
starting point and the picture-taking part. Yes, there would be a
whole group photo. You'll see.
#2: There was a leader (as opposed to
Richard and I just “leading” ourselves last time).
And this young park Naturalist (Marie
Laudeman – she must be recognized for this feat!) somehow spoke to
the whole group with no microphone or megaphone, and led us the whole
way.
#3: This hike went in the prescribed
direction for the 1.5 mile route, the dune ascensions in the
prescribed order.
In 2014, Richard and I did the opposite
– sort of. From the Nature Center, we had hiked to Mt. Holden
first, then Mt. Tom, then Mt. Jackson. This meant we may have taken a
longer hike because we did a lot of back-tracking on the trails. But,
we only did one side of Mt. Tom, so maybe it all comes out in the
wash. It also meant that we experienced each dune differently than in
2019, approaching the opposite sides of each.
On January 1, 2019 we, in the Great
Mass of People, walked a campground road westward to the sandy
woodland beginning of Trail 4, then gradually ascended the trail
northwestward toward the base of Mt. Tom. After Mt. Tom we would take
Trail 8 east and north to Mt. Holden, continue on Trail 8 to Mt.
Jackson, then Trail 8 (or, Trail 7 for some of us) through woodland
back to the start.
To see a map of the 3 Dune Challenge
(and some information), go to:
#4: There were lots
of dogs on this hike!
This little guy's name is Milo
All sorts of sizes,
shapes, colors; long-haired and short-haired – and all well behaved
(though some felt the need to be assertive when encountering others).
I loved it – they made the hike even more fun.
Up Trail 4
Uh, oh. I was
already running really short of breath before even getting to a dune,
which did not happen during our 2014 hike (more on that later). But –
I got there! That first part of the trail was a “training” for my
poorly adjusted muscles and lungs.
And then, the first
dune, and the tallest of the lot – Mt. Tom. It has steps on both
sides, so, not so bad.
Up we went. I
enjoyed the changing views as we went higher, and our first peek at
Lake Michigan.
What is that mansion in the distance??
Up and up and up.
The leader and the first batch of folks had gotten to the top
platform. We all kept scooting up more and more, squeezing in as much
as we could because, yes, there would be a group photo.
Keep moving up!
Bringing up the rear
More dogs!
Still bringing up the rear
Can you guess how
many people were there?
And, someone at the
top really did get us all in one photo. It was astounding, to me, how
they organized such a large group.
We were at the top
of Mt. Tom!
The incredibly long
string of hikers descended the steps on the other side (which Richard
and I had ascended and descended in 2014).
#5: Descending
steps was not the same for me as it was in 2014.
Since then, there
had been a broken ankle that hadn't healed perfectly, and various
mysterious spots of pain, discomfort and stiffness that had appeared,
especially in my knees. So much can change in 4 ½ years. I realized
that some amount of fear (of going down steps, and of falling) had
developed from these, too. I held onto the railing and worked myself
down carefully. Many more nimble (but understanding) people
passed me by. This was a much different experience than I'd
had anytime previous in my life, except for the two times I was on
crutches.
Oh, how would I do
on the other dunes?!
Scene along the trail between Mt. Tom and Mt. Holden
The toughest part
of the 3 Dune Challenge, for anyone, is the ascent of Mt. Holden's
steep east side, which is all sand. At the base, someone was showing
us another choice, to turn right (south) on Trail 7, back to the
Nature Center, via an easy woodland route.
I saw a few people
go that way. The symbolism of it all was very deep for me. I was at a
significant crossroads. At that point, I could have easily turned
that way because …
#6: I was not in
the same shape I was in 2014 – alas! This was becoming crystal
clear to me.
The woman's arm was
gesturing toward the easy route. Her voice echoed in my head, “You
can go this way! This way! This way! Thissss waaayy!” A wide swath
of sand rose before me, into the sky. A relaxed, straight trail
tapered off to my right, through the trees.
I went forward and
up.
No one but I can
truly understand what it meant for me, in that moment, to move
forward and up. It was a momentous decision. It was very difficult.
Kind people encouraged me along the way – keep going, don't look
down, look up. One man offered his hand to help me over a huge
exposed tree root. I stopped a number of times, gasping for breath,
as many others scrambled on up – two steps forward = one step back. Don't look back – keep looking up. I saw
Richard ahead, almost to the top, and realized I was at least halfway
there. Halfway! The first half is the worst, because at any stretch
of it you feel you could still turn back. So, I kept going.
And, just like
that, I was at the top!!
It was glorious to
be there. There were the fantastic views, of course. But, mainly it
was the realization that I had done this, after all of my doubts and
trepidation.
Can it get any better than this?
Hikers almost to the top of Mt. Holden
After I caught my
breath, I was aware that my little respiratory wheeziness (one of my
concerns that day) was … gone. I felt fine. In fact, I felt better
than I had in a long time. I felt stronger, clearer, healthier. Maybe
part of that was taking in the fresh lake air at the top – so much
better for my lungs than the stuffy Wabash River Lowlands air that I
normally deal with.
#7: There were lots
of family groups, lots of children.
This definitely
made the hike even more enjoyable.
Then, down the
other side of Mt. Holden. Oh, how rewarding to go down this sandy
swath!
One more dune! But,
Mt. Jackson would seem so easy after this. In fact, I was suddenly
surprised to be at the top of it.
Scene between Mt. Holden and Mt. Jackson
People and dogs take a break before the last descent
This was ironic. In
2014, we had ascended Mt. Jackson on the other side, and it had been the
most difficult part of our 3 Dune Challenge that year, the same as
the ascent of Mt. Holden this year (though, I was in better shape
then).
#8: A very
different season, of course.
January 1 is bound
to be significantly different from May 29. It was interesting,
though, to see the same views during winter, when one can see farther
through the trees and view the undulations of landscape in a
different light.
#9: Because of the
season, the presence of plant life was quite different.
In late May of 2014
there were many different species of plants in bloom or bud (some are
pictured in my blog post of that hike). On January 1, here's what I
saw:
Sharp-Lobed Hepatica
Ebony Spleenwort fern
Don't know, but I love the fuzzy seeds!
The 3 Dune
Challenge/First Day Hike was, essentially, about done. Down we all
went on the wide, sandy south side of Mt. Jackson, happy as larks to
have completed the challenge. It was a joyous reward to go down that
dune.
The rest of the way
was simply sandy woodland trails toward the starting point. I think
were were supposed to have taken Trail 8, which ends up at the Nature
Center, but some of us turned onto Trail 7, ending at the campground
road downhill from the Nature Center. No matter – we got back.
Back to the campground road
Once again – we
did it!!
How many people
were on this First Day Hike?
The next morning
the local paper (The Times of Northwest Indiana) had a story about
it, which reported about 450 hikers!
Oh, my!
We decided not to
wait in line for the celebratory hot chocolate and doughnuts with
almost 450 people. Instead, we headed to nearby Chesterton, Indiana,
for brunch at Peggy Sue's Diner, where coffee cups are filled right
away (without asking) and my BLT came on white toast (without
asking).
Ah, diners!
Then we were on the
highway through the winter landscape – on to see Dad. I was very
happy that I could report to him that I did complete the Challenge.
That thought was one of those that made me go upward at the base of
Mt. Holden instead of turning right.
So much happened to
me on that hike. I kept feeling better, for one thing.
But, it wasn't just
the physical aspect of having been able to do it all, to have
physically challenged my body.
I realized the need
to challenge myself in many ways, to assume that I will be able to do
it, whatever it is, to go beyond what I think by abilities are at the
time, because they are likely more than I think they are.
Because, if you
keep at it, then, suddenly … there you are.
I learned to get
past the echoing voice that keeps offering me the easy way, that
plays on my doubts. Turn my head away. Go UP.
And then you get to
do the fun, easy part.
Things will get
better.
I envy people who
live in areas with easy access to natural challenges – ones who
have mountains to climb, rapids to work, huge areas to traverse,
beaches to walk, waves to swim, sand dunes to ascend. What great
shape I'd be in if I had easier access to such places! I think about
what I have where I live. Ouabache Trails Park offers some good,
hilly hiking, and so does Hillcrest Park. In town there are some
ancient Indian mounds (only one that I'm willing to go to alone) –
they are the closest things we have to a steep ascent akin to a dune,
but they are not sandy. Maybe I could stop at that one mound now and
then.
Otherwise this
challenge, mentally, extends to other aspects of Life, not just the
physical. I knew I would never approach those the same way again.
If you google “3
Dune Challenge”, you will find a number of ways to read about other
people's experiences with it, and their photos, and even some videos.
Give it a try! Better yet, go to the Indiana Dunes and do the
Challenge. The views are a magnificent reward, any time of year!
Here is a gallery
of photos posted by The Times of Northwest Indiana. Richard and I are
not in any of them – as far as I can tell – but, there were SO
MANY PEOPLE!! Enjoy!
"Because, if you keep at it, then, suddenly...there you are." Love it, Terri!
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