Sandbeach Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park holds a special place in my heart, especially this trip. It was on this trail that my dad introduced me to backpacking when I was around 8 years old. Now, years later, I had the joy of experiencing the trail anew through the fresh eyes of my 7-year-old daughter, alongside my dad and uncle.

As I sat beneath the stars, enveloped in the night's serene silence, I found myself reflecting on both these backpacking journeys. The memories of my first trip with my dad and the recent adventure with my daughter allowed me to appreciate the different phases of my life. Looking back, I couldn't have envisioned the path my life would take during that initial trip. Yet, the reality has far exceeded anything I could have imagined.