Today is the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Where I sit in Northern Idaho, the weather is much the same as it was in New York on that day in 2001. Blue sky. Sunny warm.
After the second plane hit the World Trade Center that morning, the software company where I worked closed up shop for the day. Everyone was told to go home. We were located an hour and a half outside of New York City.
I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I went for a hike in the woods, alone. Occasionally, a military helicopter passed overhead, but otherwise it was quiet, as though the wind and the birds in the trees had all been hushed.
When I was growing up, the attack on Pearl Harbor seemed like ancient history. The bombing of the naval base happened 35 years before I was born. Although I knew that event led to my grandfather’s service in the Navy, it still felt unreal: a schoolbook story, a History Channel clip.
I imagine kids today feel similarly about 9/11. But I remember the terrible things that happened on that beautiful day, and I know what changed.
I read that three of the men on Flight 93 were traveling west to hike. Patrick Joseph Driscoll and his friend William Cashman were headed to Yosemite National Park. They’d both trekked in some of the same places I have: Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, and Glacier. This week, I visited the Gold Hill North Trail in Sagle, Idaho. As I walked through the green forest up the soft, worn path, I felt they would have liked to step here, too.
The route is easy to follow. There is only one fork in the road, about 2.5 miles in, and it is unmarked. I wasn’t sure which way to go, but both trails led to the same destination. The path to the right is a shortcut, though steeper, so not easier.
I took the long way. I heard a waterfall, but it was only the breeze through the trees.
“Perfect Peace,” that’s how Patrick Driscoll had described a hike’s summit to friends and family.
After another mile, I reached my destination. Below the crest lay the azure waters of Lake Pend Oreille and the town of Sandpoint, encircled by vast mountain ranges.
The third outdoor enthusiast on Flight 93, Donald Freeman Greene, was on his way to Lake Tahoe to hike and bike with his brothers; there he would have enjoyed similar views.
When I turned around, I said a quiet prayer for the victims and survivors of that not-so-long-ago September day.
JUST THE FACTS: Gold Hill North Trail, Sagle, Idaho
Distance: 7.8 miles (total out and back)
Estimated Time: ~ 4.5 hours
Elevation Gain: 1,555 feet
Key Highlights: AMAZING views of Lake Pend Oreille, the Cabinet and Selkirk Mountain range, and the town of Sandpoint.
Difficulty: Moderate due to length. Easy to follow and only slightly steep.
Call for Comments: Have you hiked Gold Hill North? Share your stories, tips, and local history in the comments, or submit to Readers’ Hike to have your adventure highlighted.
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