How did we get engaged?

According to Katie

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From the minute Chad and I met, there was no doubt that an adventurous, outdoor-loving spirit is a commonality that brought us together.  I can even remember us swapping tales of recent adventures on our first date and talking about desired travels to come.  It didn’t take long until the two of us began planning and embarking on our own trips together.  

In May 2016, Chad attended a class for work in Colorado Springs.  He asked if I wanted to tag along for part of the trip.  With an opportunity to play in the mountains, the decision was easy! We decided that we would make the best of our time out west by taking a side trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.  Although we had both been there before, we had never been there together.  Rocky Mountain held a special place in both of our hearts and the opportunity to explore its beauty and magnificence together was something that truly excited the both of us.

In classic Chad and Katie style, we had mapped out some beautiful and challenge-worthy hikes.  One of the hikes we were most excited about was Flattop Mountain.  The hike begins at the iconic Bear Lake, which is a must-see for any visitor to Rocky Mountain.  However, if you are willing to venture a little bit further beyond Bear Lake (and I mean a lot a bit further), the views are unreal.

On Saturday, May 28th, after a rainy night at camp, we decided to take on the Flattop Mountain hike.  We got an early start to the day, which meant a quiet trail head and little other foot traffic along the trail.  As we ascended up the mountain, we enjoyed beautiful views all around.  As the views got better, the snow started to get deeper and deeper.  We anticipated some snow, but some areas were much deeper than we had expected.  We continued to follow a path ahead of us that other hikers had made in the deep snow.  As long as we were walking up, we felt like we were headed in the right direction. Suddenly, it was harder to determine where the right path was as the footprints on the trail became more spread out.  We decided to reassess our plan.  

Chad, knowing how to keep me happy, offered me a snack (Yes, I’m not me when I’m hungry!) and encouraged me to just keep going a little bit further.  He asked me to trust his instinct on where the trail was headed.  I’ll be honest that I didn’t quite trust his request to continue further as the snow made it uncertain where we were headed, but Chad convinced me to follow in his deep footsteps in the snow.  Following the footsteps of someone almost a foot taller was difficult, however, I listened to his request and we trudged further up the mountain and soon arrived beyond the tree line.  Chad’s instinct was right.

We had arrived at an absolutely breathtaking panoramic view of the Rockies that stretched for miles upon end.  As I stood taking in the views, Chad snapped a few pictures before we began descending the mountain.  Then he said that he wanted to grab another snack from his pack and would join me shortly.  I couldn’t quite figure out why he needed to eat AGAIN when we had just stopped, but it didn’t keep me from taking in the glorious views that we had worked so hard to get to.  Little did I know that Chad was not digging in his bag for a snack. He was looking for something else that he had stowed away in his pack before we began our day.  As Chad came back over to me, he asked if I had remembered swapping stories about mountains and travels on our first date.  Then he said he hoped I would continue to be his adventure buddy for years to come.  At that moment, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.  The answer was easy.  It was truly a mountaintop experience, in all senses, that I will never forget.