Rhonda McGwier’s family has been taking trips to Estes Park for the past 25 years.
But last year, because of relocations and complicated schedules, the Dallas-Fort Worth resident found herself without anyone to go with her on the trip. Still, she felt determined to escape to the mountains. She had a goal in mind: Dream Lake, a high alpine lake in Rocky Mountain National Park that sits at the base of Hallett Peak.
Looking for somewhere to start, McGwier came across a tour-guide business while scrolling on Instragram, Femme Trek. So, she reached out.
“I said, ‘Well, I really want to go up to Dream Lake. I have never made it up there, believe it or not,” McGwier said. With two knee replacements and admittedly a bit out of shape, she started to work hard to prepare for the hike, walking several miles daily.
A couple of months later, she landed in Estes Park and met Sharon Saternus, who would be her guide.
