Sometimes the best way to accomplish a goal is not to define it. Just enjoy the process.

Towering at 10,425 ft, Kendrick Peak, a dome volcano, is one of the highest in the San Francisco Volcanic Field. The Kendrick Mountain Trail #22 was about 9.2 miles roundtrip, with a 2,700 ft elevation gain.

We’d been here before. It was several years ago in late spring, and Flagstaff had just been surprised with a 6-inch layer of fresh snow. The trail was buried. The outing turned out to be a walk in the woods—with most of our time spent trying to figure out where we were.

Last week, Dave and I decided to try again. We had a cloudless, chilly, windy start—a welcome relief from incinerate Phoenix. The ascent was steady, with little variation in grade. Initially, we followed an old fire road, which gave way to a smooth, soft footpath.

We passed through a forest of ponderosa pine, douglas fir, and aspen. Extensive damage from the Pumpkin Fire of 2000 could be seen from the trail. The hike consisted of multiple, lengthy switchbacks that I wished I’d counted on the way up.

About 2 hours in, we stopped and assessed the situation. We were about two-thirds of the way to the summit and the call to continue was strong. Within the hour, we arrived at the saddle and explored the original fire lookout from 1912. The doors were chained shut, but a side window was open a bit, so we peered inside.

At this point of the hike, I was pretty satisfied—that is until a couple sitting nearby called out “only .4 miles to the lookout! You’re almost there!” That was the longest .4 miles ever. The lookout was pretty nifty. Closed, due to Co-Vid, we sat on the steps and gazed at the Volcanic field below, and took a well-deserved rest.

I won’t lie—the trip back was tiring. By this time, the sun was intense, and the winds were quite gusty. We returned to the Jeep by 2 pm, with the long drive home still ahead of us. Fortunately, a Texas Whopper and a good podcast made all the difference.

How often does one take a journey without knowing the final destination? Place one foot in front of the other and see where it takes you.