We met a couple times in 2016 at various social gatherings, connected through Charlie’s roommate at the time, Brianne, and her boyfriend/now husband Greg (Michelle’s friend). But it wasn't until months later, while hanging out at Bri and Charlie’s halloween pumpkin carving contest, that we bonded over hiking misadventures. Michelle spared no detail about how on her most recent trip, her hiking party contracted norovirus and GI distress ensued. On Charlie's most recent trip, he'd discovered his campsite's perennial water source had dried up in the drought and he thought he might perish overnight from heat exposure and dehydration. Impressions were made. The next day, Charlie emailed Michelle asking if she'd like to go for a hike, as he'd “been doing some weekend hiking to get into some sort of shape for ski season.” (He now admits this was mostly made up.) We decided on 6 miles to/from Mt. Lowe for the following Sunday. After the hike, we kept hanging out over dinner and have since then.

We were at the Bright Angel campground in the Grand Canyon. After all the uncertainty and worry that preceded this trip (like an impending government shutdown, our lack of backcountry permits, driving in an intense winter storm for 450 miles and then snow that morning), we'd made it to the bottom of the canyon, and the sun was shining. We set up camp and were getting ready to head to Phantom Ranch for our dinner reservations. Charlie said he had something in his shoe. Just in that moment, Michelle turned away from him to organize some gear on the table. When she turned back around, there he was, holding something shiny up to her, saying “look what I found in my shoe.” It took Michelle a while to process that a proposal was happening and finally said yes. We cheers-ed with some wine, and then it was time for steak. Thank goodness for those post-engagement endorphins because we hardly cared that our legs were sore for the next few days.