I will never forget this proposal, not only because of the location, but because Mike and Diana are two of my dearest friends. The military has a way of bringing people far from home, but sometimes home ends up closer than you expect. Mike grew up in the same town as my husband and me, and my husband Austin actually grew up with Mike at the same church in Bradenton, Florida. Mike and Diana share a connection that I so rarely see in other couples, and it meant so much to me when Mike reached out to plan a surprise proposal. Knowing them, I also knew this was not going to be an ordinary moment.
Mike told me he wanted to propose at Shelly Lake, one of the most beautiful and challenging hikes accessible from Kodiak, Alaska. This is an 8.3 mile out and back trail through muddy forest, steep inclines, and snow covered terrain in the spring months, and it happens to be one of my favorite hikes on the island. Their relationship has always been full of adventure, so it felt perfectly fitting that such an important moment would take place somewhere that required effort to reach.
Because of the distance and difficulty of the hike, I knew I needed help getting out there ahead of them without raising suspicion. I recruited two of my close friends, Theresa and Thea, and asked if they would be willing to hike the trail with me in the cold Kodiak spring weather. Without hesitation, they were in. Even more impressive, Thea was in her third trimester of pregnancy with her first baby and still fully committed. The week before the proposal, Mike and I hiked out to the lake to scout the perfect location so everything would go smoothly on the big day.
We left Kodiak at six in the morning and drove down Anton Larsen Road to start the long hike in, carrying bear spray, a Garmin InReach, extra layers, tarps, and what we like to call girl lunch as our reward for making it to the top. The trail was exactly what you would expect in Kodiak spring, muddy, steep, snowy, and windy. Once we reached the spot we had planned, we realized the mountainside was pure rock, leaving nowhere to stake down the tent or tarps we brought to hide. Instead, we bundled up in layers, sat on the cold stone, and waited, passing the time with snacks and girl talk while watching the trail for them to appear.
When Mike and Diana finally came into view, I climbed up the side of the rocky slope and wedged myself between a few boulders so Diana would not see me. Somehow my bouldering skills came in handy, because I managed to stay hidden while holding my camera steady as the wind ripped through the mountainside. Hanging onto the rock for dear life, I watched as Mike got down on one knee at the edge of Shelly Lake, and the look of complete shock on Diana’s face made every mile of the hike worth it.
After the proposal, Diana looked up and spotted me clinging to the rocks above them, still trying to stay balanced with my camera in hand. The surprise on her face quickly turned into laughter, and that moment alone captured exactly why I love photographing stories like this. It was one of the most challenging sessions I have ever done, but also one of the most meaningful. Kodiak has a way of making moments feel bigger, wilder, and more unforgettable, and Shelly Lake was the perfect place for their story to begin.
