For me theres always that first day in the mountains for the season, where I just kind of get curious about whats up there and wander off and find myself exploring unknown terrain. Today I ventured up a steep hillside not far from camp that was completely loose and falling apart. I had to be so present and precise, placing each hand and foot with perfect care. One wrong or sloppy move and the whole hillside might start sliding down. I typically dont venture into this kind of terrain very often, preferring the clean lines up solid rock or hikable terrain. But something called to me today to explore this hillside so I continued on up the loose mess. I saw a solid rock formation up at the top of the ridge which became my goal, convinced that once I reached the top I would have an amazing view to the other side. So I hunkered down and got completely absorbed in the moment placing each hand and foot with utmost intention. Upon reaching the rock outcropping I was aiming for I was greeted with a false summit, and saw that I had to continue on for quite a ways to gain the true summit. I had a choice, do I turn around and retreat, or continue on. I kept going and started moving again dropping into a small valley before climbing up the next ridge to the true summit. I made my way up the loose hillside again finding myself completely absorbed into the moment as I had to stay totally focused and present and move with utmost consciousness and sensitivity to energy to not have the mountainside come sliding down all around me. As I got closer to the top I could see off to the other side and realized that yet again, this was a false summit. Once again I had a choice, do I turn around and head back, or do I continue on not quite sure whats ahead. I pressed on and started down another valley to get over to what I hoped might be the final summit. This time as I was down in the valley I got startled by the echoing rattle from a rattlesnake in the talus below me. I had to change my course and find a new way around my chosen path which made things harder and take longer than I had anticipated, but I pressed on. When I finally came up on the summit I was treated with a glorious view out over the valley below with even higher mountains off in the distance. As I stood up there I realized how many life lessons had been presented to me in one spontaneous outing in the mountains. Following your heart and your curiosity can lead you to places you might never have gone to otherwise, and things might not always go exactly how you envisioned, and there will be many false summits along the way, and unexpected obstacles will present themselves, but if we stay present and conscious and continue on even when things are harder than we ever imagined theyd be, we can see the beauty all around us.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 05:56:44 +0000
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