If I can do it, so can you!
I enjoy hiking. I’m relatively inexperienced, meaning the only actual hiking I’ve done was a three mile trek up the side of a mountain in Colorado where I didn’t even come close to the top. So, summiting was a completely new experience for me. My family went out to Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont this summer. While we were there, we hiked the tallest peak in New England. Mount Washington sits in the middle of the Presidential Range in the White Mountain National Forest in northern New Hampshire, and some of the highest wind speeds in the entire world have been recorded there.
We left early in the morning, driving to the base, where the trailhead was located. Mount Washington also has a railway to the top, where you can take a steam train up its steep incline, exertion free. My family walked right past it and began our hike. The trail was muddy, rocky and full of tree roots. We could hear the train chugging away next to us, along with the rushing of a nearby stream. The first mile was gradual with a lot of ups and downs. We only gained a few hundred feet in elevation, meaning we had thousands more to go. It wasn’t until later that we hit the rocky staircase that took us up to the tree line, its steps three or four times as high as normal ones.
As we approached the tree line, the rocks stopped imitating stairs and turned into slabs, which were slick from the rain that had come through earlier. With only my Brooks running shoes, it was difficult to climb. There was a lot of crawling and my knees became bloody. Every time my foot slipped, my heart stopped and I briefly thought, “This is it. This is the end. This is how I die.” Dramatic, I know. But I’m not a fan of heights. After a few hours, we reached a hikers’ lodge, and from then on it was mostly rocky steps again. It was quite deceiving because we could see the summit but it took another hour before we reached it.
The relief I felt when we hit flat ground and saw people was intangible. I also had an immense feeling of pride and joy. I had just done the most difficult hike of my life and I was still standing! It was inspiring to complete a goal of mine. I had proved I was capable of whatever I set my mind to. I immediately wanted to do it again, to feel the same sense of fulfillment. Three days later, we hiked the tallest mountain in Vermont – Mount Mansfield – where I once again amazed myself with my efforts.
Nothing in life is easy. I didn’t hop, skip and jump with a huge smile on my face all the way to the top. There were tears, shaking hands, bleeding legs and several moments where I was genuinely terrified for both my life and the lives of my family members. But I pushed through. So whatever mountain you’re summiting right now, whether it be real or metaphorical, push through, because I promise you the experience will be rewarding.