More than Mountaintops

A guide to appreciating the little steps along the way, rather than just the big finish:

As I reflect on the peaks I’ve climbed and places I’ve been, an interesting thought has come to me. The summit is always such an afterthought in my writing.

There’s only so many ways to describe a nice view — and they are nice views — because without the context leading up to them, summits honestly make for awful stories.

The things I carry with me, more than the peaks, are the moments leading up to them. I thought I’d try expressing that in a bit of a different way this week:

More than Mountaintops

The howling wind on Grizzly as we tried to make the peak,
The echoes up on Kelso that would copy all I speak.

Some friends who managed, hungover, to haul themselves up Grays,
The time we left the world behind, without a phone, for days.

Finding under orange leaves the wreckage of a plane,
Discovering how “Hidden Falls” had aptly earned its name.

The day I led the group astray, a route-finding mistake,
The way the snow felt underfoot, a clear reflecting lake.

Two backcountry skiers hunting powder in July,
A woman bearing ashes, honoring a friend who died.

Emerging from the dark and fog just at the break of day,
Reflecting on the people we encounter on the way.

While I may have set out here — in search of mountaintops:
We’re anchored in the moments that would make us think and stop.

I Want to Hear from You

I hope you enjoyed this one. Do you have a favorite moment from a hike? Share it in the comments below!