"Mt Whitney equals Hell." That was someones comment written in the hut on the top of Mt. Whitney. I agreed with that statement only until I realized what we conquered and what we got to see. A year ago marks the day that Michael and I did a 15 mile loop to the top of Mt. Whitney and back to our camp on our backpacking trip. What a day! I remember leaving in the dark at around 4 am and watching dawn break. I remember the beauty of the massive peaks that surrounded us as we began the switchbacks to the top. I think about the agony of being out of shape and not very acclimated to the elevation and thinking to myself, "Why am I out here? Who talked me into this insane trip?" We kept going and we would break and then go again. We came across some false peaks where we thought we were so close and then realized we still had quite the distance to go. My hands swelled up like balloons and my lungs just could not keep up it seemed. We had a few people pass us. Some with full on packs and others just going so fast I don't think they needed to stop and take a break, in fact one guy who passed us going up passed us again on his way down as we were still trying to make our way up. I remember thinking as I watched those who were on their way down and lightly walking with smiles on their faces, "Thats going to be me soon." What a feeling to reach the top, to finally take those last hard steps and be done with the agony. It was so amazing to see the views, to be on the top! I do not think it could equal Hell because there was something too good at the top. The pain and agony ended and we were able to say we conquered what we set out to do. We also had smiles on our faces when we made our way down the Mountain. What a good memory! Maybe someday we will be back with our children and maybe we will be more in shape. I can dream right???
This photo is of some peaks before we began the switchbacks up. Also this was our last source of water until we got back down again.
The terrain and switchbacks going to the top.
My very swollen hands.
2 comments:
This has nothing to do with your inspiring post, but Caroline just asked me, in reference to the Greatest Grandpa picture: Who that with no face? Too funny. And I'm glad you got to the top and back down again, and continued on the rest of your trip. I can't believe that was a year ago! And now here you are. Can you imagine how your hands would swell now, if you were pregnant on top of it all? Of course you could never go there pregnant, but it would certainly be a sight to see!
So beautiful. And now a full year ago!!!
I find your post to be a bit of an analogy about life.
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