Back in August of 2010, I hiked with my Uncle Matt and two cousins Jessica and Brianna to Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier. We started off at Paradise Camp and hiked a total of 4,700 feet to reach a final elevation of 10,188 feet. We left at 4:30 in the morning and returned at 7:00 that night. It was the most strenuous physical experience of my life, and also the most rewarding. The beginning of the hike was easy, simple, and unchallenging. It was dry when we started off and the path was even paved. We had just eaten a hearty breakfast on the drive to Paradise topped off with a steamy Starbucks espresso – I was comfortable, and ready to take on Mt. Rainier. It didn’t take long before the weather began to change and the temperatures dropped. Soon enough we reached the point where the path was not paved anymore and the only guidance we had was previous hiker’s left over footprints in the snow. Having faith that those hikers knew where they were going, we followed them hopefully. Looking down the mountain, I saw the fog rising up as if it was playing a game of tag with us. We had hiked for only about one hour before we needed to pause from continuing our goal hiking up the mountain and eat some food. As we carried on up to Camp Muir I began feeling the side effects of the daunting task. My legs were heavy, the air was thin making it harder to breathe, and my stomach seemed to only get hungrier no matter what I ate. As much as I simply wanted to keep trudging along up the mountain and ignore my stomach’s hunger pangs, I could not focus on my goal without attempting to satisfy the need my body was longing for. Each time I took a break to consume some food and indulge in some ice-cold water I felt refreshed and rejuvenated. I was experiencing first-hand a psychological discovery: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Tangent: I find it very interesting that no matter how much society tries to make you believe that tangible objects and things of this physical world are what you absolutely need, when everything is stripped away, really no one would even care about having the latest Apple product if they were starving or constantly dehydrated. There were 5 main hills (and hills is an understatement) that we had to summit before reaching Camp Muir. More than once Matt, Jessica, and Bri all would slow down or stop for an extra break, but I was determined to reach Camp Muir in a timely matter. Don't get me wrong, there were several times I too wanted to take another break and even give up. It was frustrating that for each step taken only half a step was gained due to the steepness of the mountain and the delicateness of snow. Finally after making it over the 4th hill, I could see Camp Muir and all of it's glory. That was motivation in itself. I remember an amalgam of feelings of relief, excitement, accomplishment, and exhaustion as I reached the Camp. It took a lot of hard work and effort, but that is a recipe for accomplishment. Looking out across the sky over countless mountain peaks brought complete satisfaction. I was standing above the clouds, in awe of the wonder that was before me. All I could think about was what an amazing God we serve.
No comments:
Post a Comment