Life Lessons from Wilderness Trek

Twenty-three years ago I climbed Mt. Elbert in Colorado.

View from top of Mt. Elbert, summer 1992

It's kind of weird that I now have enough life experiences to state that something occurred twenty-plus years ago.

View of valley while hiking up Mt. Sherman, summer of 1994

Anyway, that particular trip was my first true backpacking experience, but certainly not the last. I have written about Wilderness Trek before, and it truly was one of the most influential experiences of my life.

Hiking up Mt. Sherman, summer of 1994
 

At the ripe age of twelve-and-a-half, I was exposed to grandeur beyond my comprehension and the principle that when life is difficult, it is always best to reach out and encourage, or help someone else.

Mt. Antero, summer of 1996

On Wilderness Trek every person carries not only their own essentials for a five-day trek into the wilderness, but also various items for the crew you are assigned to. Everyone is carrying weight beyond what you might think you can endure (35-50 lbs), and regardless of your fitness level, it is a tough trip. Obviously the more fit you are, the easier it is, but it isn't easy. 

Rapelling on the Mt. Antero trip, summer 1996

The thing that made the experience of climbing a mountain more bearable (besides the amazing views) was to try to motivate someone else who was struggling to keep moving.

My sister, Angela, and I on the Mt. Antero trip, summer 1996

When I could dig down deep and encourage another to keep plodding along, one foot in front of the other, it allowed me to forget my own difficult journey. If I could take a moment to encourage others to look up from staring at the ground and breathe in the beauty that we were all enveloped in, it allowed me to take in the moment myself.

 On the trail. Mt. Antero, summer 1996

Last week I was reminded of that principle. I was in a funk, in the midst of my very own pity party, focused on myself and some of my own frustrations. It was all I could think about as I drove to the Y for a midday pick-me-up.

 On the trail. Mt. Antero, summer 1996

Working out helped to lift my spirits and clear my mind. I felt less alone as I let the endorphins take away my frustrations. But it was after my workout that I was reminded of this lesson from my youth. 

Summit Day, Mt. Antero, summer 1996

As I spoke with a friend, I learned that another mom with a newborn was walking through a difficult valley right now. The cliff notes of the situation broke my heart and I felt ashamed of my pity party.

My sister on our "summit". We had to turn around before the actual 

summit because a storm was moving in. Mt. Antero, summer 1996

At that moment I shifted gears because I really believe that when we slow down, and move our focus from ourselves to how we can support others, it changes us for the better. It makes us better humans.

The girls on our "summit" as a storm moved in. Mt. Antero, summer 1996

I learned so much from Wilderness Trek, and even 23 years later I find that I am still applying those lessons to my life.

 Angela and I on our "summit" as a storm moved in. Mt. Antero, summer 1996

This is just one of the many lessons and experiences I had on Wilderness Trek. Those trips had a profound impact on me and I hope that someday my boys can have similar experiences.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 
Philippians 2:4  
...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.
Luke 10:27

Thunder

When I was 14 years old, I went on a backpacking trip in Colorado with my church youth group {Wilderness Trek}. Our goal for the week was to summit 14,036' Mt. Sherman. This particular year there was a significant amount of snow on the ground and most of the trip was a difficult slog through deep snow.

I have many memories from this trip including a fake bear attack on the girls tent during the night and hiking in circles because our guides wanted us to have the experience of a long hike even though the snow was too deep to get very far up the mountain.

One night we were camped in a valley {I believe our high camp} and we were awakened by a storm. I remember laying on the ground in my sleeping bag and being terrified because the lightning was so bright it was like day and the thunder was bouncing off the mountains around us and shaking the very ground we were sleeping on. The wind was whipping our tent and the two other girls on the trip and I were all awake and pretty scared. The storm eventually passed and I remember thinking that this was the loudest thunder I had ever experienced.

Left to Right: Josh Pulley, Burt Boyce, Martin McLeod, Brandon McLeod, 

Tabitha Hoofman Pugh, Kristalynne Godwin Gray, Douglas Harp, Cheree Voyles Moore, 

Cameron Holifield, John McLeod, Luke Harrison, Jeremy Richards

Fast forward 16 years and I now live in a valley. When we get storms the thunder bounces off the mountains and shakes our house. It is unreal how loud it gets. I lay in bed and count the seconds between the lightning and the boom of the thunder and it can be a 20 second delay and the thunder still rattles the house. It is very unnerving. The first time it happened I just figured it was a particularly bad storm. Now I know that almost every storm that passes through northeast Alabama has the same effect. At least now I have walls around me for protection and not just a flimsy nylon tent!