Mount Washington, New Hampshire, and the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, are known not only for some of the world’s harshest weather conditions with wind gusts up to 231 miles per hour, but for rapid changes in weather.
In Early 2014, I decided to begin training for this hiking adventure. When it was all over, I was left with a sense of great accomplishment.
My father has hiked Mount Washington three times in the past. One day, he asked me if I would like to summit the mountain along with him. I knew from the moment of accepting the invitation, that I needed to build up the courage to try something foreign to me, since I have only ever done short hikes. I also needed to appropriately prepare myself physically, mentally, and nutritionally.
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I had a lot of hard work and training ahead of me in order to become prepared and get in shape. I had to decide on, and commit to, a training plan that would work best for me in order to become as capable as a I could be for the journey ahead of me. My father passed along tips of wisdom that I would need for the trails, starting with the simplest, like choosing the proper equipment, what to pack, and consulting the map for our route. He also shared his past experiences with me. For example, he has had many run ins with the pitch black darkness during times where he has misjudged the time it would take to complete a hike. Now, he constantly reminds me to never leave on any hike, no matter how long or short, without a headlamp. At nearly the crack of dawn on the cool September morning, we set out. Along with my weeks of training, the purposeful peacefulness of the hike is what really contributed to my energy levels and enthusiasm. Before I knew it, we were at the summit of Mount Washington. The months of training was all worth it. What felt like an eternity, took just about six hours. Completing the hike left me with a feeling of strength. I proved to myself that I could do anything, no matter how big the
Have you ever wanted to prove to everyone that you are a hard worker that is willing to give up everything to go on an adventure? If this is you than Everest is the perfect place for you. A great deal of Everest’s dangers are expressed in his book which should either inspire you to try this journey or sway you away from the treacherous mountain. In the story, “ Into Thin Air,” by Jon Krakauer a true story is told of a dangerous voyage up and down Everest. The climb up was arduous and long according to Jon, but the climbers sacrificed everything to get to the top, which most of the climbers achieved. However, emotions shifted when a storm swooped in and killed many of the climbers that were stuck on the summit, around 12-19 in total. The devices
Despite the obvious dangers presented in this true story, I cannot deny the appeal of going on a mountaineering trip of my own. I will start off small though. Simpson and Yates were highly skilled climbers when they set out to climb the West Face of Siula Grande – and their route up the mountain has never has never been successfully completed by anyone else to this day.
“There is no greater disability in society than the inability to see a person as more” (Hensel), and many people failed to see Erik Weihenmayer as anything more than another blind man. However, the short story Blind to Failure by Karl Taro Greenfeld shows that he had all of the strength within him to do anything he put his mind to, including climbing Everest. New challenges may seem daunting, however, once one gains the courage to “conquer the mountains” of life, they will find that it can be exceedingly rewarding. People often ask “Well what happens if I fail?” and the answer to that question is that you will learn from the experience. Taking on challenges will always have an upside, but you have to be willing to take those risks, knowing
Mt Washington in New Hampshire is the tallest mountain in Northeastern United States at 6,288 feet it is also one of the most dangerous ones. This is a mountain that since 1849 has caused the recorded deaths of around 150 people and the weather can change in seconds going from 70 degrees and clear skies to either thunderstorms, blizzards that cover the entire summit in snow and rime ice or hail with temperatures as low as -40 degrees and winds that have been recorded at 254 mph though wind gusts that high are results of rather extreme conditions. Any hiker must plan their trip up the mountain to the absolute smallest and minute detail, reservations must be made in advance and multiple routes off the mountain must be planned in case of either medical emergencies or extreme weather and a bunch of teenagers and our fathers were going to try our best and climb it without anyone increasing that 150 number.
It’s not a long drive to reach the hike depending on where you are located. The beginnings of the trails are located on the outskirts of town and with it being so close there were many people out enjoying the hike alongside us. At the beginning and simpler portion of the hike we saw a variety of people including families, college students, some senior citizen couples, and even a small group of fireman hiking to the top for some practice drills they were conducting. As we got higher up to the portions of the hike that were more complicated for children and older people we started seeing less people, and when we did run into others, they were normally around my age or a little older. At that point the people we saw were just as exhausted and out of breath as we were. The new trail that we were hiking did not offer a lot of other opportunities outside of hiking with the intent of reaching the top. There was no management that we ran into or saw during the hike besides the ranger cottage at the very beginning, but there were a variety of signs pointing directions to the different trails and even some caution wildlife
Throughout the A.T. backpackers experience wildlife and challenges that help them in various ways. Self-confidence is a great skill accomplished as well as self discovery and commitment. The time it takes gives travelers time to discover themselves while walking the beautiful trail. Hikers who hike for a hobby and/or exercise also take away experiences from a trail traveled by many. Whether traveled non stop or by sections, the Appalachian Trail is a great adventure for almost any hiker to enjoy.
Climbing makes for a difficult expedition, you need to give up the wrappers when you was ascending. You need to give up the heavy things, you need to give up your wrappers, and you need to give yourselves. Sometimes we need to give up our lives to climb the mount Everest. According to snow storm, the energy, the oxygen and the people who desired prove themselves the spring’s 96s expedition to mountain Everest was destined to be the most tragic.
After a great night of sleep we headed out to the world renown mountain of Jackson Hole. It is known for being the steepest mountain on which a ski resort is set up. It is also know for having a great view of Grand Teton, one of the highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains. We could not have asked for a better day of riding. there was a fresh 14” of snow under our boards and after a little bit of exploring we found some great out of bounds and woods riding.
Through many overnights, and hundreds of miles, I have developed the skills to turn my passion into something that I can do proficiently. This summer, I put my abilities and skills to the test with the most difficult challenge I had yet been presented: climbing four 14ers in one day. If I, without experience and knowledge of alpine hiking, had attempted this hike, I would have certainly failed and possibly been injured. Without proper gear, preparation, and technique, what was an astounding and difficult activity could have turned life threatening. As an American, I did not let my love for hiking stay a dream.
In hiking, as in life, there are choices between success and pain, pride and safety; this is the story of one such choice. Last summer I participated in the Rayado program at Philmont Scout Ranch. The eighth day of the trek was my crew’s greatest challenge: Super Black Death, a hike of seven peaks in one day.
The trek in the Andes mountains was challenging to say the least, yet an experience completely out of this world. My muscles are still sore, but it was completely worth it. My husband and I travelled from Puerto Cabello, Venezuela to a small town named Mérida, where we allowed ourselves to acclimatize to the high altitude. A cable car ride over the breathtaking Andes mountains transported us on top of Pico Espejo, also described as Mirror Peak. We were met by the stunning views of the majestic snow-clad Pico Bolivar in front of us.
Right when I feel like I’m about to quit, our trail guide turns to us to let us know that the worst is
In 2013, my wife and I walked from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Katahdin, Maine. Walking is not exactly the best word to describe what we were doing. What we experienced is commonly known as a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. It is a very difficult trek; 2,186 miles across 14 states along the backbone of the Appalachian Mountains taking us 6 months and 10 days to complete the journey. Part of the journey was adapting to what is known as "trail life," learning to cope with the stresses of walking all day everyday and living off of very little. By very little, I mean very little comforts and conveniences. The thrill of adventure stifles this adaption period and folks starting are generally very excited to be out hiking despite the cold weather. After six months of living an alternative life style, including the widely accepted adoption of pseudonyms known as "trail names", almost entire isolation from main stream society, and a singular focus on walking each day and enjoying the simple things, like being dry, the journey was over. We now had the task to re-adapt to "normal" life. Six months later I sat down to reflect on our trail experience and our new revelations on life. These are some of our lessons from walking.
Mount Everest, the world’s highest point at 29,035 feet, is a special trophy among high altitude mountaineers. Standing atop the world’s highest point a hypoxic climber clad in a fluorescent down suit is above everything else on the planet, for a moment that individual can reach farther into the sky than any other. Arms raised in a victorious salute, a climber feels like they have conquered something that few others ever have, and justifiably so. The summit is usually the final fruition of months, sometimes years of planning, weeks of travel and acclimatization, and days of endless plodding at a feeble, learning-to-walk pace.
The definition of experienced may take many forms. To one, it might be having many years under one’s belt. To another, it could be hiking many peaks in a short amount of time, increasing hours spent on the trails, but not longevity in the activity. An experienced hiker constitutes both of these, both longevity and peaks covered. In any activity, repetition means experience and practice, and hiking is no different. To hike, one must follow an almost religious regiment, keeping calorie intake in the 3000’s, and fitness at optimum level. One also must keep a steady level of hydration if one wishes to combat the heat of the Arizona sun. Even if not in heat, the amount of energy one is expending during a hike is on the order of magnitudes, and the hiker must be wary of overexertion. Knowing one’s limits when hiking comes with experience, and experience is gained through repetition of the activity.