"In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
I had a hard time returning to hiking after Kilimanjaro. For whatever reason, I just could not pull myself together and hit the trails. I actually had a good excuse to be lazy-ish for the first couple of weeks... but I had no reason not to hit the trails come September. To put it bluntly... I was in a rut. I wasn't working out, I wasn't eating right, and quite frankly I didn't feel like myself anymore. I had scheduled several hikes as an Ambassador for my local hiking group prior to leaving for Africa, but I was terrified to actually show up and lead them. Who was I to lead these women into the wilderness? And could I still keep up?
My first hike occurred in mid-September. Friend after friend cancelled on the hike, so I wasn't sure if anyone would show up at all. I contemplated cancelling the hike altogether, when a voice inside my head told me I had to do it. If even one girl showed up, it would be worth it. And if no one showed up? I would do the hike to prove to myself I could do it anyway. Luckily, someone did show up (proving again that I need to be less pessimistic). :-)
Sunday Peak is a moderate hike located in the Sequoia National Forest. Sadly, a great portion of this trail was destroyed by the Cedar Fire just a year ago, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The trailhead was confusing to find due to a fallen sign, but I was surprised to find it still lush and green. About a mile in, however, things changed and we kept losing the trail. We waded through inches of thick ash that had settled beneath tall, charred trees. With no obvious trail, our 3 mile hike became 5, but we eventually found trail markers left by other hikers that led us to the summit.
The summit of Sunday Peak sits at 8,300' above the Sequoia valley. On a clear day, you're supposed to be able to see Mount Whitney! Although the smoke of a nearby fire made the views a little hazy on this particular Sunday, they were still impressive while we were there! We read through the summit journals left on top, left our own words behind, and took a few pics before we departed. As a nerdy amateur archaeologist, I also enjoyed the camping gear left behind from the occupants of the lookout tower that used to occupy the site from 1921 - 1935. I get such a kick out of that sort of stuff, and am so happy that people left it there.
My Sunday at Sunday Peak was fun and challenging. I couldn't believe how quickly it brought me back to life! It was a good reminder to me that I am most "me" when I am outside doing the things I love doing most. And while I was nervous about the hike that was to follow, I also couldn't wait!
While my hiking group (Girls Who Hike) had been asked to participate in several REI "Force of Nature" events this year, it wasn't until our meet up at Sandstone Peak in Malibu that we partnered with another organization - 52 Hikes Challenge. Although I had enjoyed all of our REI events this year, this one was particularly intriguing because of the location. I had been dying to do Sandstone Peak since last December... Sandstone Peak is the tallest peak in the Santa Monica Mountains, and boasts some of the best coastal views in Southern California.
The hike almost didn't happen again due to some issues at home, but my good friend Sharron finally convinced me to go! (It helps that she offered to drive and supplied me with delicious iced Kilimanjaro coffee!) Another moderator from our group, Tiff, also made it to the event which made it fun. I talk to these girls almost every day, but it's so rare that I actually get to see them.
We hiked to the summit via the Mishe Mokwa trail. This roughly 6 mile hike has an elevation gain of roughly 1,650', reaching a total altitude of 3,111' at the peak. Because of the later start of our hike, we got to take in the summit just in time for one of the most beautiful sunsets I had ever seen. The 52 Hikes founder, Karla, led us in a very moving meditation that helped everyone take peace in the moment too.
I helped sweep for this hike, which was really good for me in a lot of ways. One - it helped remind me about where I started. Some of the girls we hiked with had just started their hiking journeys, with this being their first peak to summit. I was in this place only a few years ago, so it was a good reminder of where I have been and how much I had grown in just two years. Two - it helped remind me to slow down and enjoy the views. We often get so caught up in "just finishing already" that we forget to just enjoy the moment... and the views. Slowing down allowed me to do this while talking to some really interesting people along the way. Three - it allowed me to help encourage others. I just read a story within the group tonight about a girl who had done an amazing backpacking trip over the weekend... only to be mocked by others on the trail because she moved slower than they did. I have experienced this all too often too, and it sucks. Who cares how fast you get there as long as you get there? You're still doing better than all the folks who are sitting at home! If I can be the voice of support for others on the trail, I'm happy to do so :-)
Since these two hikes, I have hit the trails every weekend. My hikes haven't been as impressive since, but I'm happy I've been getting out there. As the weather starts to chill, I'm reminded that my window for hiking some of these places is coming to a close. I don't have the training for snow hiking, so my winter hiking options are pretty limited. Hence, I will be taking full advantage of the weather for as long as I can. It makes me feel good, and inspires me to adhere to healthier lifestyle choices overall.
I am so, so happy that I decided to give hiking another go. I have loved hiking since my parents started taking me when I was just learning to walk... why I let my ego get in the way of it after Kilimanjaro, I'll never know. As a Girls Who Hike Ambassador, however, I am going to make it a goal to keep hitting those trails while encouraging others to do the same. If I can do it, I'm pretty confident that anyone can :-) So why not share the joy with everyone?
Until next time...
Becks
My Sunday at Sunday Peak was fun and challenging. I couldn't believe how quickly it brought me back to life! It was a good reminder to me that I am most "me" when I am outside doing the things I love doing most. And while I was nervous about the hike that was to follow, I also couldn't wait!
While my hiking group (Girls Who Hike) had been asked to participate in several REI "Force of Nature" events this year, it wasn't until our meet up at Sandstone Peak in Malibu that we partnered with another organization - 52 Hikes Challenge. Although I had enjoyed all of our REI events this year, this one was particularly intriguing because of the location. I had been dying to do Sandstone Peak since last December... Sandstone Peak is the tallest peak in the Santa Monica Mountains, and boasts some of the best coastal views in Southern California.
The hike almost didn't happen again due to some issues at home, but my good friend Sharron finally convinced me to go! (It helps that she offered to drive and supplied me with delicious iced Kilimanjaro coffee!) Another moderator from our group, Tiff, also made it to the event which made it fun. I talk to these girls almost every day, but it's so rare that I actually get to see them.
I helped sweep for this hike, which was really good for me in a lot of ways. One - it helped remind me about where I started. Some of the girls we hiked with had just started their hiking journeys, with this being their first peak to summit. I was in this place only a few years ago, so it was a good reminder of where I have been and how much I had grown in just two years. Two - it helped remind me to slow down and enjoy the views. We often get so caught up in "just finishing already" that we forget to just enjoy the moment... and the views. Slowing down allowed me to do this while talking to some really interesting people along the way. Three - it allowed me to help encourage others. I just read a story within the group tonight about a girl who had done an amazing backpacking trip over the weekend... only to be mocked by others on the trail because she moved slower than they did. I have experienced this all too often too, and it sucks. Who cares how fast you get there as long as you get there? You're still doing better than all the folks who are sitting at home! If I can be the voice of support for others on the trail, I'm happy to do so :-)
Since these two hikes, I have hit the trails every weekend. My hikes haven't been as impressive since, but I'm happy I've been getting out there. As the weather starts to chill, I'm reminded that my window for hiking some of these places is coming to a close. I don't have the training for snow hiking, so my winter hiking options are pretty limited. Hence, I will be taking full advantage of the weather for as long as I can. It makes me feel good, and inspires me to adhere to healthier lifestyle choices overall.
I am so, so happy that I decided to give hiking another go. I have loved hiking since my parents started taking me when I was just learning to walk... why I let my ego get in the way of it after Kilimanjaro, I'll never know. As a Girls Who Hike Ambassador, however, I am going to make it a goal to keep hitting those trails while encouraging others to do the same. If I can do it, I'm pretty confident that anyone can :-) So why not share the joy with everyone?
Until next time...
Becks
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