Climbing to the top.
Living in the great state of Utah, mountain ranges have decorated the backdrop of the sky my entire life. In Southern Utah they are bright red. To this day as I make the journey in between where I live now and there, I search for the changing mountain colors to signify the closeness of being home. As soon as the red peaks meet my eyes, there is a calm, comforting feeling that leaps into my heart.
Here in Northern Utah the mountains change colors with the seasons. Winter they are snow capped, Spring they are blossoming green, Summer they have a tendency to be green and brown and Fall they glow as a fire as the leaves change. Regardless, they are always welcoming and beautiful. The first thing I look for through the plane window when returning home from an extended visit to another part of the world are my mountains.
Those that have a beach, visit the beach. I have spectacular mountains, so I hike. There are so many trails that can be conquered. So many that it would be improbable for one person to experience every one of them. This leaves each hiker to carefully choose the trails on which they want to journey, realizing that they must give up what lies on another trail for the one decided. This choice always leaves me excited about what is ahead and a little saddened by the thought of what I will miss. However without a choice I would never get anywhere.
I have been up a few trails. I say only a few because with the vast amounts of possible trails, even just here in Utah, I am definitely not an experienced hiker. There are trails on which I have become very comfortable and familiar. I continue to go back to them because the hike gets easier whenever I set out on it an additional time. I know what to expect. I know what to carry with me. I know how fast I can take it. I know how much further to the top. I know how much shade I will hit and when it is best to rest. The more experience I have with the trail, the more my ability to love the journey because I know what to look for and I am better prepared.
Hiking is not for the weak. I am a slow hiker. I have a tendency to stop and in a sense “smell the roses”. I enjoy taking in the sights and sounds. At times I get frustrated because there are others passing me and getting to the top long before me when I left far before they even got out of bed. However when I get to the top and realize all that I enjoyed that was missed by those hurrying to make it to the end, I feel invigorated and know the time I spent was priceless. I have learned that it is okay if I am left behind because I always see them up at the top, for I always make it to the top. The views are always worth the scraps and bruises and pain that may come later.
Living in the great state of Utah, mountain ranges have decorated the backdrop of the sky my entire life. In Southern Utah they are bright red. To this day as I make the journey in between where I live now and there, I search for the changing mountain colors to signify the closeness of being home. As soon as the red peaks meet my eyes, there is a calm, comforting feeling that leaps into my heart.
Here in Northern Utah the mountains change colors with the seasons. Winter they are snow capped, Spring they are blossoming green, Summer they have a tendency to be green and brown and Fall they glow as a fire as the leaves change. Regardless, they are always welcoming and beautiful. The first thing I look for through the plane window when returning home from an extended visit to another part of the world are my mountains.
Those that have a beach, visit the beach. I have spectacular mountains, so I hike. There are so many trails that can be conquered. So many that it would be improbable for one person to experience every one of them. This leaves each hiker to carefully choose the trails on which they want to journey, realizing that they must give up what lies on another trail for the one decided. This choice always leaves me excited about what is ahead and a little saddened by the thought of what I will miss. However without a choice I would never get anywhere.
I have been up a few trails. I say only a few because with the vast amounts of possible trails, even just here in Utah, I am definitely not an experienced hiker. There are trails on which I have become very comfortable and familiar. I continue to go back to them because the hike gets easier whenever I set out on it an additional time. I know what to expect. I know what to carry with me. I know how fast I can take it. I know how much further to the top. I know how much shade I will hit and when it is best to rest. The more experience I have with the trail, the more my ability to love the journey because I know what to look for and I am better prepared.
Hiking is not for the weak. I am a slow hiker. I have a tendency to stop and in a sense “smell the roses”. I enjoy taking in the sights and sounds. At times I get frustrated because there are others passing me and getting to the top long before me when I left far before they even got out of bed. However when I get to the top and realize all that I enjoyed that was missed by those hurrying to make it to the end, I feel invigorated and know the time I spent was priceless. I have learned that it is okay if I am left behind because I always see them up at the top, for I always make it to the top. The views are always worth the scraps and bruises and pain that may come later.
posted by B at
4:07 PM
5 Comments:
How about some photos?
Lack of access to nature apart from the beaches is one of the downsides of living in Southern California. And what we do have consists mostly of brown mountains which look very desertish, but some people find some beauty in that. I personally don't.
By
David Cho, At
6:15 PM
Some of the most beautiful landscape in the world is right here in Utah. I grew up 40 minutes from Zion National Park and can't even begin to explain how awe inspiring it is. I will see what I can dig up without people in the pictures.
By
B, At
9:06 AM
Ah, Zion National Park.
After looking through some astonishing photos, I picked it as my vacation spot back in 1992. Then as we were about to hit the road, the Los Angeles riots hit and I had to stick around to make sure my mother was okay. She worked in Koreatown at the time when hundreds of businesses got destroyed. So I never made it there. Wish I had...
I am so jealous. I live just 10 miles from Disneyland, but would much rather have a national park nearby.
By
David Cho, At
1:50 PM
Oh, you should definitely make it a point to visit Zion National Park. When you do, make sure to venture down the Narrows (this is about a 9 hour hike through water, but absolutely beautiful), Angel's Landing (about a 4 hour round trip hike and straight up, but the views are spectacular) and the Emerald Pools (small 10 minute walk to the first pool, 5 minutes to the second and then an additional 10 minutes to the third which is surrounded by walls of moutains). Those are three of my favorites.
By
B, At
3:30 PM
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By
will, At
2:24 PM
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