Go Climb a Mountain

Milepost 7-7-14 McKinley Park, Alaska

“Climbing a mountain” is a figurative expression that is used to acknowledge the presence of a monumental challenge, something that we know will be difficult. It could be something like pursuing a college degree or quitting smoking or any of a thousand other tough quests.
For us three years ago, it was the process of downsizing and moving out of our house of 40 years so we could move into an RV and pursue life on the road. It was truly monumental.

This was the climb of a lifetime for me, the summit of the Mt. Healy Overlook.

But yesterday, “climbing a mountain” was not figurative language for me but an actual event. After a couple weeks of consideration and a practice run at it, I took on the challenge of the difficult hiking trail to the Mt. Healy Overlook. A week before, I had hiked the first half of it then turned back, deciding it was too strenuous. Finally, I was able to view the first attempt as conditioning for yesterday’s ultimate climb. And it worked; I made it to the top, a vertical climb of 1,700 feet over 2.3 miles! In fact, I cut a bit of time off the predicted duration of 4 to 5 hours for the round trip.

At higher elevations this trail didn't appear to be much more than a mountain goat path. — At higher elevations this trail didn’t appear to be much more than a mountain goat path.

Arriving back in the canyon in the late afternoon, I went to see Scott at Denali Adventure Tours to update him on the details of the climb (Yes, I decided that the steep trail would be more accurately described as a “climb” rather than a hike). That’s when I discovered that my first information ranking the difficulty of the climb as “moderate” was bad intel. Sure enough, Scott’s vast encyclopedia of adventure knowledge pegged that trail as “strenuous”. Now I could believe that!
As I had been scrambling over large boulders on the upper slopes I had heard myself grumbling under my breath about the guy who must have ranked the trail without ever climbing it. “Only a 16-year-old athlete would call this a “moderate” hike!” I fumed.

Having brought along their camp stove, these climbers rewarded themselves with a hot meal at the summit.

In terms of “Climbing a mountain”, this one was the real thing! The truth is, I would definitely not have taken on that climb if I had known up front what a grueling challenge I was in for. But now that I’ve done it, I’m happy about it… and happy to still be alive!

Here are more photos of my adventure:

The climbers swapped cameras to photographically document their accomplishment. — The climbers swapped cameras to document their climbing accomplishment with photographs.

Wow, the trail on the ridge leads into the distance. I'd love to follow it, but not this time. — Wow, the trail on the ridge leads into the distance. I’d love to follow it, but don’t have any strength left… and there’s still the descent ahead of me.

Mt. Healy beckons from across the canyon from Denali Adventure Tours where owner and answer man, Scott, takes it all in. — Mt. Healy beckons from across the canyon where Denali Adventure Tours owner and answer man, Scott, enjoys the panorama.

What is your next mountain that needs climbing?

2 thoughts on “Go Climb a Mountain”

While it is good to err on the preparedness side, there are times it may be best not to know how “high” the mountain is.

Congrats on surviving the climb. I can remember back to when I arrived in Alaska and was able to do a bit of climbing…now however I do it through stories and photographs like yours…thanks