Thoughts of a Mrs. Modern-Day Mountain Woman Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Prepare to head into the mountains.

The first time I came to Colorado was when we were in high school. We came westward to go to a Christian convention. The convention was west of the divide. This part of Colorado, while rocky and mountainous, was still green and more lush than the eastern part of the divide. There was a bit of undergrowth in the woods, a plethora of streams and lakes, and a different color in the rocks. Even though the environment was a little bit more hospitable, we Illinois kids who had never been to the west were hopeless setting up our tents on different soil and weren’t prepared for how cool the evenings get. When, many years later, I returned with Mr. Modern-Day Mountain Man to live and work in Colorado, our new adventure was on the east side of the divide and at a much higher altitude. I remember thinking that I never knew Colorado was so dry and sandy. Bit by bit, I became used to the differences in weather and learned to appreciate the sheer beauty of the small mountain flowers, delicate aspen leaves, and colorful lichen on the dry rocks. I was not prepared at the start of our married adventure to head into the mountains. I remember pulling into camp, wearing shorts after driving from hot and humid Missouri, and not putting shorts on again until we left Colorado. The cold seemed so cold, the wind, so strong and brutal, and the sun so intense. A short time later, the cold seemed so refreshing, the wind so bracing, and the sun so welcoming and warming. A difference of perspective and a little bit of getting used to my new environment was all it took to realize how much I loved living in the mountains. Now I was prepared to head into the mountains.

So often over our several years of living above 9,000 feet of elevation, I saw many people not prepared to go into the mountains. Multiple times I would talk to people who wanted to hike a mountain starting at 3:00 in the afternoon, wearing shorts and sandals. I would discourage them from starting a journey into the mountains without being prepared and starting off at an inopportune time. I hope that some of them listened. Living at that elevation, we saw many rescue helicopters fly over- some which were able to rescue a person, many who were only on recovery missions. Not being prepared for the tough environment proved too much for many people. Many people come to the mountains from lower elevations and expect to climb high mountains as soon as they arrive without allowing their bodies time to adjust to the altitude. Climbing a tough mountain that starts at 9,000-foot elevation when you’re used to hiking at sea level is not the same level of preparedness. So often people would not only be physically prepared with their own bodies, but with their supplies. A water bottle and granola bar will not get you through climbing and returning from a 14-er. Having a plan and having the correct provisions will help ensure success. Having a teacher or experienced mountain-man teach and train you prior to your trip will help ensure success even more. The knowledge of storms in the mountains, when the sun will set and when the cold will come in, and the knowledge of what to do when those things happen are not usually common knowledge to those who haven’t lived and studied the environment. Just as you wouldn’t lead a trail with campers on which you’ve never been before, you shouldn’t go onto a mountain without being prepared both mentally, physically, and with proper provisions. Knowing how to set up your tent properly in any situation will keep you warm and dry. Being able to be adaptable to a situation and create a makeshift shelter is a great confidence-building tool.

Hiking With A Guide.

Sometimes you can learn these skills through a book or a You-Tube video. More often than not though, you will need to learn these skills through trial and error. It’s a much better choice for the trial and error portion to be under the supervision of a trained guide who can teach you the right and wrong and the way to handle a situation before that situation becomes life-threatening. Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person to summit Mt. Everest with his sherpa-guide Tenzing Norgay once wrote, “It is not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves.” Even Sir Hillary did not go off on this adventure alone and without guidance, he took a prepared and learned guide. Go into the mountains, but be prepared. Know your stuff. Know your gear, your ability, and your route. Find a guide who can teach you before you leave what to be prepared for. Read a book, practice, gain knowledge from others, tell someone you’re going, and then go and adventure into the wild.