I had no idea what to expect when my dad told me we were going to climb a mountain over the summer. For reference the Grand Teton is a little less than half as tall as Mnt. Everest, and does not have the same altitudinous impact as it either. My family and I spent a week learning how to tie knots, climb as a team and practiced all the safety procedures necessary to climb a mountain. There was only one campsite, and getting there was a blast. We left early in the morning, and spent the whole day walking through the forest, rain and fields of rocks. We met some people on the way, and enjoyed the view. It was not too difficult for someone who has to stay in shape for their year-round sports. The camping situation was strange, everyone stayed in a small semi-permanent hut in sleeping bags packed together like sardines. We ate dried food from weird plastic bags and drank hot chocolate. I’ll admit I was kind of used to having fairly cushy accommodations, and the only kind of camping I had really done previously was in the desert. After that, it stopped being super easy.
Not very any people slept, and we woke up at around four in the morning so we could summit and make it back down the mountain by the end of the day. My family were the last from the group to leave the campsite, and not long after it started sleeting. I brought two different gloves, both of which had soaked all the way through within an hour, leaving my fingers to freeze off while I attempted to climb and navigate the top of mountain. We never made it to the top, due to the fact that the groups above us decided that it was too slippery to continue and turning back. We probably would have done the same, and I will admit I was quite thankful I could get back somewhere warm.
To go places and do things is what living is all about.
I can still remember what it felt like to see our tiny hut and sprint back as fast as I could with stiffly frozen limbs. For months after that, I swore I would never live in a place where there was even a chance at snow. Now that I am a little older, and have a little more body fat, I wish I could have appreciated the experience a little more. Although I by no means took it for granted, I would have liked it if the weather didn't get me so upset. It was a good time, and I hope to do something similar again soon.