The simplicity of an alpine objective is that it offers each us that challenge it a different experience. Each individual will meet confront a point that equally stirs fear within them yet makes them feel more alive than ever before.
The feeling of fear confronting nature is a powerful experience that can be a moment of clarity to harness positive energy and free your mind to embrace simplicity. Becoming Mindful in the Mountains.
Megan and Wyatt enjoying the view on the ridge of Mt Holy Cross
Mt Holy Cross – Mindful in the Mountains
This past weekend good friends of mine invited me out for my first alpine ascent of 2016 while I was visiting in Alberta. Our last significant climb was the summer of 2015 when we summited Mount Temple . They took me to a front range zone in the South Kananaskis region to with the summit of Mt Holy Cross as a goal. For more in depth details on the actual hike and scramble visit Explor8ion , a fantastic climber I follow.
Our group was of varying skills, experiences and backgrounds yet the connection of the love for seldom traveled locations and magnificent mountains brings us together to a commonplace. People quickly realize they aren’t that big deal they thought they were when removed from societies norms and now standing before the rawness of nature. This is something my group fortunately knows all too well.
After a person does enough trips in difficult terrain, adverse weather and high risk decisions I feel it changes your perspective as an individual. Read For Only Today
Seeking Mountain Objectives Ignites the Concept of Mindfulness
It does so in the way that we must be mindful of each moment by moment, be aware of our surroundings, be aware of others and live in the present experience. We understand that we can’t control the environment we are in but we can control how we respond to it and how we respond to those around us. Lastly we are able to appreciate enjoying the moment and soaking up all that that it has to offer right before us.
On the climb we each dealt with the present moment. Each individual assessed how those moments felt to them and how they would react. Charging ahead blindly is selfish and dangerous but by being aware of our surroundings and reacting to them mindfully lets an individual slow down and do a mental checklist of making the right decision. It was a positive experience to witness each individual make the right choices and summit their own “mental mountain” even if it was only part way up the actual mountain ridge.
The day in the mountains was an adventure of both the body and the mind. The power of nature recharges us connecting us back to simpler things. Our minds have a sharpened clarity that now can taken back to our daily lives in society to practice the mindfulness we just became more in sync with.
I challenge you to Explore Beyond The Usual and be a Mindful Explorer yourself.
Our mountain crew traversing the north ridge to reach the summit
Taking a break on Nature’s skillfully created chairs enroute to the summit
Cody and Wyatt pushing up the last bit of the ridge prior to the summit traverse
Looking back at Cody & Wyatt just prior to my summit
First recorded ascent of this summit in 2016 and my first of the year too
Mt Holy Cross summit as I descend back down, Wyatt & Cody still standing mid traverse.
That summit ridge looks intimidating! Great post Chris. I love the idea of mindfulness in the mountains instead of “crushing it” or “conquering it”. 🙂
Thanks Taryn , we both know the gifts nature can give us if we are willing to just slow down and accept them
Enjoy eading and the view wow.
Thank you for taking the time today to stop by my website Maryann. I am glad you enjoyed both the message and the views.
I have such a major thing for exposed ridges/arrets — loved these pictures! You’re so right about how climbs force mindfulness. It’s awfully tough to stay caught up in the unimportant minutia of modern life when your every footstep and every handhold matters. I love how present being on a mountain makes me feel, how it strips everything else away to the essential. Even on the longest treks, I never get wistful for complicated life stuff or all the things back home. I just start longing for a comfortable mattress, a warm meal, solid shelter from the wind. It’s the best reminder I know of what’s truly important.
It’s nice to see that someone gets it and you explained the mindset perfectly