Chasing Waterfalls: The Mountains Have Called

Hello, are you there?

John Muir, do you remember the first time you heard this person's name? Do you remember the first thing you learned about this person?

It seems everyday I am in the Sierra Mountains the name John Muir comes up in some way, shape or form. If you are reading this you may have heard or read the quote: "The Mountains are calling, and I must go." This is by far one of the most well known John Muir quotes and also one of the best finishing lines in a letter ever written. That quote was written in a letter from John Muir to President Theodore Roosevelt. Oh how time has taken that quote and made it into undeniably one of the best motto's for getting outside and escaping into the wilderness areas across the world.

Coming at you from Bishop, California... and no I am not climbing, well not rock climbing, well not bouldering, sport or trad climbing. We are resting up before the next push in the Sierras to Mammoth! And no I will not be snowboarding or skiing. It is quite stark the contrast in temperature in the mountains to the valley floor. It was maybe in the seventies on our hike out of Kearsarge Pass to get to the Onion Valley Camp Ground. From there we were able to catch a ride from a local hiker named High Walker to Bishop. Well it is about a hundred and one degrees right now outside. Luckily the local library is allowing hikers to use the internet for a short period of time.

The first stretch of the Sierras has been absolutely breath taking, both literally and figuratively. We have to "earn our mountains" as I kept saying in previous posts. Well this is the stretch that every PCT hiker past, present and future talks about. In the first few days we've already reached the highest points on the PCT, CA and the lower 48. As we ascended Mt. Whitney I got to see what seemed like endless miles of mountains to the west, north and south. How do you describe in photos the sensations and feelings that run through your body as you sit and ponder your life and the life of this planet? I'm standing at the highest point in the state and lower 48 states and the only thing I can think of is how can this get any better?

Well the trail sure does like to throw it at you everyday you are in the mountains. The very next day we go to ascend Forester Pass, the highest point on the actual PCT (Mt. Whitney is a 17 mile side trip, which of course you must do). at over 13,000 feet we got to look behind us and remind ourselves that we are one of many and that in front of us lay even more. I can tell you first hand that I would love to bring everyone I have befriended in my lifetime to these places so that you can all truly experience the special energy out here.

I am humbled every day because I get to wake up in these places. I am reminded of some of the reasons why I chose to hike this trail. The communities we live in help shape who we are. The trail, it isn't just for me, it is also about helping inspire and educate another generation. That's why I am so happy to be helping to raise funds for both the YWCA and NCBI in Missoula, MT as these organizations help to build stronger communities.

Each year the trail changes and I know that it will be different again next year. To live in the moment and enjoy the world as it is today is something I think we've lost touch with. Maybe if you decide to call and get a voicemail, maybe then at that moment you and I will realize that I'm answering another call.

-The Prodigy
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