climbing mountains

In the past I've been fortunate enough to visit some parts of the United States on a couple of holidays.  I was privileged to see one of the most stunning locations, Yosemite National Park, with breathtaking scenery at every turn. From the grassy meadows to the highest mountain peak. I decided I would enjoy climbing up the side of Yosemite Falls and was determined I was fit and up for the challenge and said this to my partner. 
The climb was steep. It was only when standing at the bottom, gazing upward in the early morning, that I realised just HOW high it was! By the time I reached the first waterfall (there are two) I wanted to stop and return back.  My partner suggested we could reach the second fall at the very top. The heat was incredible and there was no shade as we neared the top. It took a lot more than physical endurance to reach the top of that mountain.  Knowing there were brown bears in Yosemite kept me on my toes too. It also was tough getting back down with the steep and narrow trek full of other tourists still coming up at midday. My partner handed over his water supply to me to keep me going.


I felt incredibly proud when looking over the falls at the top and seeing the glacier pool that I would not have seen if not for that determined trek.  I also learnt that jokily boasting about my level of fitness might have been a bad idea. I was humbled by the stamina and generosity shown to me by my partner and by the very mountain I stood on. I also learned a lot about myself and what I could do if I really believed. I'm glad I had that experience.  

In the words of a great and famous photographer, renowned for photographing Yosemite National Park, 'In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration' - Ansel Adams (photo attached is not by Ansel, his were black and white)