December 10, 2011

Huayna Potosi (6,088)- learning a lesson

"Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the summit is the answer to the mystery why we climb."

I set off with five other people a few days ago to climb Huanya Potosi, a mountain very close to La Paz. This was not going to be my hardest or highest climb, but just a climb to do because I was bored. After a two hour hike to the refugio, we hung out, ate dinner and went to bed, well, everyone else slept but I couldn't (I hadn't slept much the week before either). When we got up at midnight to climb, I felt sick but figured it would pass and that it was due to my lack of sleep. About an hour and a half into the climb, I was already ready to give up (it normally takes at least four hours before you realize how much it sucks). I was exhausted, with no energy, and I had a horrible stomach ache. I started to think about why the hell people climb mountains, and I was at a loss. I was tired, and didn't see the point of continuing as it was not going to be my highest or best climb yet, and I was missing my climbing buddy. So I did a very unlike Shirine  thing and gave up 300m to the top. The person I was climbing with continued on, while I half slept, half watched the sunrise while sitting alone on the glacier (this was one of the most amazing things possible). By the time they came down to get me so we could all climb down, I regretted not making myself go to the top, and vowed never to give up like that again. All that day I was mad at myself for not making it when I knew I could have, so I decided to give it another shot, so, I headed off to that very same mountain, this time, with a very strong desire to make it to the top.

After the same walk to the refugio, I hung out with an awesome group of people (from all over Europe) and realized that part of the reason climbing is fun, is because you get to meet some of the awesomest people out there. After hardly any sleep (again) we set out at one. I was in the first group (climbing with a girl for my first time) and we did great. The first few hours I really enjoyed, and even though the last hour and a half was hard, it was all worth it to reach the top this time. We were the first group up (both of us being young girls, while the rest were boys in their twenties, take that boys) in a little less than five hours, right in time to see an amazing sunrise above the field of clouds below. The way down was fun, really fun. It was sunny (though a bit too hot) and we practically ran down the whole thing. We even stopped for a good half an hour at one point with another group just to sit on the glacier, enjoy the sun, and throw a few snowballs. This was the first time I had really enjoyed mountain climbing since Huraz.

I just climbed the same mountain twice (and had the same weather each time) but yet I had extremely different experiences. This just goes to show that climbing is more mental than anything else. As long as your brain still tells your legs to move, they can always take one more step. Sometimes, like this time, climbing is actually fun. Other times though, you are tired, too hot or cold, and miserable. That's when you start to question why the hell people do this, force themselves step after step to get to the top. What's the point really? I still haven't figure that out, and I don't think I ever will, but still something keeps pulling people like me back to the mountains to climb over and over again, and in the end, only the best parts stay with you.

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