notch top mountain

62:365

Sometimes, as I struggle to breathe enough air and as my ankle rolls for the 43rd time and as my own breath fogs up my sunglasses and as I run into yet another branch that looks like it will bend and then doesn't (ouch!), I wonder what the f*ck am I doing.

And then I get to see things like this. Things that only five other people in the whole world besides our little group of six saw today. And it's all worth it.

This is Lake Helene and Notch Top Mountain at about 11,000 ft. We hiked about 3.5 miles up to get there (and then had to hike 3.5 miles to get back down) and went up about 1400 feet. We ate lunch on the side of a mountain and crossed another lake to get there. We fell, and we got back up and kept going. And we laughed a lot and marveled at the beauty all around us.

My friend Chris who lives here and makes this all possible for me every year, stood beside me and took in this view. "How could anyone see this and not believe in God?" she asked. Beats me.