Four years ago, I made a promise to myself that I would climb the towering giants in the SoCal 6 Pack of Peaks challenge, along with the tallest mountain in the continental U.S. Last weekend, I crossed the highest peak in SoCal off my list by hiking another 20 miles in the San Gorgonio Wilderness.
I had put off the trek for so long because I was always waiting for someone to come with me. A hike to San Gorgonio Peak and back would last at least ten hours for me, and I hate having to hike in the dark alone. However, over the years, the miles I have hiked and the outdoor training I have gained have finally pushed me to the summit.
The weather was the stark opposite of what I experienced the week before. The sun shone brightly, and the beautiful colors of the autumn leaves scattered throughout the wilderness were vivid. I enjoyed it most of the way up until I reached the rocky terrain above the tree line. It was during this section when I began thinking to myself, “Man, this mountain is massive. Only delusional people would walk this far just for a view.”
I passed several hikers along the way. Somewhere near Jepson Peak, two of them stopped where I was to gaze over a ledge with a shear drop that overlooked a valley and a couple of alpine lakes.
“It would suck to go tumbling off the edge. I’m sure I’d die,” infer if the hikers addressed his companion. “You might live, though.”
“No, I think I would die too,” the other responded. “We’re both too old to survive a drop like that.”
We all chuckled as we stared at the beautiful and hazardous view along the trail. That’s when I thought to myself, hikers are some absolutely crazy people before the two hikers continued on their way down the mountain. There’s something about people who challenge and push themselves in such remote and dangerous environments that’s absolutely insane, and yet, I’m also one of them.
There are other very challenging hikes left on my list that I want to complete, and this milestone has only bolstered my confidence (or maybe outright delusion) that I can finish them all with friends or on my own.