Mount Blakiston: Summit of Life FN2407

As I sit here reflecting on a recent summit of Mt. Blakiston with an epic crew, I am caught away in the beauty of this landscape sitting at the granite gates of Waterton. It’s abrupt, as the flat prairie fields converge with ancient mountains, with grandfather Vimy and grandmother Crandell mountains standing as sentinels, ushering in the visitors from far and near. The sun rays splitting clouds to descend on a sacred valley with cascading mountains fading into the horizon. This place will always have a piece of my heart. As for Mount Blakiston. My favorite spot to see it is just west of Mountain View, (a small town of kind folk) as you’re coming towards the park. It has an iconic look, towering over the rest, it’s all you’ll see once you notice it and focus on it driving in. 

It is the tallest mountain in Waterton and named after the first European, Thomas Blakiston that came through the area with his company and several indigenous guides back in the late 1800’s. To see it for the first time would have been a marvel untouched, and un-summited. 

Now to the adventure, let me introduce the crew:
@clarkrc - Clark the Visionary: Team Leader, Driver, Comic Relief, 
@_maxlow - Mountain Max: Billy goat guide , Botanist/Geologist, Storyteller 
@wwhitney Lane - Fearless Whitney: Living on edge, Always smiling, Could live on mountain tops
@becca.olsen - Brave Becca: Tricked into how hard it would be, Fighter to the top, Queen of pushing her limits
@mganeolsen - Sherpa Michael - Quiet contemplator, hiding how hard it was to the others, heading up the rear, inspired by his wife’s grit and great company

We all know this analogy, but it’s worth saying again and again… Summiting a mountain is like life! It’s also like accomplishing anything great in your life. Climbing Mount Blakiston seemed to be the perfect analogy, at least more than other summits I’ve done, it was steep and tough, but achievable!

You begin with naive vigor, gung ho with fresh ideas of optimism and visualizing success down the well worn path. The first leg requires some effort, but your up to the task because your fresh and youthful in your approach.
Then it begins to get steeper, and the real tests begin. It requires you to push through the initial lactic acid build up. You realize this is the beginning of push and pause, a combination of going hard and then taking momentary breaks for relief. For the billy goat (Max), he got more rest, waiting for us. 

The path that has been marked and well trodden begins to fade then disappears, but don’t fret there isn’t suppose to be a path for the rest of the the journey… it’s a scramble. So now you you faced with big decision. 

Which direction do go?
Which direction is optimal?
Where are the road blocks? 
Which way will give a safe path to the top?
Do I really need to get to the top? 

Then comes some larger tests. You encounter a couple cliffs to climb, the challenge is exciting, but requires new skills and a level head, and using all fours. So you adjust and adapt. The test is equally exciting and nerve racking. 

This is an interesting point. You start having real success at the tops of some of these cliffs and are rewarded for your efforts. You are now high enough to to see views that are beautiful, but simultaneously feelings of complacency creep in, you start thinking of how hard it was to get to this point. You think this is good enough, you don’t need to keep going. Entitlement shows it’s face; you’ve done so much you should be rewarded for summiting, even though you haven’t. The first moment of real courage is required, to keep pushing despite the success, despite the effort you have given and the ground you’ve gained.

You move onto the next phase where you are now expected to climb cliffs without a great view point and slog through steep shale that makes you feel like your taking one step forward and 2 steps back. Your progress seems slow with little reward. But after a season of frustrating snail pace, yet consistent effort, you reach a ridge. The saddle of the mountain. This time the success seems like the finish, the rewards are great, and you take a longer break then ever before. More complacency and entitlement present, yet you’re proud of your achievements. You turn your back and try to ignore the rugged peak behind you. You try to stay in the moment and be present in your success, despite the looming, final battle, where you will have to give it your all. This is point of no return, where you have to mount your greatest courage to fight your greatest demons, so you can finish the fight. 

With shaky legs, scraped and bruised limbs, you begin the the final ascent. You are wiser with your stepping, cautious with your route, but more determined then ever to reach the height. It quickly gets harder then you ever imagined, partly because of your impatience wondering when the pain will end, and the other part from the debilitating fear of failure. Cliff after cliff the wind gets stronger, it starts requiring everything, despite the ever present doubt and fear… faith, hope, and courage must prevail. This is also the point where sadly most give up in life or on their dreams or their most important goals. When all things seem to be there hardest, when the winds are blasting, the pain of mind trumps even the pain of body, you make the last push.

Luckily, in this case, when at the last hesitation to reach the ridge top, someone that had gone before and sensing another in need came first as a voice and then as figure …”You can do it, your almost there!” Standing at the top was our fearless leader Clark encouraging us at the last moment of trial! 

Then you reach the top, mission accomplished objective achieved and its glorious! The views are amazing the mountains surround you in all direction… your perspective will never be the same, it’s become more expansive, among the endless peaks of paradise. All the effort mentally, physically, spiritually was all worth it. You feel the pleasure of God. 

                                The End…

Until the next adventure, goal, or dream… go beyond and never give up!