We talk quite a bit about active aging and being able to do the things we enjoy. One thing we don’t often talk about is the courage to try something new or something that will be quite challenging to us. In this case we are talking about hiking, but it could be anything from taking a class, to learning a language, to trying new foods, or even travel. It takes a willingness to know that things may not work out as well as we’d like. Even with that knowledge we go ahead and move forward to take the class, practice the new language, try the food, or take that hike.
Sometimes we need to hear it from a friend, and so here is Carolyn McCormick who attends Willow Tree Studio’s Functional Fitness classes talking about her recent adventure:
“Since moving to Colorado, I’ve loved hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park. I wanted to do a 14er because, as much as I love hiking in Colorado’s High Country, the challenge of a 14er was a test I had never attempted.
I had prepared by taking longer, higher, and more challenging hikes and planned carefully (following recommendations from guide books and experts). I climbed Handies Peak with my husband and son who also wanted to share in the adventure.
We started out from Lake City, driving as close to the trailhead at American Basin as possible – still a mile short for our vehicle. This added two miles to the round-trip out-and-back – making for a total distance of 7.5 miles.
The 360-degree views of the San Juan Mountains (including other nearby 14ers) were amazing and the successful summit was fantastic, but the most important part of that was having the confidence that I could do it.
The funniest things along the way were the chorusing pica and marmots offering encouragement! That and the hiker on his descent saying “If it rests, it rusts!”
Probably the most difficult part of the hike was the descent after the exertion of getting to the summit! We had traversed a rock glacier on the trail and coming down made me extremely grateful for all of the balance training, focus on careful attention to footfall, strength and endurance we do in class.
This reinforced my awareness and appreciation of the strong links between my physical and mental well-being. It also showed me that I am capable of even more. Handies Peak was my first 14er. It won’t be my last.”
Handies Peak is a 5.3 mile trail with a 2,440 elevation gain near Silverton, Colorado generally considered a challenging route according to All Trails.
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