more" />more" />more" />
Explore Austin
  • Menu
    • Who We Are
    • Get Involved
      • Become a Board Member
      • Quest for the Summit
    • About Us
    • Our Explorers
    • Our Staff
    • Our Supporters
    • Our Mentors
    • Our Board
    • Press
    • Blog
    • Annual Report
  • Donate
    • Donate Now
    • Give Monthly
    • Trailblazer Campaign
  • Who We Are
    • About Us
    • Our Staff
    • Our Board
    • Our Mentors
    • Our Explorers
    • Our Supporters
  • Impact
    • Blog
    • Press
    • Annual Report
Explore Austin
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Mentor
    • Attend Quest for the Summit
    • Join Our Team
  • Ways To Give
    • Donate Now
    • Give Monthly
    • Summit Circle of Giving
    • Trailblazer Campaign

Like, Why Do We Even Do This?

Homepage Adventure Like, Why Do We Even Do This?

Like, Why Do We Even Do This?

ExploreAustinAdmin
August 14, 2019
Adventure, Leadership, Mentoring
ACES

By Jessica Sager, 2020 Fierce Fancies Mentor

 

I cried when I reached the top of the mountain.

We had started our hike that morning at 3 am, under the huge expanse of a clear, cold, and starry Colorado sky.

Really, though, we had started 6 years before, a thrown-together group of pre-teens and wannabe (I say that lovingly) mentors, in the HOT summer sun of Texas. On that initial Summer Wilderness Trip – notoriously known as the *hardest* one we ever did, for more stories than I’ll share right now – the longest we hiked as a group was 2 (brutal) miles. Now, it was in the heat of the Texas summer sun, and it was with full packs on, but the fact is – it was 2 miles.

On this particular Thursday morning, we were waking up – dark and early – to complete a 6 mile hike that would take us across creeks in the dark, up snow patches with ice axes and gaiters, over countless rock boulders, and to the top of a mountain, to come back around a valley, and back to camp again. And if we were lucky – all before the afternoon storms were to come in.

(I love nighttime walks, and was *really* excited.)

2020 Fierce Fancies on Summit Morning

If you know me, it probably won’t come as any surprise that I generally like to take the unofficial place as the “caboose” during most of our activities. This is both practical and meaningful.

First – never have I ever been accused of being a fast walker. And, more importantly, I find the conversations with the girls who also find themselves at the end – the ones who struggle, or doubt themselves or question their choice to even be there – to be the kind of rich and real talk that I learn from and love the most.

“But really,” one of the girls – who was also hiking at the back with me – said, “I don’t even know why we hike mountains. Like, why even do this.”

This girl was one of my favorites. I believe you meet people of your “soul tribe” in so many places throughout your life, and this girl was definitely in mine.

 

Unlike me, however, she was *NOT* enjoying the journey this morning. She was terrified of heights and was hurting physically. While she was generally one of the most upbeat and positive in the group, when it came to heights, she was at her edge, literally and figuratively. She had even talked to each mentor separately the days leading up to this hike, mentioning that she didn’t think she would be able to do it. However, once you are on a mountain, there isn’t really a place you can easily just get off of it. No elevators, escalators, or teleporters on this one, sadly. And my teenage friend was not particularly pleased with that.

“I kinda didn’t even really want to come this year, but my mom told me I had to.”

She continued on like this, as we continued to hike and climb, despite all her resistance and near insistence she couldn’t keep going.

And, as we climbed up the trail and over the boulders, we discovered another important truth: You can hike any far and seemingly impossible distance in 10 step increments. Every time your right foot hits the ground, you get to count. One, two, three, four…. When you reach 10, you get to stop. For a moment, at least. And, then it’s time to keep going. The count begins, again. I don’t actually know how many times we counted to 10, but it was a lot. Sometimes, when the path evened out, we’d just walk and stop counting, and when it got harder, we’d start again.

Miraculously, and after countless counts of 10, the top of the mountain came to us. Or, us to it. Either way, we got there – our whole group was together again at the top of the summit.

As we reached the top, another girl who had been just a few paces ahead hugged a mentor and started to cry.

It was incredible, to see these girls have these emotional moments because of the physical feats they undertook and the natural beauty around them. 

Then, all of a sudden, I was crying. We had reached the summit of a mountain together, and the summit of 6 years of growing, laughing, hair braiding, adventuring, hurting, challenging, and learning together. And I knew in just a short while, we’d back down the mountain and heading home, again.

“This will be a memory too soon,” I thought.

Jessica, 2020 Fierce Fanices Explorer on the Summit of Mt.Baldy

After a few more hours of hiking down the mountain, I was happy to find myself on the final stretch of trail with my young straggler friend again.

I pointed at the mountain that now seemed far away and so high up. I traced in the air the path we had taken that morning, once again it looked like incredible feat: up a wall of snow, across the ridge, to a peak far away, and back down again.

“Can you believe you did that?” I asked. “You asked me why we climb mountains. We climb mountains to learn about who we are. And who we can become, because of them.”

Not going to lie – I still don’t think she was buying it.

Later, in our closing circle, a new truth finally was ready. An Appreciation game called “Spotlight” had become an important part of our closing circle every year.

It is moving beyond words to see young women share with full hearts about how proud they are of each other.

During her time in the spotlight, in between receiving heartfelt acknowledgment for all that she did for the group, my previously struggling young friend thanked the mentors and trip leaders for all their support, especially when she resisted.

“The top of the mountain was the most beautiful thing I’ve seen,” she said.

And later still, as our van pulled up to the airport and we were about to begin the last leg of our last trip home, I heard her say to herself and no one, in particular, a new truth that was just waiting to be seen:

“I’d rather climb another mountain, then have it all be over and be going home.”

~

I am so thankful for the way these past 6 years held me, grew me and changed me. All the mountains – both real and relational – taught me who I was, and who I could become.

2020 Fierce Fancies Mentors From left: Jessica Sager, Owen O’Brien, Gabrielle Bland, Shannon Messer
Previous Story
Up Mt. Baldy and Along the Continental Divide Trail – One Explore Austin Alumni Mentor’s Journey to Self-Discovery
Next Story
Opt to Act with Explore Austin & REI

Leave your comment Cancel Reply

(will not be shared)

Advertisement

#

Recent Posts

  • Explore Austin Empowers Youth Through Mentorship and Outdoor Adventure By: Korrin Bishop Friday, 20, Nov
  • A Message from the Explore Austin Board and CEO Wednesday, 3, Jun
  • The Bear That Turned Out To Be A Moose Thursday, 26, Mar
  • Opt to Act with Explore Austin & REI Monday, 25, Nov

Recent Comments

    Archives

    • November 2020
    • June 2020
    • March 2020
    • November 2019
    • August 2019
    • June 2019
    • April 2019
    • February 2019
    • August 2018
    • July 2018

    Categories

    • Adventure
    • Community
    • Leadership
    • Mentoring
    • Uncategorized

    Meta

    • Log in
    • Entries feed
    • Comments feed
    • WordPress.org

    About Explore Austin

    [email protected]

    (512) 320-8899

    Helpful Info

    • Mentor Resources
    • Explorer & Parent Resources
    • Program Calendar
    • Donate
    • Contact
    • Join Explore Austin Email List

    explore_austin

    Mentors are those who tell you where to look, but Mentors are those who tell you where to look, but will never tell you what to see!  #mentor #explorer #outdoors #nature
    “We really do love those boys. It's just one of “We really do love those boys. It's just one of those things that you just build, and every year it's built on each other." - Steve DePizzo (one of our Alumni Mentors pictured middle blue shirt, sunglasses).  Steve believes the level of trust shared amongst his team is credited to Explore Austin's model around the significant amount of time teams spend together on Saturday Challenges and Summer Wilderness Trips and outside the program too.  This December give the gift of community. Let's continue building connection and community. Click on the link in our Bio to make a tax-deductible gift today! 🙏  #giving #mentor #explorer #community
    Leah Yanez a mentor with the 2022 #GirlsRule team, Leah Yanez a mentor with the 2022 #GirlsRule team, gives us an inside peek during a December volunteer activity!  "Our December Saturday challenges for @explore_austin are always unique because we get to volunteer at a local nonprofit of our choosing. It's usually a learning experience, but this year was even more special because one of our explorers planned it at Restoration Ranch. Sharon gave us a wonderful tour and introduce us to all the horses. What magical creatures."  Giving back to your community is a magical experience, help us continue to teach explorers what it means. Click on the link in our Bio to give a gift today! 🙏  #explore #austin #communityservice
    Shout out to the 2022 Boys Wolfpack! 👏👊 Las Shout out to the 2022 Boys Wolfpack! 👏👊  Last Saturday teams were doing community service by picking up trash at Walnut Creek. They discussed the importance of being stewards of our community and what that means for each of us as individuals, and how to pay it forward.  #explore #austin #communityservice
    Follow on Instagram
    Copyright ©2018 Explore Austin. All Rights Reserved. 2019 Tax Info
    SearchPostsLoginCart
    Friday, 20, Nov
    Explore Austin Empowers Youth Through Mentorship and Outdoor Adventure By: Korrin Bishop
    Wednesday, 3, Jun
    A Message from the Explore Austin Board and CEO
    Thursday, 26, Mar
    The Bear That Turned Out To Be A Moose
    Monday, 25, Nov
    Opt to Act with Explore Austin & REI
    Wednesday, 14, Aug
    Like, Why Do We Even Do This?
    Tuesday, 18, Jun
    Up Mt. Baldy and Along the Continental Divide Trail – One Explore Austin Alumni Mentor’s Journey to Self-Discovery

    Welcome back,