Being from Kansas, every time I go somewhere new or to a different state, I have found that it's really easy for me to appreciate my surroundings. Whenever I see a mountain or beach I find myself full of excitement and giddiness. I quite literally feel like a kid at a candy store.
Don't get me wrong, the Flint Hills and the (what seems like) never-ending plains of grass throughout Kansas is gorgeous as well, but sometimes it's nice to switch it up. For spring break this year my mom, my grandma, and I decided to take a trip to the Grand Canyon.
That's right, a three-generation vacation! We spent our last day of the trip in Phoenix, Arizona where my mom and I attempted and succeeded at climbing the infamous Camelback Mountain.
Let me start out by saying that I’ve only been hiking a few times in my life. Once in North Carolina, another time while I was in Seattle, and now for a third time in Phoenix. For those of you who aren't familiar with Camelback Mountain, all you really need to know is that there is a moderately hard trail (Cholla Trail) on one side of the mountain and an extremely difficult trail (Echo Canyon Trail) on the other.
My mom and I always welcome a challenge, so we decided that the 1.12-mile trail rated as "extremely difficult" was the way to go.
We had both heard of the Echo Canyon Trail before and were familiar with the warnings that others had given. We had been told that there were constant rescues on the trail but did not think much of it at the time, as we both knew that medical emergencies could happen to anyone at any given time.
We did not let these warnings stop us or scare us off from the hike. After all, the hike was only just over a mile long. How hard could it be?
My mom and I got up early that morning and were on the trail by 6:30 AM. The view, even from the bottom of the mountain, was absolutely breathtaking and there was a slight breeze that kept both of us cool and we hiked along.
Not even a fourth of the way into the hike and we come across a fairly steep slope with a rail running all along the slope. We both thought it was a little different than what we were used to, but hey, if everyone else was doing it then so could we!
We struggled up the slope until we got to a flat area. Out of breath, and a little sweaty by this point, we kept going. Just around the corner, there was another steep slope followed by ascending stairs. We looked at each other and pushed on through the heavy breathing.
We hiked and hiked and as time went on, the sun started to come up. The mountain seemed to keep getting steeper and steeper and railings were no longer an option. We had reached a point in the hike where we would use all fours to climb up the rocks. That's right, we were now rock climbing up the mountain.
My mom and I had no idea what we had in store for us. The second half of the hike was all rock climbing, and we were drenched in sweat. We would take breaks here and there, and there were a few times when I was not sure if my mom was going to be able to continue.
I think she saw how determined I was to get to the top. She put all of her miseries behind her and I slowed down for both of our sakes.
On our way up, we met many interesting people. Couples who wanted to get away for a bit, twins who were on vacation, a man who ran (yes, I mean ran) the trail twice a day every day. These people were the ones who let us know that it was possible to make it to the top, and they were rooting for us just as we were rooting for them.
An hour and a half later, we finally had done it. We had made it to the top of Camelback Mountain. Let me tell you, the feeling was incredible! Not to mention we had an absolutely stunning view of the entire valley at the top. It was worth every step, as we both knew that the best things in life are never easy.
I'm sure both my mom and I learned a lot from the experience, and more importantly, we bonded more in those few hours than we have in a very long time. We believed in each other and we believed in ourselves.
Although our expectations of the hike were nowhere close to reality, we enjoyed the moment while it lasted. Who knows, maybe we'll go back to take on Camelback Mountain once again.
