Vertical Limit

Up until now I have been the person at the bottom of the zipline, unclipping people after their adrenaline filled ride. For the last few days I have been learning the process to secure people at the top of the zipline while standing on top of the ledge of the wooden tower, 40 feet in the air. Over the past few weeks I have been working to build my tolerances, fighting my slight fear of heights. At first, I was unconformable going up the spiral staircases, but now I am leading groups up the staircase to the top of the platform, as it sways in the breeze. Then I clip myself in, and pass through a gate out onto the ledge where I help clients get ready to go down the first zipline. It doesn’t even feel like I’m off the ground when I’m helping them. I’m sure being attached to two harnesses to help keep in place is a factor as well.

The night that I passed my reviews and was signed off to lead groups on the zipline tours, we arrived back at camp to one of the staff members excitedly yelling at us to hurry up and change as a ”Family Ice Climb” had been called. It had been a slow day and no one had booked our late afternoon glacier treks, so the owner allowed everyone to shut down and head out to the ice. Our ice climbing guides volunteered their time as the rest of us swung our ice axes and kicked our crampon laced boots into the walls of the glacier. Despite my fear of heights kicking in about 30 feet up, I trusted everyone who had me on belay and love the idea of climbing. I hope to improve and get more comfortable with it as the season goes on. I also hope to learn how to learn how to belay others, and learn more about the glacier I’m fortunate to wake up to and see everyday.

I had Saturday off and took the opportunity to hike a local rock formation a few miles from camp called Lion’s Head that has a commanding view of the area, including the glacier. Others would call it a hill about 1,800 feet high. For my Floridian friends, you would probably classify it as a mountain.

Regardless, the hike to the top had a special meaning to me, as I had first climbed Lion’s Head almost five years ago to the day, when I was on my trip as a client for the company that I now work for. The trails were just how I remembered them – steep, narrow and muddy. As I walked up the trail, I remembered so many things that are still the same - my inability to hike up inclines with any speed, my enthusiasm to try it anyways, my lack of daily stress, even my hiking boots were the same ones from 2012. Other things seem so different, my age; why I am in Alaska; and my future, uncertain of why lies next for me. In reality, I know that why lies ahead is never as guaranteed as we think. Reaching the top, I found what I believe is the same spot that I sat at when I first reached the top. Surprisingly, the glacier looks the same. This is partially due to the fact that the Matanuska Glacier is thinning, more than it is retreating as is slowly melts away.

I spent almost an hour in silence at the top enjoying the view and reflecting on life, family, friends I haven’t seen in a while, and new friends I’ve made. I then began my slow descent. The steep muddy steps didn’t make it easy. On multiple occasions, I slipped on my butt, one time getting my leg caught under me, twisting the knee I had been nursing for the last few weeks. Luckily, the pain was temporary and didn’t hurt the next day.

The landscape here continues to challenge me on hikes and trek, but I refuse to be discouraged. This place is too pretty, and the opportunity to be here is too rare – more hikes to come, maybe even a rock climb or two.

Thanks to all of you who read my ramblings each week. I hope you are all doing well, and I look forward to hearing from you about your own travel and life adventures. As an added bonus attached is a link my old journal from 2012 - and my YouTube video from my trip.... Enjoy, but ignore the typos and silly cinematography....

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Vertical Limit (2000) - Cast: Scott Glenn, Chris O'Donnell, Bill Paxton. Plot: A climber must rescue his sister on top of K2, one of the world's biggest mountains.