Sunrise Hike

Saturday, most people are still asleep or don’t even get up till noon. For some reason, my body and mind naturally are awake early…I am my own alarm clock. When I roll over and check my phone thinking it might be seven or eight am… just my luck it is barely six am and my body is awake. Laying down in my bed, looking up at the ceiling and out of nowhere I get this idea to take myself for a sunrise hike. I even text my main adventure friends and ask if they will tag along but who am I kidding?
They would not be awake at this time on a Saturday morning.

I finally get myself out of bed and grab every item from my closet knowing it’s February, and the middle of winter time. Once I finally start driving to my location, I think about how crazy I am for some of the adventures I go on and question where I get my ideas but I have been doing this for a long time, and will continue to do so the rest of my life. The memories and stories leave a story behind, that I get to share with my friends, and live with.

My snowshoes are packed just in case I come across heavy snow pact, due to the higher elevation. Starting to pull up to the trailhead, and the sun is still not fully up. Alright, time to hike. All that I am thinking of is how grateful I am for my down coat and five extra layers under. The sun is reflecting off the mountain in one area, and the other side is covered in shadow. My hands and face are numb on the hike up, and I have this feeling of anxiousness. The first thing that pops into my head is what my mom always tells me “I don’t have to do what everybody else is doing” and that really hits home for me. That is what I live by, that is the reminder of why I am out here this early and living my life differently.

I start thinking of all the articles and moments I have previously written about, and the first thing that pops into my mind to stay occupied and distracted from the fact that I am freezing my ass off really… telling the true story of my sunrise hike experience. I lived it, the pros and the cons. That is what makes it authentically real and special. I start to get close to the top and look over the valley, not a single person or car insight. I make it to the top and feel this release of anxiety and stress just be lifted off of me, like the wind picked it up, and blew it away.

After you read this…I want you to close your eyes and just imagine sitting at the top of your destination, and whatever is holding you back from doing something, imagine the wind blowing all those doubts away. Watch the sunrise and let it hit you right in the face. The sun will always come up again. Another rise, another day. The feeling a sunrise hike brings, when the rest of the world is asleep, makes the expense so enjoyable when you make it to the top.