While I am an avid hiker, I am a big fan of being clean and comfortable. To me hiking means hitting the local trails in the afternoons and on weekends to enjoy the great outdoors and open air. But a couple of times a year I yearn for the challenge and excitement of a long-distance hike.
I am not a hard core hiker seeking extreme trekking such as the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail. But I’ve hiked enough miles to learn how to balance challenge and comfort seeking epic hikes that provide an intense and unforgettable experience yet allow for the pleasure of a hot shower, good food, and a comfortable bed after a long day of hiking.
And I’ve just experienced one of the world’s greatest hikes, the most popular hiking trail in Europe, the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB); completely personalizing the TMB North, hiking the trail at a leisurely pace covering 3 countries (France, Italy and Switzerland) in 6 days starting in Courmayeur and finishing in Chamonix, about 70 miles of spectacular views.
Even though I should have expected the trail to be busy considering it’s the most popular in Europe and in peak season, I was still surprised by how many people actually hike the TMB. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say I passed over 500 people daily. Encounters along the trail are mostly perfunctory greetings such as “morning” or “hello” but there’s still a great sense of connection sharing the trail. We have all become a part of each other’s trail experience: the toddler in hiking boots and a pacifier, the fierce German mountaineers with the ice axes, the elderly couple making their way up the mountain slowly but surely, the girl in the lacy bra, the Japanese man training for the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. Pounding the trail day after day with so many other people around certainly calls for reflection on the lessons learned on a mutually traveled path. As I followed the TMB trail, I tried to reflect daily on these lessons that have enriched my trail experience and my appreciation of the world and my life:
There are many paths to the top of the mountain and many ways to walk those paths. We each choose our own path to reach the summit, following the 'mini' trails. But as unique as we are, there’s always someone who has walked the path before and ended up leaving marks that can make our journey easier. The climb is ours, but the experience of others can help a lot. And everything we learn can be used on a future hike on a different mountain.
The trail is long and winding with many forks along the way. The forks in the road provide an opportunity to assess and decide which path to take. To quote Yogi Berra: “when you come to a fork in the road, take it!” Learn to trust yourself, especially when the markers are not easily identifiable. Trails have a way of twisting and turning unexpectedly. Whatever path you choose, the trail has a way of righting itself, especially once you gain mileage and experience. Hiking is much more fun when you dare to explore and experiment. A new path may lead to breathtaking views. There are plenty of opportunities to self-correct and change course when you feel the direction is just not right.
No trail is without obstacles. You never know what you’d encounter out on the trail: overgrown brush, fallen trees, poison oak, slippery rocks, speeding mountain bikers, cow pies and horse apples, and if you are lucky wildlife. Each challenge requires our focused attention and active engagement as we decide where to place each foot. These unexpected moments teach us about our skills and strengths. While challenging, the obstacles along the path make the hike so much more memorable, the achievement greater and more valuable.
It’s never the same trail twice. The terrain is alive, dynamic and ever-changing with the changing seasons and passing hours. When we pay attention we notice the nuances of the different light, weather, colors, and our state of mind. Coming down the same trail we went up, the trail seems entirely new. The views can be appreciated from a different angle. With every step we take we can discover new spots of beauty.
Trail difficulty is relative. The trail description and difficulty rating is based on the trail conditions, grade steepness, elevation gain/loss, and the relative technical difficulty (like crossing ice patches.) But even with experience, some days we might struggle depending on our physical and mental state and what we are able to bring to the trail. Some days we are ready to embrace bigger challenges and test our limits while on others we need to take the easy road. And often the descent is more rigorous and painful than the climb up. In hiking and in life, going downhill is an uphill job. But as mountain hikers, we learn to appreciate the steep climb up and the vistas from the top knowing that being at the top is temporary, much like being at the bottom. Descents are inevitable and are the pathway to another beautiful climb.
Triumph! The sweet smell of success: completing the hike. It feels so good. The hard work is done. We got the blisters and photos to prove it and the great memories to cherish. Now it’s time for the rewards of a long hike: post-hike stretches, hot shower, a good meal, and a long rest. But don’t rest on your laurels for too long, start planning and preparing for the next adventure.
Let’s continue to embrace the joys of life’s journey of discovery and growth and the beauty of the changing trails and paths.
