This might be the first trip I’ve ever taken where I’ll actually LOSE weight because I’ve been hiking like a mofo and I haven’t had much of an appetite since Central America. I’m travelling on a blogger trip with Trek America, which involves a great deal of camping and outdoorsy things. It is AMAZING and honestly, I don’t know if I would’ve given much thought to travelling this part of the United States otherwise.
And then I got to Scout’s Lookout.
Sometimes the path is only a few feet wide, with nothing to cling too. Sometimes you have to maneuver around other people coming DOWN the path, so either you have to step to the side and let them get past, or get really close to a stranger as you hold onto the chain and walk around them. I grazed some gentleman’s bodies. Maybe it was a little intentional, I don’t know.
I’m not gonna lie – I was terrified. Beyond terrified. A few minutes in, I considered turning back. I have a deep fear of heights, but I really wanted to push myself and the climb didn’t look too threatening from Scout’s Lookout. I was sadly mistaken, because once you round that first little taste of the trail, the big scary stuff begins. I think our camera crew has a view shots of me screaming and cursing. They probably couldn’t use it in the video.
I took my time, though. You’ve gotta have some level of physical fitness to do the route – sometimes you’re using just your upper strength to pull yourself up with the chains. My hands were stinging. My legs were spaghetti noodles – I had to concentrate on one foot in front of the other or else I’d look around and realize just how stupidly high up I was climbing. It’s really hard to describe. I’ve never done a hike before where SO MUCH mental stamina was needed to get me through. It was completely my mind screaming at me to keep climbing.
And then: the summit!
I collapsed in a sweaty, terrified heap for a few minutes before joining my friends at the other end of Angel’s Landing. Some girls flashed the Mormon state their boobs and we sat and ate sandwiches and I tried not to cry a little but it was BEAUTIFUL.
So beautiful.