Part four: Heading back
Sun is up and the wind died down…very easy and fun! Putting aside the torture it made me go through, I befriend the wind…as it brings the snow up from the ground into the rays of sun and throws a glittery confetti party only for me. Wading through knee high snow I can’t help smiling - what a treat! In the background the white rounded peaks look like delicious marshmallows made by the most crafted confectioner. Even if it is the same world as few hours ago, the way it unfolds in front of my eyes now is completely different…happiness and joy, warmness and glow!
At the head of trail I meet Jon and points toward a windburn on my left cheek. I have no idea what’s that but when I get to the car and look in the mirror, the ugly blacken skin makes me flinch…I put all the black thoughts aside and I choose to see the windburn as a wound from my fight with the ruthless wind, proving I was brave on the battlefield.
Lessons learned? Many. But above all, this climb made me think about how important is to have the right state of mind before and during the climb. I was not focused before it, I underestimated its difficulty and I miscalculated the distance and time to the peak…that made everything more difficult.