Mountain dance

Mountain Dance

One foot in front of the other,
each of us on the path in our own way,
dancing our own dance
with the mountain.
Over rocks and roots,
along the roaring brook,
past rockfalls and a sheltered turquoise pond,
across bridges made by helpful hands.
Then - out of the woods to the pond that is
caressed by the mountain itself.
Cloud covered splendor,
rock face looking down upon us as
we wonder– will it clear?
Howling nighttime winds a
mountain symphony as we rest,
safe in our deluxe lean-to.
Random breezes curl into our space
and nuzzle our faces with the cool, fresh air.
Awakening to dappled moonlight
illuminating the forest floor,
our dream of a summit attempt through
the wee hours of the morning suddenly
becomes possible.
Again we put one foot in front of the other
and lumber over the rocky way
by the light of the moon
and the headlamps we adorn.
Through the darkness we patiently trek
to the rockslide – our next challenge.
Muscles engaged, spirits willing, minds set,
we move our bodies over the many daunting obstacles
to the crest of the saddle.
Greeted by the full moon we thought had set,
we turn our heads to the east and behold the
brightening colors of the dawn.
Our souls fill with gratitude, awe,
togetherness and so many other
sensations/emotions that are beyond words.
We pause to soak it all in and then head up the
wide open trail that leads us along the saddle
toward our intended destination.
We are accompanied by the still full moon,
the early morning sun surrounded by the multi-colored
sky that heralds the new day,
and the shadows of the great mountain in the
valley below with just a hint of light
on a few of the crests below us.
A brisk wind makes the way even more taxing
but allows us to further appreciate
the energy and magnitude of our environs.
We weave our way to the peak,
barely able to stand as the vigorous winds
whirl and twirl around us.
We are again awash
in the emotion and elation of
our accomplishment.
Each having danced our own individual
mountain dance
we are standing at the top of our state -
Baxter Peak at 5:55 AM on
Tuesday, July 27, 2010.
Strong and vibrant
we are fully in the moment of
being there- together.

For Rob, Katharina, and Molly

by Sarah Carlson - August 4, 2010