For the Joy! (Almost climbing a 14-er!)

The week before last, Joe and two of our boys went up to Buena Vista for a couple of days, just to get away from it all! It was a glorious time, a much needed break, and a wonderful change of scenery, being surrounded by mountains on every side and rushing rivers through the canyon.

Part of our plan was to attempt to climb Huron Peak, one of Colorado’s fifty-eight fourteeners. I read the "All Trail” reviews online, and Huron Peak was touted as one of the easiest fourteeners. The reviews and comments also mentioned a two mile, four-wheel drive road you must traverse before ever getting to the very remote trailhead. A mixture of comments like, “I blew out the axle in my Jeep!” to “I made it just fine in my Subaru Crosstrek,” made me wonder what we were really up against.

We had brought my trusty 2007 Toyota Highlander on our trip, but nothing prepared us for what lay ahead (the photos do not do it justice)! As the two-wheel drive part of the dirt road ended, and we began the four-wheel drive portion, it was evident that when the website said “high clearance vehicle required,” they meant it.

We began diving into the most jagged terrain my sweet little Highlander had ever seen, and soon we realized the terrain was too much for my “evidently not-high-enough” clearance vehicle!

Against the seasoned “wisdom”and cajoling of the teenage boys in our back seat, we threw up the white flag. Joe miraculously maneuvered and turned us around, only to park safely so we could walk the two miles to the trailhead instead.

Once to the trailhead, we let the boys go ahead of us on the hike, as their pace is much quicker than ours. Trekking poles in hand, Joe and I started the climb. A huge percentage of the trail was deep in the woods, winding through switchback after switchback, navigating over rocks and streams, ever increasing in altitude. And even though Joe and I have hiked quite a bit around 9000 feet, starting at close to 11,000 feet made a big difference to our lungs!

Several hours in, I was feeling pretty worn out.

And then I looked up.

Straight ahead of us, through an opening in the trees we had been buried in, were the Three Apostles - three majestic mountain peaks that flanked Huron Peak.

I stopped in my tracks and dug around for my camera. My energy was renewed. My excitement grew!

I saw “the joy set before me,” as we came out of the forest and into these breathtakingly beautiful open spaces.

All at once, I was reminded of these words:

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12: 2)

Witnessing this suddenly expansive view and soaking in the reward of these moments with my sweetheart and with the Lord made the several hour trek up the mountainside well worth it (not to mention the trek back down).

Well, I’d like to say that we made it to the summit, but we didn’t quite make it. The boys made it, but Joe and I hit a point around timberline where we just didn’t feel like we could go on from a terrain standpoint. I, for one, am not a fan of sheer drop-offs overlooking thousand foot cliffs. Go figure.

(This was how far we made it! I love these apps that track your hike! Not too shabby for the first try…)

Huron Peak, Colorado

We were slightly bummed about not summiting that day, but we also knew how much we had accomplished up to that point. For our first fourteener attempt, we did quite well! T’was a warm-up. And the reward (nearly) at the top was worth all the effort.

Isn’t life just like this?

Day after day, we muddle through terrain that zaps our strength and leaves us feeling parched and out of breath. We grow weary.

As you probably are, I am weary of the pandemic we are still in the midst of. I am tired of having my son live in another state a good portion of the year, against my every hope and wish. I get worn out from my own thoughts and ways of thinking at times. I look around at all the pain in the world, and I sometimes honestly wonder what the point is at all.

There are times every one of us gets bogged down from far too many ascending steps through the forest and overgrowth of everyday life.

What is the answer? How can we keep on going like this?

The answer is found in catching a glimpse of the joy set before us. For those of us who are Christ-followers, that means gazing upon Jesus and reminding ourselves of the hope and reward found in Him - both now and for eternity. Like the three peaks in the distance, Jesus Himself is rejuvenating to our weary bones and lungs. But we must make the effort to lift our eyes and take the time to breathe Him in.

When we can truly fix our gaze on Him and trust His heart toward us in the midst of whatever unfolds, our troubles can then take their appropriate place in the landscape of our lives.

They fade in comparison.

The redemptive beauty right before our eyes becomes so stunning that we can almost forget the painful road that led us to this place (though, of course, trauma requires intense recovery at times and is not to be taken lightly!).

This is the miracle of Redemption.

These are the side-effects of Grace.

These are the promises of Hope eternal.

And this is the aroma of Love.

I pray, if you are climbing a fourteener of your own, whether literally, spiritually, physically or emotionally, that the Lord might help you lift your eyes to Jesus as you ascend. Surely, one step after another, you will enter the vastness of the beautiful view He has always intended for you.

Join the conversation: Oh, how I’d love to hear about your mountain adventure or the spiritual trek the Lord has had you on. How did you keep Him at the center of your focus? Please leave a note, if you would!

(pic of Chloe enjoying the view over Cottonwood Pass)

Joe and me hanging out at the Huron Peak trailhead, prior to our ascent!

What a delightful and rewarding day with my love! ❤️

Huron Peak Trailhead, Colorado