From the top of the trail

Summer Crosby

My life is crazy. I’m always running around trying to get everything done. Deadlines never help, either. It’s enough to drive any person crazy. Usually, I’m all right, as long as I can get outside. And with a mild winter still hanging around, I’m still able to head out my door and up to the Superior Vista Trail, number 747.

With life’s busy schedules, hiking is a great way to slow things down and get outside to enjoy nature. My most recent trek up the mountain was in the afternoon on January 4. An article on justhike.com, suggests that you should always hike with a friend. Although I didn’t have any person to journey along with me, I had my trusted canine pal Ashton along for the hike. However, following the advice that the article gives, I called my mom to let her know where I’d be and when to expect a call from me.

I also grabbed my camera, water and slipped into my cowboy boots, probably not the best footwear, but they fit nicely and are comfortable. According to Dick’s Sporting Goods Web site, you want to have a pair of shoes that fit comfortably, provide stability, while being breathable and flexible. Everything depends on the type of trail you’ll be hiking and how much hiking you’ll be doing. For someone like me, who hikes every so often and for rather short periods of time, I don’t need anything too advanced, just functional.

Justhike.com recommends bringing a back pack along filled with essentials including a compass and map, water, flashlight, matches, food, extra clothing, knife, first aid kit, sun protection and a signaling device. Clearly, I’m no experienced hiker and I’m just looking to get away for an hour or so, but the article says that even if it’s a short hike you’re after, you never know what can go wrong. I decided my cell phone was enough and so into the car I went with Ashton happily tagging along.

The Superior Vista trail is only one of several trails in the area, but I enjoy it. It is 1.3 miles in length and approximately the first 1,000 feet of the trail is designed and built at a 10 percent grade. The remainder of the trail is built at a 15 percent grade, with some shorter sections that are built at a 20 percent grade. Along the trail, are different points, or vistas, six total. The trail for the most part is clear, with a few steeper areas and some rocky footing in a few places, but for the most part doable.

The first portion of the trail was muddy, but the rest of the way was dry. As always, Ashton pulled me along for quite awhile, until he realized that it was going to be quite a haul and he should probably slow down. The hike up is always hard and by the time we reached the second vista, my legs are burning. We probably shouldn’t have started out as fast as we did, as I hadn’t been on the trail for awhile.

Being in shape is one of the most important things to consider when hiking, according to hikingbeginner.com. You always want to start out easy and build your way up. The article suggests taking those shorter, more level hikes near your home or someplace a short drive away. It’s also important to stretch before starting out on any trail. I, on the other hand, disregarded all of these facts when I first started hiking the vista trail and boy did I ever feel sore afterwards. Now, I always do some quick stretches beforehand.

Moving steadily along, Ashton and I made it to the fourth vista, quite a ways up when you’re looking down. Sitting down on the bench, it’s nice to gaze out at the town below me and the other mountains surrounding the community. I can see the river winding through the town and see the traffic zooming quickly down the interstate. The fourth bench is as far I’ve gone on the trail and today it’s as far as we’ll make it as well. Ashton also loves watching the world from above and moves as close as he can to the edge.

Sitting down, I feel like I’ve accomplished something. I wonder what the sunset would look like from this high up. For several minutes, I’m in bliss. I’m not worrying about what I have to do or who I need to call. It’s just me, my dog and sky above. Looking up, the sky’s a lot closer. Spreading my arms, I feel free as I look up to heavens. For the millionth time, I wish that I could just stay here away from it all.

But life calls, and the hike down awaits me. I never really get to think about much when I’m climbing up, I’m always thinking about how much farther I have to go, Today, I was thinking about how out of shape I am and how much it’ll hurt tomorrow. The way down, however, always gives me a chance think. People always compare life to climbing up a mountain. They never talk about going down the mountain though. It should happen quickly, but I’m uptight and rather than let Ashton out on a line, I keep the leash taut and slowly make my way down, even on the parts that are relatively flat. I’m worried if we get going too fast, eventually we’ll tumble off the side. But shouldn’t going down the mountain be fun? When you’re a kid, the best part about making it to the top of the hill is rolling down or running as twice as fast as you normally would. I’m suddenly asking myself if I’m allowing myself to have fun in life.

I admit the climb down requires certain attention to a few tight curves and drops on the way, but there’s also room to loosen up and in my case, to loosen up in general. After all, going back down is probably the best part of the climb. It’s easy, here I was making it difficult. Letting the leash out, Ashton sure is happy to be able to bound along again and I even take the risk of letting my step quicken as I hop down from above a couple times when the drop is relatively only a few inches.

Of course, one of the most important rules in hiking is if you pack something up the trail, pack it down. We sure didn’t leave anything behind, but we’re took a good lesson off with us. Except, there might have been a couple paw prints next to the imprint of a boot. Next time, we’ll strive to make it even further up because that’ll give us a longer journey down.