It is funny how life comes around full circle, and past experiences are re-lived differently in the future. It has been around 15 years since a diverse group of 32 individuals from our valley view II ward decided to climb Mount Shasta in Northern California. I remember when Kevin Wilson proposed that we do this for our summer outing. I couldn't believe it, it just sounded awesome to a 13 year old boy. I think only 7 of us ended up summiting for many different reasons. I only weighed about 80 lbs and I did get a shot of hypothermia on the way down due to poor equipment and terrible planning on my part, (I mean I had to borrow one of the girl's fruity long johns, and who climbs a mountain like that in Levi Shorts anyways), and also spending 8 hours waist deep in slurpee. I am sad that I didn't take more or better photos.
I bring this random experience up because for my next semester I will be studying some of the igneous rocks from Mount Shasta. I have to laugh as I read the names of some of the units I will be studying such as the "Misery Hill Volcanics" or the Red Banks pyroclastic flow, good times, good times. It will be truly exciting and a little nastalgic to be able to become intimately familiar with the very rocks that I struggled up nearly a decade and a half ago. I hope to publish on the subject and hopefully my research will add to our understanding of our little sphere, in some small way. I just think it is interesting that sometimes we do things in the past, that at the time we have no idea, but in the future become a much more integral part of our lives. It is kind of like moving to BC. Most people don't know this, but I always had an obsession with BC when I was younger, and always thought I would live here one day. Almost accidentally the opportunity fell in my lap and here we are. I don't know how it all works out, if our earlier thoughts or experiences steer our sub-consious, or if we do certain things in our lives as preparation for what lies ahead, or if it is just accidents that we notice along the way. I tend to think it is our earlier experiences that prepare and steer our lives. After all, I wouldn't be studying the Shasta rocks if I hadn't become interested in geology, a field that evolved from awesome adventures like Shasta, and a keen interest in discovery. When it comes right down to it, I think at any given point in our lives, a large portion of who we are, is just the sum of our previous experiences. I think that is part of my reasoning for wanting to have as many differing and exciting experiences as possible.
7 comments:
Ahhh, Shasta. For many, many years, that was the most incredible experience of my life. It's still fun to reminisce about that trip. It's one that I'll never forget.
Mt. Shasta was quite possibly the most miserable few days of my life, and also quite possibly the best days of my life. I will never forget how sunburned we all were. Thats what makes the memories so great. Who can forget Dan Harding and Denny Bradford sliding down the mountain, or dropping the gatorade bottle and watching it explode. or sinking to our waist in snow. OH GOOD TIMES
Very interesting thoughts Cutie. I do think that our pasts have a lot to do with what happens in our future. And of course when you are living in the moment (like climbing Mount Shasta as a 13 year old) you are not a where of what spectacular things lie a head (like getting to study some igneous rocks from that very mountain years and years later). But now you will be more excited to study the rocks because you have been there. So yes I do think that our past has a big part of what we do in our future. I think that we were meant to come to BC; and maybe your subconscious has always known that. Good post. I loved reading it.
Sounds like we need to get together and climb a new mountain. How does Baker, Hood or Ranier sound? I am always up for a new adventure, just hollar and I'll be the first to plan the trip. I often think it would be fun to get the original Shasta group together again and swap photos, stories etc. I can recall that me, Tim, Squi, LeAnn, Nate summited but I can't remember the other two. Was it Matt and someone else. Refresh my memory.
I had to look it up in my journal, but you were correct on all (including Matt). The missing summitter was Rhead Kelly.
Even after Shasta there were a lot of fun times on that trip. From Alcatraz and San Francisco to Kevin, Gale and Jeremy allegedly playing 'swords'... It's nice to be grown up, eh?
How can anyone forget the "sword fight", or Gale's "coin slot" and other classic behaviours that will go down in infamy. I wish I had kept a journal during this time, it would be interesting to go back and read what my thoughts were. I have some very destinct memories of the whole trip though, many little insignificant snipits that are rather detailed, and those are some of the memories about the trip I treasure most. Like sitting on my ice axe with Tim on Misery Hill waiting for Leann to catch up since she was using the correct climing technique, or stepping into the existing tracks ahead of me on the way to the Red Banks just before sunrise, or just hanging out at the KOA. These small moments along with the significant landmark experiences, added up to a fantastic trip.
I totally forgot about "running" up the hill as LeAnn would just pace herself so we could get a rest before she caught back up to us. How about this memory? Do you remember having to hold our breath over EVERY bridge and keeping our feet off the ground, and last but not least, finding a screw to touch all at the same time. I remember getting to Golden Gate Bridge and getting about 10 seconds into that and looking at everyone and just laughing. Obviously I didn't make it over that bridge and I don't think anyone else did later. I also remember burning The Last of the Mohicans cd and listening to that on tape all the way there and back in Whitney's suburban. Man memories
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