Mount Baldy, CA

This past weekend I flew home to California to visit a friend who attends Azusa Pacific University. Unlike our campus here at TCU, Azusa rests near a range of mountains. On my second day of my visit, we hopped in our car and ventured just twenty minutes to the base of Mt. Baldy.

The drive up the mountain was nearly as exciting as the hike itself. After spending a couple months in Texas, I was shocked by the amazing height of the peaks around me. Our ears filled with smooth acoustic music that seemed like the only fitting genre to accompany the sounds of the mountain. The wheels of our car steadily traversed the road as it wound upward around the bend of the mountain and next to the shear side of the cliff.

It had been cold and gloomy down below on campus, but as our elevation increased, the brilliant sun said hello. I rolled the windows down and welcomed its glow. My arms stretched out into the mountain air and I felt completely refreshed.

Soon enough, we parked our car at the base of a trail and began our ascent. At about 4,000 feet, the air was somewhat thinner. I did not notice until my chest began to feel constricted and my breathing became heavier. Even still, it was wonderful to feel my heart beating and my pulse quicken. Such feelings signified that I was giving life to my body, bringing it to such beauty and allowing it to be restored.

We paused our upward trek and examined the scene around us. It was breathtaking. The sky’s blueness was more vibrant than I had ever seen and tall pine trees stretched for miles. The horizon revealed a layer of cotton clouds that seemed to rest comfortably between the two peaks in front of us. It was not long ago that we were within and below those clouds. Now, atop this mountain, we were unbound by clouds. It felt like we were conquerors. It felt freeing.

All I wanted was to stretch my arms out wide and run. So, I did. I ran down the mountain, letting my legs carry me. The steep decline quickened my pace without my permission and soon enough I was running faster than I had in a long time, my stride expanding to its maximum width. Hot blood pumped through my body as cold air rushed past my ears, and it felt amazing. What is it about the mountains that makes you want to leap around joyously? Maybe it’s the vastness of the view. Maybe it’s the crystal clear mountain air. I cannot be sure.

That day, I experienced the inexplicable freedom found in nature.