Tears in the Wind
Page 15
Besides seeing if I could hike above 14,000 feet, I had another motive for climbing Elbert. Over the years, I have been lucky enough to have reached the peaks of the highest points in several states: Alaska (Denali), Georgia (Brasstown Bald), Hawaii (Mauna Kea), New Hampshire (Mt. Washington), North Carolina (Mt. Mitchell), Tennessee (Clingman’s Dome) and Washington (Mt. Rainier). Although I harbored no ambitions of becoming a “Highpointer,” someone who reaches the highest peak in each of the fifty states, I thought that it might be nice to add Colorado to my list.
A climb of Mt. Elbert in the summer is basically a long uphill hike. There is usually no snow, and the trail is well marked. Most of the hike is above the tree line. Although strenuous, the climb is not technically difficult, but violent afternoon thunderstorms and lightening are dangerous. For this reason, I did as most other hikers do, and began climbing very early in the morning so as to be off the mountain by early afternoon.
Although I felt nauseous at one point, I made it to the summit without incident. It felt great to be there, and, together with several other climbers, I enjoyed the tremendous views overlooking the rocky peaks and lush valleys of the mountain range. I was very happy that I was able to make it to that altitude, and felt as if I made a wise choice in climbing Mt. Elbert.
And now we get down to two magic words that tell us how to accomplish just about anything we want to accomplish, two powerful words that can change any situation, two dynamic words that all too few people use. And what are these two amazing words? Do it!
Norman Vincent Peale - Power of the Plus Factor
Denali’s Lasting Impression
Not many days pass that I don’t think about Chris Hooyman. His body was recovered on June 13, one week after his fatal fall. By then, the weather had cleared enough that the National Park Service was able to locate and retrieve his body, which was found nearly 1,000 feet below the ridge he had plummeted from.
I communicated with Chris’s mother, Nancy Hooyman, soon after my return from Denali. To say the least, it was very difficult. I know that Chris was dearly loved by his family and friends, and they were obviously having a challenging time coming to grips with his death. In a letter to Nancy, I carefully described my recollection of the events surrounding his fall, and she wrote back, explaining that it had helped her to better understand what had occurred.
In the days following my homecoming, I learned much more about Chris Hooyman. I discovered that he was an amazing individual, well-liked by many, and that he had a positive impact on the lives of many others. He was a kind, sensitive man who loved the outdoors.
Having had ample time to reflect on why Chris did what he did on Denali, I think I know the answer. Aware that I was in trouble, Chris reacted instinctively. Without considering the consequences to himself, he went to render assistance. It is noteworthy that Mike Vanderbeek, the volunteer ranger who went to the aid of a climber on Denali, died in the same manner in nearly the same spot as Chris did. By jumping into action to save a fallen climber, Vanderbeek likely did the same thing that Chris did; he acted instinctively without considering his own safety. Their actions remind me of those heroic firefighters, police officers and emergency personnel who ran into the burning and crumbling World Trade Center on that fateful day in New York City. Whether their decisions were right or wrong, wise or unwise, carefully considered or not, their actions are driven by a good-hearted desire to aid their fellow man. They are far better people than I am.
In all the years that have passed since my Denali trip, I have never lost the urge to climb. It is in my blood. There is something indescribably good in standing on the side of a big mountain, breathing in the fresh, crisp air, a brilliant sun burning in a cold cobalt-blue sky, hooked by rope to other similar-minded beings, while looking up toward a distant, hidden goal. There is also a certain glory in knowing that you are different, not better, just different from those individuals who don’t willingly subject themselves to the dangers and the highs and lows of climbing big mountains, those who do not welcome the isolation from the real world or embrace the discomfort of living in the same clothes in cold, uncomfortable tents. It is a test of will, of the force of common sense over desire, to stay away from those mountains.
Hundreds of times, I have been asked, “Why did you do this?”, or “Why climb mountains?” Intuitively, I know the answer, but it is tough to explain.
In a response that has become famous, when asked why he attempted to climb Mt. Everest, Sir George Mallory answered: “Because it is there.” Jon Krakauer, in his excellent book “Into Thin Air,” addressed the issue in much more eloquent words than I. He said:
People who don’t climb mountains--the great majority of humankind, that is to say--tend to assume that the sport is a reckless, Dionysian pursuit of ever escalating thrills. But the notion that climbers are merely adrenaline junkies chasing a righteous fix is a fallacy, at least in the case of Everest. What I was doing up there had almost nothing in common with bungee jumping or skydiving or riding a motorcycle at 120 miles per hour.
… I’d always known that climbing mountains was a high-risk pursuit. I accepted that danger was an essential component of the game--without it, climbing would be little different from a hundred other trifling diversions. It was titillating to brush up against the enigma of mortality, to steal a glimpse across its forbidden frontier. Climbing was a magnificent activity, I firmly believed, not in spite of the inherent perils, but precisely because of them.
Whatever the motivation, there is something special about mountaineering, and there is no question that my life is much richer and fuller because I climbed.
Undoubtedly, my experiences on Denali had a major impact on my life. Those experiences, both good and bad, have helped shape the person that I became, and are woven into the fabric of my being. I have always had an optimistic attitude, and believe that my experiences on Denali strengthened my positive outlook toward all things in life. As anyone who climbs mountains will tell you, soon after finishing a climb, one forgets the bad things and remembers the good. Perhaps that is what keeps us going back. That was far more difficult after my experiences on Denali, but I have learned that that adage is true of just about everything in life. In truth, since my McKinley expedition, everything in life has been easier for me to deal with. Frankly, I have probably done the hardest thing I will ever do in life.
Likewise, I have always been goal oriented, but after Denali, I became more focused about my aspirations, and I worked diligently and passionately toward accomplishing them. I have worked intensely all of my life, and after Denali, I have come to a better understanding of how hard work produces good results. I have always believed that we are the masters of our own destinies, but after Denali, I know with certainty that that is true.
Although I was a patient person before McKinley, I now know the real meaning of patience. Good things in life have come to me because I waited for them, knowing that they would come.
My expedition to Denali reinforced for me the notion that each of us is responsible for taking care of ourselves. I have stayed in good physical condition, and now, together with my wife, I ride bikes, hike, ski and exercise regularly. I try my best, sometimes unsuccessfully, to eat properly.
Certainly the experience taught me to put things in better perspective. I discovered a settled peacefulness that I did not have before.
I learned that it is not necessarily the places we visit, but more importantly the people we are with when we visit them. Although Denali is an incredibly beautiful visual feast, I would not have wanted to enjoy it with anyone other than the wonderful people who were there with me. Upon my return home from Denali, I experienced the caring love of the people around me, and I learned how much we really matter to each other. Thus, I acquired a better appreciation for people, and my fondness for the mountains will never surpass the love I have for my family and friends.
One of the most important lessons I have learned from my climbing experience is that it is good
to dream big dreams. I was an average guy who did something extraordinary in life. I never would have reached the top of the mountain had I not dreamed to do so.
I also learned a lesson about Yin and Yang. According to Chinese philosophy, Yin and Yang describe the order in the natural world in which opposite forces interact and are interdependent. While conflicting, these forces are equal and complementary. Many dualities, such as fire and water, light and dark, good and evil, are considered manifestations of the conflicting dual forces symbolized by Yin and Yang.
Hot and cold, happiness and sadness, pleasure and pain; this is the story of the Yin and Yang of Denali, as it is the Yin and Yang of life.
Perhaps, when people ask me why I climbed mountains, I can honestly say that those are the reasons. I know for certain that my life is infinitely richer for the experience I had on Denali, and I can truly say that it has been an epic adventure.
Bibliography
These are some books about Denali and mountaineering that I have enjoyed:
Bass, Dick, and Frank Wells with Rick Ridgeway, Seven Summits, New York: Warner Books, 1986.
Brill, David, Desire and Ice: Searching for Perspective Atop Denali. Washington, D.C.: 2002.
Coombs, Colby, Denali’s West Buttress: A Climber’s Guide to Mount McKinley’s Classic Route. Seattle: The Mountaineers, 1997.
Davidson, Art. Minus 148: First Winter Ascent of Mt. McKinley. Seattle: The Mountaineers, 1999.
Eng, Ronald, ed. Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 8th edition. Seattle: The Mountaineers, 2010.
Ershler, Phil and Susan. Together on Top of the World: The Remarkable Story of the First Couple to Climb the Fabled Seven Summits. New York: Warner Books, 2007.
Horrell, Mark, Denali Nights: A Commercial Expedition to Climb Mt. McKinley’s West Buttress, Mountain Footsteps Press, 2014.
Krakauer, Jon, Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster, New York: Villard Books, 1997.
Roskelley, John, Nanda Devi: The Tragic Expedition, Seattle: Mountaineers Books, 2000.
Washburn, Bradford, and David Roberts, Mount McKinley: The Conquest of Denali. New York: Abradale Press, 2000.
Waterman, Jonathan, In the Shadow of Denali: Life and Death on Alaska’s Mt. McKinely. New York: Lyons Press, 2009.
Wickwire, Jim, and Dorothy Bullitt, Addicted to Danger: A Memoir about Affirming Life in the Face of Death. New York: Pocket Books, 1998.
Acknowledgements
Thank you to my parents, Joan and Jim, who have always been supportive and are the inspiration for every goal that I have accomplished.
Thank you to my children Todd, Nicole, and Kara, and their spouses or significant others, Karen, Michael and Jordan, and my grandchildren, Kimberly, Blake and Cecelia, who have all made me proud beyond my dreams and have shown me the true meaning of unconditional love.
Thank you to my wife, Nancy, for encouraging me to reach for the stars, and for loving me and providing me unbelievable happiness.
Thank you to my brothers and sister, for being good siblings and friends. And thank you to my sister, Judy, who watches over us and is always with us in spirit, and who is surely very proud of the family we have become.
Thank you to those good people who read and edited drafts of this book, especially to Dotty Carrier, Kirsten McLain, and Kara Hymel.
Thank you to Phil Ershler, for guiding me safely to the tops of mountains, and for showing me that climbing mountains is more than a sport.
Thank you to Dennis, Mike, Meegan, Romelo, and Ellen, for being integral parts of my adventure on Denali.
And thank you to Chris Hooyman, for your inspiring life.
About the Author
Larry Semento is a Circuit Judge in Tavares, Florida. Born in New Jersey, his family moved to South Carolina after he graduated from high school. Larry has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Carolina, and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law. He practiced law in Eustis, Florida for twenty years before being appointed as a Circuit Court Judge. Larry has been a judge for twelve years and has handled criminal, civil, and family law cases during his tenure.
Many of the legal commentaries Larry has written have been published, including a recent law review article. This is his first non-legal publication.
Larry lives in Eustis, Florida with his wife, Nancy. He has three children, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He enjoys hiking, biking, and many other outdoor activities.
Thank You
Thank you for reading my story. I hope that you enjoyed it. Please visit my page on Amazon.com and write a review of the book; it will be very helpful.