The Power of Mountains

Breakneck Mountain
Cold Spring, NY

Our discussion on Friday about the role of mountains is one that is tangible to understand for many of us. This past summer I was hiking Breakneck Mountain, a mountain overlooking the Hudson River by West Point in my hometown area. The entire way up was basically a vertical wall of rocks. Just when you think you can see the top of mountain, another wall of rocks rise above you. Once I finally reached the top, I witnessed miles up and down the Hudson River, one of the most beautiful sites I’ve ever seen.

It is understandable that the Adirondacks is a popular destination for mountain hiking. The feeling I got after conquering that mountain is not easily attainable. It is tiring, strenuous, and compelling all at the same time. It is addicting. One of the most beautiful parts of being at the top of a mountain is being able to appreciate your settings. My area is very mountainous, much like the Adirondacks. When driving or walking through the Adirondacks, it I hard to fully appreciate the immense forests and lakes that surround you. Not until you get above the tree line can you actually visualize the lakes and forests working together in the landscape. It is a similar feeling as looking out the window when flying in a plane. Seeing life going on underneath your feet is humbling. It gives you an outside perspective, almost as if you are just part of the mountain, looking down on the complicated, daily lives of everyone else. Mountains allow us to take a step back and look at everything humans have created and then compare this directly to everything humans will never be able to recreate. As the more technologically advanced we get, it is now more important than ever to succumb to the landscape and acknowledge its superiority.