I love the outdoors. I have ever
since my family started spending our summers on the coast of Rhode Island. I
would wander around the salt marshes all day, searching for and running away
from crabs and other marine life. It cultivated my deep appreciation of nature.
Despite my admiration for the pastoral, I had never actually been camping. My
lack of an overnight stay in the wilderness came as a surprise to many,
including myself. I practically spend every waking hour of the summer outdoors,
so how is it I had never been camping? Luckily this summer I took part in
Hamilton’s Adirondack Adventure pre orientation program. My trip took me
camping for the first time and introduced me to the beauty of the Adirondacks.
My group and two amazing trip
leaders arrived at Raquette Lake and prepared to set off on our journey that would
take us to the top of the Blue Mountain. Most of the members of our group were
new to canoeing, so our pace was slow at first. We played games and marveled at
the water lilies and evergreens that surrounded us. After two days of hard
paddling and stunning scenery we made it to Eagle Island on Blue Mountain
Lake. We spent the night on the island
preparing to head up the mountain. The next day we got up early and trekked to Blue
Mountain. It took about an hour to climb the mountain. The last 20 minutes of
that climb was up a wet, slippery rock face. The highlight of the climb was not
actually when we reached the top. It came as we hit a clearing just before the
top, when one of our trip leaders, Katy, stopped and turned. Behind us was a
view of our entire journey. It was a perfect late August day, and the afternoon
sun highlighted our path.
I will not try to put words to that
scene. My words would not capture what I felt in that moment. I smelled (a
byproduct of camping), I was sore from the climb, and dirty, but most
importantly, I was happy. I don’t claim to fully understand how people feel but
the Adirondacks. Most people reading this have probably been there more than
once, and more than three days. I do understand why we should try to save this
place. This state park cultivates a love of nature that is crucial for our
younger generations to have. If our future loves nature, then nature will be in
our future.
This is the view from Blue Mountain
I can certainly relate to the indescribable feeling you experienced while on top of Blue Mountain. I actually have spent a lot of time at Hemlock Hall, which is a small inn on the shore of Blue Mountain Lake, and each time I climb Blue Mountain, or Chimney (which also overlooks Blue Mountain Lake), I am always amazed by the arial view of the lake. From the mountains, I am able to see the entire lake that seemed endless just a few hours earlier when I was kayaking on and swimming in the lake. Bill McKibben talked about this sensation as well when looking out from Mount Abe at his future path to the Adirondacks, all laid out in front of him. Although you, Bill, and I all seem to struggle to put into words the feeling one has when looking out at a vast landscape from a mountain top, I think the most poignant sensation is one of humility. From Mount Abe and Blue Mountain, one is able to see lakes, mountains, and the distant horizon, all of which are much larger and expansive than any human being. This serves, at least for me, as a humbling reminder of the enormous value and importance nature has in our world; it makes me question who has the right or audacity to exploit and jeopardize something so large. I believe that it is this realization that leaves many who have experienced the wilderness so inclined to protect it.
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