A Weighty Issue

The big news is that Wilderness Press is now running the second print of my book (woo-hoo!) I’m excited to see it in print. Awesomeness.

On a related note, I present this tale:

On the same day I sent in my corrections for the second edition, I got an interesting email from an angry “fan” of my book. The gist of the whole message was that:

1) – The person writing the email was overweight.
2) – My book isn’t “fair” because the hikes are too hard for fat people and should have included content for a chubbier audience.

First, the book is called Best Summit Hikes in Colorado. Summits are traditionally found on the tops of mountains, so that’s a little clue that you’re going to have to go uphill to reach them. Secondly, the book mentions several times the system used to evaluate the hike difficulties; the target audience is more than your average weekend warriors.

All that aside, I wrote a gracious response to my hefty pal and thanked them for picking up my book. I’m genuinely not one to judge others for how they take care of their bodies. For the bulk (ha, pun intended?) of us, our weight is something we have control over and what we choose to do with our bodies is a reflection of what we love, whether that be triple-patty-melt burgers or ultra-marathons.

I’ve always said that with great summits comes great responsibility (actually, that’s the first time I’ve ever said it, but it has a good ring to it). Summits are earned not given. The nature of mountains is to reward the strong and well, punish the weak. Mountains offer a dose of reality that is neither cruel nor generous. A large part of enjoying mountains happens long before you ever set foot on the peaks. Keeping your body fit and strong is a key part of this, but also learning, always learning. Listening to your body, watching the clouds, weighting the rocks, fighting the wind, bracing for the cold. But equally important is the “mountain mind”: resisting the lure of a comfy bed to get up and get a safe and early start, knowing when to push and when to retreat, tempering boldness with common sense and respecting the fact that mountains are a stage with an indifferent audience.

In short, one’s enjoyment of the mountains is life-long process, a cerebral testament of mind and body. In my correspondence to my weighty pal, I suggested starting small with modest walks and building up to the bigger peaks. I even sent along a list of local trails. While I’m experienced in the hills, there’s no way to master mountains. On the best of days, a temporary visit above the clouds is a grand, ephemeral reward. I work my tail off to make sure that if I need to hustle off a peak, kick up the pace to grab an extra summit or simply help another hiker/climber, I have the strength to do so. And I like to summit in good style, without sucking lungs or trembling knees (though it happens anyways from time to time).

So, to my friend I say don’t be angry. Mountains and rivers are great teachers. Learn from them and you’ll slowly reveal the keys to the kingdom. Being mountain-ready, especially in Colorado, is never without risk but it’s an investment that opens up whole worlds far beyond the angry din of society (thanks Greg Graffin!)

Every master serves their time as an apprentice.

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