The most challenging part is the free climb up the side of a one hundred foot plus waterfall…but it shouldn’t be a problem.
Um, really?
I’d asked for recommendations for great hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park, and Sky Pond came up frequently. With that small caveat. Sometimes referred to as a scramble, other times, a free climb, either way; it sounds ominous to me.
All Trails and Google offer mixed reviews. To some, it’s the hardest thing they’ve ever done, for others, it’s a breeze. After all, its a matter of perspective. We’ll see.
I ask a ranger at the park about the hike, expressing my concerns.
He tells me that no equipment is needed. It’s easier at this time of year since it’s not icy. It is slippery though; the rocks are wet since you’re climbing up a waterfall. A freakin’ waterfall! He tells me that about 25 feet are Class 3. I have no idea what this means. I thank him and walk away.
I worry about this all night, and most of the way up the trail (although the scenery is breathtaking, which helps take my mind off of the climb), and we finally arrive. A couple we meet has turned back, she freaked out and couldn’t do it.
Scared and nervous, I begin my ascent. The one and the only thing I know about climbing pops into my brain. Don’t climb up something you can’t climb back down. Shit. Oh well, sometimes you’ve gotta do it scared.
It seems like I’m going straight up, placing my hands and feet on small ledges and crevices in the rock.
Looking up, it’s still a long way to the top. “Don’t look to the top,” my husband advises. “Focus on the task at hand. Pick your next two moves, execute them, and do it again. Trust yourself.” Proving to be good advice, I stay focused on the climb, rather than worrying about how in the hell I’m going to get back down.
Rewarded by two glacial lakes and some incredible views, we explore Sky Pond and Lake of Glass until the descent can no longer be delayed.
Recalling the three points of contact rule from sailing, I apply it here. This ultimately morphs into the five points of contact rule as I plant all four limbs and my ass on the rock, slithering and sliding my way down, stretching out all six feet of me. Being tall never felt so good.
Straightening up towards the bottom, I gain momentum and careen towards a group of 20-year-olds waiting to head up. The guy directly in my path, looking moderately alarmed, throws his right arm straight out saying, “Grab this, ma’am.” Ignoring the ma’am, and the urge to punch him in the throat, I do.
Success.
It wasn’t pretty, but I did it. It was nowhere near as tricky as I let my mind tell me it was going to be. And for the effort, I have been rewarded with a near-perfect day.
That’s the point of this whole story. We tend to make things a lot harder than they need to be. For what? Worry is just praying for something you don’t want.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be prepared. You should totally be prepared, Just NOT scared. Worrying about something and preparing for it are two different ballgames for sure. Trust yourself, and when in doubt, ass to the ground.
Be bold. Adventure on. Discover that the person you thought you were is no match for the one that you are.
Thanks for reading! See you soon.
