"Existence on a mountain is..."
| Existence on a mountain is simple. Seldom in life does it come any simpler: survival, plus striving toward the summit. The goal is solidly three-dimensionally there- you can see it, touch it, stand upon it – the way to reach it well defined, the energy of all directed toward its achievement. It is this simplicity that strips the veneer of civilization and makes that which is meaningful easier to come by – the pleasure of deep companionship, moments of uninhibited humor, the tasting of hardship, sorrow, beauty, joy. But it is this very simplicity that may prevent finding answers to the questions I have asked as we approached the mountains.” ~ Tom Hornbein, Everest: The West Ridge Source: Willis, C. (ed.), 1997. Epic: Stories of Survival from the World’s Highest Peak; pg. 220. | |
| The Storm Testament (Ch 21, 2nd
paragraph) Beaver George and I were riding up a little valley, scattered ponderosa pine on either side and willows, alder and aspen in the bottom where the small stream wound its way from beaver pond to beaver pond. It was a winding valley, and we couldn't see very far ahead. It was early afternoon; the deep blue of the Rocky Mountain Shy made a sharp contrast to the scattered puffy white clouds. The sun was warm, but not uncomfortable, thanks to a fresh breeze coming gently down from the mountains ahead of us. |
"My father considered a walk..."
| My father considered a walk among the mountains as the equivalent of churchgoing. - Aldous Huxley |
| "Enjoy the mountains; they have beauty and wisdom for us if we approach them with humility, respect, and knowledge." -Charles Houston |
"Mountains and uplands may defined..."
| Mountains and uplands may defined as
features of the Earth's surface in which the terrain projects conspicuously
above its surroundings, and where the slope of the land distinguishes it from
the generally flat plains." Beniston, Martin. Environmental Change in Mountains and Uplands. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000, p. 1. |