Finding growth through nature
By Byron Ader
Special to the Argus Observer
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 11:10 AM PDT
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| Submitted photo Fruitland’s Byron Ader (front row at left) recently accented Mt. Borah, Idaho’s highest summit.Joining Ader on the quest were Brandy Tolman (front row from left), Michelle Rosales, Priscilla Valero, Kristie Patterson, Elaine Saldivar, Ramon Saldivar and Sid Patterson. Back row Barb Haggerty, Robert Hogan and Martin Hernandez.
Ader is already making plans to return to Mt. Borah and possibly a destination in the Grand Tetons or in the Rockies next year. |
I would say that the desire to tackle Mount Borah found its beginnings a long time ago, when I was a kid. I had spent many years as a child enjoying the outdoors, climbing and hiking in the local mountain ranges.
I had never taken on anything too serious, however, but did mess around in the Seven Devils Mountain range for more technical and risky adventures. As a senior in high school, I decided I would have my own “senior sneak” and hiked the local “Hitt Peak.”
I remember I could see at least three states from up there and the Snake River Canyon.
It was absolutely awe inspiring. After spending the day climbing and enjoying the views at the summit I found a quick descent on a compact snowy slope and skied down on my feet.
Whether I had been on a mountain summit or not on my various adventures, I did gain a real love for the open air and the majesty of nature surrounding me, and I carried that with me throughout my adult life.
As an instructor in Tae Bo, it has always been my goal to challenge people not only physically but spiritually. Placing more demand on their will to achieve than what they may have experienced before.
It has been my understanding that a person never really begins to grow until they are first broken. When they are broken, then they can be honest with themselves for where they are and where they need to be. Then they begin to change and if they have the desire, tremendous growth made.
I have had the privilege of watching so many people transform themselves both physically and spiritually — including myself.
Where they lacked confidence in themselves or maybe they were hard on themselves, they now had confidence to reach out and try new things.
They started to believe in themselves and to explore their abilities. From everything that I had experienced in the outdoors and revelations that I had there, it seemed only natural to introduce people to the mountain-top experience. The notion of reaching for higher ground on a mountain carries with it a lot of symbolism in addition to just simply enjoying the beautiful outdoors. So, I began looking for ways of getting people interested in this experience.
Last year, a few of us from the Tae Bo fitness class ventured into the outdoors and conquered a couple of summits (Cuddy Mountain from the south side and Squaw Butte from the base). As it turned out, we hiked all day for both mountains and journeyed eight and 13 miles respectively to their summits and back. We experienced different scenery and wildlife, including two rattlesnakes and a bear cub. It was absolutely challenging, leaving us with sore feet, legs and blisters.
Somehow though, the people that went with me gained a real love for it just as I have.
We planned on taking on Mt. Borah last year, but an early snow weathered out the weekend, and we had to postpone our plans to the following year.
This year we decided to make an organized effort to take on summits, and Bob Hogan took the helm for organizing it. He scheduled a destination for each at least one weekend each month and rated the climb by research (Class 2 or 3, possibly 4). As a result, our group of enthusiasts grew from within and outside of the Tae Bo class, and each climb became a little more challenging and more fun. We planned to prepare physically and mentally for Borah from each of the lesser mountains.
We gained experience from each hike for what equipment to bring and best hiking practices.
I think many of us shed some stress and some tears on some of those peaks and gained some great friendships. I know that with each hike, our bodies were challenged, and yet everyone one of us put one foot in front of the other and completed the summit. There is some sort of understanding that a person gains about himself and a peace that is found on those mountain tops.
Maybe it is just the crisp, clean air and the expanse below that brings us a little closer to where God lives that does it.
We all knew that the real treat was at the end of the summer and the biggest challenge to come, Mt. Borah standing at 12,662 feet (Idaho’s highest mountain). On Aug. 28 we drove for about 300 miles to south east Idaho and made camp for the night at the base of Mt. Borah. Some of us arrived earlier in the day, and the rest of us arrived at night.
When I arrived at the Lost River Mountain Range, that night I know that my heart leapt with excitement as I saw the magnificent silhouette of that range against the stars. We knew the mountain was going to be tough with an ascent of 5,000-plus feet from a base camp at 8,000 feet.We set out at dawn with the summit in our sights.
We huffed up the trail with what seemed like 100-pound packs and joined in with what seemed like an exodus of people going for the top. We would climb one elevated step after another with the occasional stop for rations and a visit with a returning hiker. What got us though, was how many of them would say they got as far as “Chicken-Out Ridge” and turned back because they had chickened out.
I knew the hike would be challenging and even anticipated the fear factor at Chicken-Out Ridge, but there were so many people turning around.
The mountain was rugged and magnificent every step of the way. We were looking at pivot-line fields below us as if we were in a high-flying aircraft and our camp ground was turning into a small circle the size of a dime and smaller below us.
Four or five hours into the climb we arrived at that place where people turned around, and I had already had been warming up my fear with the 800-foot cliffs to my side.
I know our little group of 11 people started to feel the same as I did as the trail began to disappear into large stone steps and then into a rock wall that we had to scramble.
I inched forward and looked to each side of the rock scramble that we had to go over and experienced a primal fear that crept up my bones that I did not know existed.
I looked over the cliff sides and realized that a slip down the mountain would probably be fatal if not extremely hazardous.
So it was here at 11,600 feet that I opted to turn around and face my fears another day. Six other people joined me in turning around and four of our group continued on to conquer the summit.
In this place, we were all in great shape for the climb and prepared but standing over such large expanses was as intimidating as was it beautiful.
We learned that we needed to take it slow because the lack of oxygen would make us dizzy. Those who made the summit said the wind just seemed to rip the oxygen out of their lungs and didn’t want to linger there for long.
We all made it back to camp though — eight hours later and at 12 hours for those who summited.
We had all come such a long way over the summer, and everyone one of us considered the mountain a victory.
We are already making plans for returning to Borah and possibly some destinations in the Grand Tetons or the Rockies next year… 14,000 feet anyone?
