I Climbed The 2nd Tallest Mountain in Washington: This Is What I Learned
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of climbing the second tallest mountain in Washington State: Pahto / Klickitat, also known as Mount Adams (12,280ft). The thrill of the adventure and journey was one I’ll not likely forget soon and the ability to do so alongside my Chief Morale Officer, Archer, made it all the more special.
Today’s post is just as much about sharing the story as reflecting on some of the more salient mental toughness lessons I learned along the way.
The Story:
The first thing to note is that to make this trip successful in a single push would require roughly 16 hours of driving and 10 - 11 hours of climbing, making a 26 hour day in total. As such, we left Vancouver at roughly 3:30pm to make the 8 hour drive to the trailhead. Something to know about climbing volcanoes and winter / spring mountaineering - conditions tend to be most stable in the mornings when the snow pack has settled after a day of warming and before the morning light starts to activate dangers such as ice and rockfall. Thus, to mitigate risks an early start is often advisable and on this occasion, an midnight start also meant arriving back home at a reasonable hour to avoid incurring multiple days of sleep debt.
Arriving just after midnight, we set off hiking in the pitch black covered by a serene blanket of stars. Summiting for sunrise was the goal, and we pushed our pace to achieve it. Chief among the difficulties in the early stages of the trek was the very real impact of sleep deprivation on emotional control. This is not surprising given research (e.g. Smith, 2019) has shown that sleep deprivation can lead to impaired cognitive function and emotional instability.
During the climb, I found myself more irritable and less focused. To ‘save power’, I gave myself permission to shut down all but the most crucial of processes (ie breathing, walking, swearing) until we reached the upper slopes of the mountain where we would need to take the most care in navigating the steep icy terrain.
Once we reached the so-called ‘Lunch Counter’ at 9350ft, the fun began. Donning my crampons (the dog has four sets of nature-endowed crampons) and taking out my ice axe, we made the rest of the arduous plod with the aid of the first rays of morning light. At around 11,000ft, the effects of altitude started to hit and the cadence became, 5 steps-rest-repeat before finally cresting the summit just over 12,000ft. We (mainly the dog) enjoyed the sunrise before making our way back down the trailhead to begin our drive home.
The return was uneventful - knowing the risks of driving when sleep deprived, I used power naps and caffeine to improve reaction time and alertness to ensure we returned home after our wholly unnecessary adventure in one piece.
On the summit of Mount Adams aka Klickitat
You might be reading this and wondering - why? Believe me, I wonder the same thing about my decisions on a weekly basis; however, in absence of an explanation for my foolhardiness (?), I’d like to focus on the - so what:
The Takeaways:
The Importance of Self-Belief: When I first shared my plan with several people in my life, I was met with incredulity. They expressed doubt in the idea and my ability to implement it. Perhaps they had a point. Perhaps there was a different way; however, this was my chosen path. In the balance of things (including taking work leave, extending sleep debt into a second day, etc), this was the lesser of all evils and I needed to trust that I had made the necessary calculations to find the ideal way forward. To that effect, Dweck (2006) has emphasized the significance of self-belief in successfully achieving goals. It's crucial to maintain a growth mindset and trust in your ability to overcome challenges, even when others doubt you. My journey reinforced the importance of that unwavering self-belief.
The Biggest Battle is With Self: Throughout the climb, I realized that the majority of the challenge was not physical but mental. Words that come up when I think about any midnight start are - onerous, arduous, taxing and exhausting, but the entire journey begins and ends with your mental fortitude. In fact, Wright et al. (2018) has explored the impact of perceived difficulty on the likelihood of achieving goals. It's often our perception of a task's difficulty that becomes a mental barrier. Pushing through those perceived limits can lead to extraordinary achievements.
Mind Not Always > Matter: Hiking at high altitudes added an extra layer of complexity to the climb. I learned the importance of managing summit fever, especially in the context of dehydration and sleep exhaustion, which can increase the likelihood of altitude sickness. At 11,000ft, once I had visual sight of the peak - the world seemed to melt away. It was a no-holds barred sprint for the summit. Unfortunately, this blinkering effect pulled me away from my somatic response to altitude. Had I stayed present with self, I would have undoubtedly been able to take in additional water and food which would have made the final push significantly less onerous. It's crucial to recognize when we can't push harder and practice self-compassion in the face of our humanity. This is a key aspect of a learning orientation, constantly adapting and growing from your experiences.
Climbing Mount Adams was a highlight my year. Positively it was a test of physical and mental fortitude. It taught me many lessons about my own mental toughness; however, needless to say, it is not a test I am looking forward to repeating. For my part, I hope these lessons can serve as reminders for you as you climb your own mountains - real or metaphorical.
References:
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
Smith, J. D. (2019). The Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Functioning: A Review. Journal of Sleep Research, 28(5), e12841.
Wright, T. A., Cropanzano, R., & Bonett, D. G. (2018). The Moderating Role of Employee Positive Well-being on the Relation Between Job Satisfaction and Job Performance. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 23(1), 150-161.
