For as long as I can remember, I have mostly associated mountains with beauty and mystery. The ability to go off the trail and discover a new place, perhaps one that has not been touched by any other human before, is exhilarating. Yet there is one particular feeling which is very close to me when it comes to this subject, and that is the ability to finally focus fully. My physique is quite bad (by my doing, no doubt about it), and when I hike up a steep trail, I am bound to soon run out of breath. This is not a bad thing, however. At those moments, when my body is pushed to its limits, I am forced to forget about my problems, thoughts and surroundings, and the only thing I am allowed to focus on is my breathing, the steps I take to the summit and the destination lying ahead. At the end of the journey, my focus is rewarded by breathtaking views and a sense of accomplishment. Still, the quiet moments of absolute focus, the moments my mind can rest and focus on basic tasks, are rewarding enough on their own.

Perhaps it is this feeling that draws other people to mountains and to take even more challenging trials. One can only imagine what kind of focus it takes when one is taking on the challenge of harsh weather and freezing cold. The amount of concentration it takes to be aware of their body’s state has to be immeasurable. There also has to be considerably less space for mistakes in these scenarios. Any error can bring you closer to death, yet another aspect of the mountains that perhaps brings specific individuals closer to them. The sense of danger, the possibility of slowly losing feeling in your body parts and seeing them gradually turn dark and dead. Even in these horrifying scenarios rests an underlying beauty.

Mountains are, in my opinion, filled with indescribable wonders as well as horrors. It is not surprising that they keep on captivating many people, myself included.