Not that extremely large science building that has a delicious restaurant inside...no no. That mountain behind it. On the right side is the Y Mountain and to the left is Squaw Peak. Squaw Peak has the unjust reputation for being where all the hormone driven freshman go to suck face. I call that place Pseudo-Squaw Peak because it's just a parking lot that isn't even at the top.
But the genuine Squaw Peak is so untainted by those smooching youth. And she was calling us this last Friday night. It was like she was whispering my name as I stared at more cadaver muscles and vacuumed more study rooms.
And we heeded her call. Sam, Elise and I started trekking up there at around 9:30 PM on Friday night with nothing but a tent, sleeping bags, and some Pretzel M&M's. We're talking really disorganized here. We didn't even know there was going to be at least 3 feet of snow the entire way up... and we brought each just one pair of socks. Everyone but Elise forgot their water bottles in the car and we didn't have flashlights or gloves or in Sam's case, shoes that had traction.
But oh! The mountain was still calling! Full moon! Sinking into snow banks! Muddy embankments and munching on the Pretzel M&M's and deep deep girl talk... I would much rather be outside and dirty and fatigued than inside, spiffed up and bored. Nature is everything that a man should be. Strong, heartbreakingly good looking, wild, spontaneous and at times, perfectly calm, comforting, and tender. Nature is my main man.
We slipped up the mountain, sometimes talking, mostly not. Just letting that frigid mountain air sink into my bones made me feel free of all social bonds and expectations. We ended up taking the wrong hill and summited about 10 "false summits". I kept glancing back and yelling "THIS here is it! The summit!" And Sam with all her Southern sassiness kept retorting, "YOU SAID THAT TWO SUMMITS AGO. LIAR."
Eventually we arrived at.... well.... I don't think it was the actual Squaw Peak summit. But it was most definitely on top of some peak. Somewhere. We set up camp, realized that we had basically no blankets, Sam brushed her teeth with her finger, and Elise got in her Camping Captain mode.
Midnight. All of a sudden I am awake. Which is weird, because I literally wake up to nothing. Recently I missed out on an ice-climbing trip because I slept through my friends 100 missed calls. But I was awake here, on top of some mountain, somewhere.
And there were two men outside the tent door.
I SWEAR TO YOU I THINK I HAD A STROKE, DIED, AND CAME BACK TO LIFE IN THAT VERY INSTANT.
It was bout the freakiest occurrence. We were three, defenseless girls, on top of Squaw Peaks neighbor. No cell service. No men. Nothing. (This is when I realize that men are sometimes important to have in situations like this.) Honestly, I could understand nothing of what they said. They must have been speaking Chinese for all I got out of it. (REM cycle interrupted= loss of all cognitive functions) But they were there. Right there.
All I remember was whispering a little, indistinguishable prayer, hoping they would go away. And not see the car keys I had carelessly flung outside the tent. WE WERE ON A MOUNTAIN TOP, WHO WOULD STEAL???
And then they were gone. Freakiest thing of my life. Hello boys, I will now date you if you promise to protect me on mountain tops and be my chauffeur and buy me food. But really, I am so grateful that nothing happened! We were fine! Elise, as usual, was in a deep deep slumber but Sam had heard the whole thing too.
God exists. That is all I can say. Divine protection is such a real real thing.
We then skipped all the way down at 5 AM the next morning, watched the sunrise, fell in the mud, and relished that clean, crisp mountain air.
I love nature. Let's do it again.
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