Tough trails and great destinations

Trail to Upper Lyman Lake

I was reminded on my long, arduous hike to Upper Lyman that most often to get to the really great destinations we need to travel along some difficult, lengthy trails.

People who have been successful in their careers, sports or hobbies often appear to be performing effortlessly. Watching the athletes in the Olympics, or members of an orchestra, it appears their outstanding performances are simple and fun. Yet we know that those seemingly effortlessness performances came as the result of years of study, practice and hard work.

Preparing me for my hike to Upper Lyman I had been actively biking and running. Years ago I used to run marathons, but over time my fitness goals have changed.  I'm now primarily focused on staying physically active so I can continue to enjoy great experiences, like the one I had on this long hike.

Lyman Lake

The trail to Upper Lyman Lake was even more glorious than I could have imagined. I felt like Julie Andrews, when she twirls and sings “The hills are alive, with the sound of music". I didn’t twirl and sing, but I did have to yell out “Cool” when I looked out from under the glacier at Upper Lyman into the surreal robin egg blue glaciated lake. The trail’s end was way cooler than I could have imagined.



View from under glacier at Upper Lyman Lake

Trail questions…

What have been difficult journeys for you that have lead to great results/destinations?

What have you had to do to prepare yourself to carry through along those tough trails?

When weren’t you prepared for the trail? What might you do differently next time?