“On a Mish” #178 The Need to Climb a Mountain (Part Two). Lake Hill(762m). Hakatere Conservation Area. 8.8.2020. The sheer satisfaction you get when completing a big mountain mission is unmatched in my eyes. All your efforts are rewarded with not just the feeling of success, but also a head (and camera) full of views only seen when up high on a mountain (or in a plane or helicopter!). When it looked like an accident with a fridge door on the Fiordland Navigator put a stop to my uphill activity, I went to Lake Clearwater Village to find some inspiration, and something I could drag myself to the top of…
I drove the short distance from Lake Clearwater to Lake Heron and then readied myself for adventure. The day was grey with wind whipping up any loose leaves and dust. It wasn’t exactly the day most dream of when heading outdoors, but for now it was dry, and to be honest, I was so determined to get up the hill that it didn’t matter what the weather was doing.
Pack-less and with my hiking poles working overtime I took my first step. Immediately I could tell this wasn’t going to be easy. Thinking about all the tough stuff I used to do helped push me along. This would have been far from tough for most, but when your hip and back have been rearranged and knocked out of alignment, everything seems tough.
About halfway into the mish the track turns off the main trail and the ‘climb’ up Lake Hill(762m) begins. Step, step, stop was the method I was forced to use. I’m guessing it was a similar situation to people battling the lack of oxygen when climbing at high altitude. My little mountain definitely didn’t have any altitude issues, only the issue of trying to move with a back and hip that was screaming STOP.
For most of the way I kept my head down and focused on each step. This meant that I was surprised when I looked up and saw that I was nearly at the high point, and only had a short summit plateau to cross to get to the top. I was going to make it to the top, now I had to think about getting back down.
The same slow plodding rhythm that had got me up was not used to get me down. Most of my weight went onto my hiking poles, and this meant some discomfort in my arms and shoulders was added to pain-package I didn’t order but now had to deal with. After getting back on to the flat ground by the lake I had a short break before finishing off the mish. Once back at the car I knew the ordeal was over and I took a short nap in the car before driving back to Lake Clearwater Village.
It might have been a small lump on the map, but to me Lake Hill(762m) was my Mount Everest on that day. My body had been wrecked by the short distance, but I’d take that, along with the feeling of success I had missed so much, over sitting around doing nothing any day of the week. Achieving something in the outdoors can provide you with the motivation needed to do more. I knew that it was only the start of my return to the wilderness journey, and that familiar feeling of completion would act as fuel for the next mish. Bring it on…
