Greetings from Yosemite National Park

Entering Yosemite National Park, I looked up through the sunroof to see The Nose, a wall climbing route on the world-famous summit El Capitan, and a path once thought impossible to scale, yet conquered since by a select few individuals.

At that moment, I recalled Connor Herson, the youngest person to free climb the route and a fellow student a few grades above me at my former elementary school. Remembering the short, skinny, stature he possessed in his early years, I wondered how on earth a child like him, no different from me, could have overcome such a dangerous and terrifying vertical trek.

From the uneven crevices running down the 90-degree drop to the unforgiving nooks and crannies on the sides of The Nose, El Capitan stood towering over me, its cold gaze steady and piercing. Thinking back to the interactions I had with Connor, I vaguely recalled his love for climbing the various structures on the playground and his determination to reach the peak of even the tallest posts.

Suddenly, the looming face of El Capitan snapped back into my frame of thought. That was it. It was about the determination, the confidence, the hours upon hours of training and conditioning that allowed Connor to jump over such a humongous hurdle and reach the unthinkable summit. With that in mind, the mountain’s stare warmed up a little. It looked smaller, and just a touch more friendly. Maybe it could be as welcoming as it was beautiful, if I too could rise to the challenge.

Sincerely,
Stanley