To Be A Pioneer

A few years ago, my family took a hike up Mount Snuffles in Colorado.
It sounds like a little kid amateur hike, but let me tell you, it was one of the hardest hikes I've done!

Riding to the start of Mount Snuffles

We started the hike in good spirits as the sun shone down on us. It was such a nice day that we opted to leave our jackets in the car.
After all, how hard could something called Mount Snuffles really be, right? 

About half way up, the trail just stops and you start climbing straight up the mountain on loose rock. We could see the top and we pushed ourselves hard to get there. Dark clouds were forning above us, but we were determined to reach the top! Well, we accomplished our goal just as the first rain drops began to fall. We celebrated our victory for about two seconds before we were informed that our goal was not actually the top and we were directed to yet another mountain to climb over (at least there was a trail again)

Climbing up the loose rock

We still wanted to reach the top, but unfortunately the rain had other plans for us. We began our hike back down the loose rock. Once we made it to the trail, the rain really began coming down on us. This was not a nice summer rain, but a cold rain, that only grew colder as the wind set in. 

If you know me at all, you know that I do not do well in the cold at all. Actually, that might be the understatement of the year.
When I get cold, I just completely shut down. Completely.

With about a mile left, I was completely soaked through, I couldn't feel my feet, and I was so cold that I had to remind myself to breathe. My pace sowed and I had to convince myself to take each step. I was falling behind, and no matter how I tried, I just couldn't will myself to catch up with my cousins. I wondered if it might be better just to sit down and die. "I bet heaven is warm all the time" I thought to myself.

You are probably thinking that I'm exaggerating this story for dramatic effect, but I promise there are no embellishments. 

I think there have been two times in my life where I seriously thought I was going to die, 

and this was one of them. 

Suddenly, my cousin Sierra turned around to see me lagging far behind the group. She immediately stopped and waited for me, with the relentless rain still coming down. When I got to her, I told her I thought I was going to die. She linked her arm around mine and started marching down the hill. I staggered to get my feet to keep up with her pace, but she kept pulling me along. 

Soaking wet in the car with the heater on full blast

With Sierra still linked to me, we finally made it to the car which had the heater on full blast.

We drove straight to the hot springs and it wasn't until I was able to sit in the hot tub for a long time that I finally got rid of my chills.

Me and Sierra at the Hot Springs

I am convinced that if it wasn't for Sierra, I would have died that day.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I have been thinking about this story all day as I've been listening to talks in church about pioneers.

I'm a pretty determined person when I want to and I really believe in something.
I think as long as it was warm, I could keep trekking along.

However, I'm pretty sure I would be the first to die as soon as winter hit.

 I would be so ready to get out of that cold that I would probably dig my own shallow grave to die in.

I think I was born at this time for a reason.

I struggle with the cold enough as it is, and I have clothing, blankets and heat readily available to me! 

I am honestly grateful to be warm every day. 

It is not something I take for granted, and I'm not just saying that.

I don't know how the pioneers managed, cause I wouldn't last two seconds!

Hopefully I can be a pioneer today in different ways, and definitely in better living conditions.