Pichi: Part 3

Our last excursion. One I will never forget. It was a mountain hike. But not just any mountain hike, it was the hike up Mt. Faulkner! (Don’t worry I never heard of it either before I went). We started the hike around mid-day, the weather was nice. It had rained the day before but there was not that much humidity. There was a group of around forty or so that began as one, and, of course, the group separated as we embarked upward. The guides stated that at the beginning we were going to climb for around ten minutes and then rest for a little while, and repeat the process for about 45 minutes, which is when we should be at the first opening in the mountain (most of the hike was through a small “path” up the steep mountain surrounded by woods and enormous trees). At first, me, being the expert hiker and always in the group leading the front, (that’s sarcasm, though I have done my fair share of mountain climbs and hikes) thought this crazy and claimed that I would not stop and rest till I was standing at the peak. However, once we began that climb, and oh what a climb it was, I was thankful for those rests every ten minutes. It was difficult. Several people did not make it. Seriously. Your legs and calves and thighs and pretty much everywhere below your abs begin to ache not too long after you start. We climbed for about 50 minutes and reached the first opening. It was a small field without trees in which you could see down to the road at the bottom. We sat and rested for a while, I drank a good amount of water and was running dangerously low, sadly. And after a good rest we started again. I was in the front with group of six or seven. We started up into what they said is the hardest part. We hiked a for a while it seemed like, going in and out of woods in the still very narrow path. But then we reached a certain place in the hike. Before we were just surrounded by a clutter of trees and bark and branches and leaves and a dense jungle-like atmosphere. But here the trees spread out and the path widened and we entered a more open area. This was a really cool and unique place. It’s hard to explain, but there was a peace lingering in that certain part of the wood that is hard to find down below where we live everyday.

It was almost, and without being too supernatural or strange, a more spiritual place. As if it wasn’t a part of this world. Forgive me if I seem a little cheesy but being it this small break between the arduous climb made leaving everything behind and focusing on nothing but what was ahead that much easier. I could go on longer, but we must continue; there is still much to talk about. We climbed for about another hour till we reached the “first” top of the mountain. It was almost like an enormous hill, except we were a few thousand feet up and surrounded by similar “hills” while gorgeous, snow-capped mountains rested in the far distance. I was among the first few that reached the top and explored a little while small groups slowly came over time. Five of us went off to the distance and found a rocky part that overlooked a view in which I can’t even begin to describe (I am not that good of a writer, to write about God’s creation in the words that give it its proper credit). We stopped here for while and ate lunch. After a short rest we continued up even further. We hiked now to a creek in which we followed it upwards to another section that seemed to be a valley. It was massive and you could see for miles when looking over. The backside of this valley, if it had a side per se, was walled in by mountains and the opposite side overlooked miles and miles (and miles) of mountains and valleys and woods and trees and fields. Again, another indescribable view, first-hand, of God’s powerful and artistic hand. Here we were at a high enough point where snow patches, some small but some fairly big, were scattered along the landscape. Now it wasn’t cold. I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. I had a Jacket but I chose not to wear it. We were here for a while taking pictures, enjoying the atmosphere, and even having snowball fights. Then slowly one by one people began heading for the mountains in the distance to venture further upward. A group of us wanted to go as far as we could; so we climbed, literally climbed, up a rocky hill and entered into another valley. This valley had a running creek that weaved through its fields in which I used to fill my water bottle. Crystal clear and cold as it was pure, mountain water is the best there is. And how it was refreshing.We hiked through this vast valley and up towards the mountain in the distance for about another 45 minutes. I know this is probably hard to make out in your mind but just know it is a sight that people who have the pleasure to see it will never forget.

Now we reached THE top, or at least as high is we could go. We saw the view. I stepped back with my head on a swivel because you could not take it all in with just on look. Miles beyond miles of absolutely indescribable, gorgeous, snow-capped mountains surrounded us. The previous sights, the ones I also said blew my mind (and still do), seemed so much less.

There was a valley with a lake at the bottom, or at least one of the bottoms, that was so clear and vast that you could see the reflections of the adjacent mountains. It looked as if it was only a mile or two away when in reality it could have been so much further. A few of us pulled out our cameras but nothing man-made could capture the gloriouspainting of this priceless picture that lay before us. We could see so far that mountains and a volcano, which towered above everything in sight, that were known to be in the country of Chile were within our view. I praise God for His creation and his almighty hand. It was an amazing experience. If God placed this breath-taking sight on this wicked earth for us to enjoy, I cannot imagine what He has reserved for our enjoyment in Heaven!