Summit fever. We’ve all experienced that thrill when we can finally see our destination in sight. Just got to get in that final haul to the top. Am I right? But what happens when you’re just not feeling it? When your body is saying no more? Do you push through to continue on or start your trek back?
Summit fever, as defined by wiktionary, is “The compulsion to reach the summit of a mountain at all costs.” At. All. Costs. Hmmmm. Think about that for a minute. I’m going to get really real here folks.
This is how people die. Yes, summit fever can kill you. When you stop listening to your body and start listening to the voice saying “Get your ass up this damn mountain right now,” whether your hiking partner or the voice in your head, you’ve stopped being safe and are not hiking smart. Whether it’s fear, altitude, a cold/flu, or any combo of physical or mental ailments telling you to stop or turn back, the important thing to remember at the end of the day is this: the mountain will always be there. But you may not.
This past weekend I had to listen to my body when it told me to turn back with only a half mile left to go before summit. I had eaten something bad the night before and it had finally caught up to me on the side of Mount Baldy. Because I was battling dehydration due to being sick, I felt the attitude in ways I had never felt before. I have mad respect for the folks who can hike with altitude sickness. That shit is no joke!
Lucky for me, I was hiking with a group of women who respect the mountain and a hiker’s need to respect what their body is telling them. With 8 of us present, 4 women ascended the mountain to summit, and 4 of us started down (we had one more in our group not feeling well too). It’s so important to hike with people who you trust to help keep everyone safe. Because if you hike with others, you’re only as safe as the person who is the most reckless in the group. Hike with people you know will have your back. Those folks who won’t let the summit fever go to their head and risk everything. At. All. Costs.
The Pink Hat Hiker 
Good for you for listening to your body and for the group of women supporting one another, I love the community that hiking brings together ❤️
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Yes, the hiking community is amazing!! And I am super blessed to be surrounded by such awesome and strong women who support those around them and are there when we need someone most on the trails.
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