Wilderness Trek 2010 - HYG edition

Wilderness Trek (www.wildernesstrek.org) is outfitted by a company called Wilderness Expeditions based out of Salida, Colorado. The basic idea is that well trained guides take high school students into the high country for about 5 days and attempt to summit a 13,000 or 14,000 foot mountain. Hillcrest has taken students on Trek for many years and I have had the privilege to go each summer that I've been here. Each year has been a great experience, but this year was special. Each group on the trail can only take about 20 people at a time. Since we brought 32 people, we had to split our group into two groups. One group was put on the North trail to summit Antora while the other was assigned the South trail of Antora. I was fortunate to be on the Southern trail. I could say this for many reasons: shorter hike, less beaver ponds = less mosquitoes, and an easier summit. Yet the reason I am fortunate is our guides were incredible! I didn't really get to know the guides on the North trail, nor did I hear anything but exceptional things about them. But I did get to know the guides on our side of the mountain and they are exceptional people. Hunter Logan is one of the most genuinely excited people I have ever met. Her spirit did much for encouraging our group. Ben Hall is one of the most forgiving and understanding people I have been around. And Sammie Marshall led with a raw love for people. They did everything within their power to make this outdoor experience a spiritual experience first. For this, I am very grateful!

Now, I mentioned that this year was more special than that of past years. Last year, we had to take two different trails and were, as I expected, placed on two different mountains. This year, however, the directors at Trek placed us on the opposite sides of the same mountain. This means we had the opportunity to summit together. The group on the Southern trail reached summit a little over a half hour prior to the Northern group's arrival. Due to the fast approaching storm cloud, we were afraid we weren't going to be able to stay and see the other half of our group. But just as soon as I had accepted that we weren't going to be able to see their group, two incredible things happened: (1) we saw their group reach a false summit within an audible shout of the summit and (2) the clouds began to break apart. Our guides graciously allowed us to wait for our

other half. It was one of the most incredible experiences I have had in youth ministry: to see our HYG students finishing such a difficult feat, singing about our "Awesome God", and listening to

one of our high school guys praying of his majesty as we look around at God's creation from such an elevation.

Most of all, I thought this year of Trek was absolutely unbelievable because of our students. Each student I watched and have spoken with since has shown signs of true growth. I love Trek because it unifies and spiritually deepens a group of individuals better than most anything else I have ever seen.

Below are some pictures from our incredible experience:

Me, our guide Ben, and "Amy" the donkey who followed us to low camp from the trail head

John Tyson and me at summit

Kyle and me jumping

Our guide Hunter, Sara, Elizabeth, Aubrie, and our guide Sammie

Both groups at summit together