Looming in your dreams
New England mountains to lose sleep over
When was the last time that you enjoyed being anxious? For me, it was watching Tom Cruise cling to the wing of a soaring biplane in the new Mission: Impossible movie; an escalation of the greatest midlife crisis that anyone has ever had. But just as often, I’ve enjoyed tremors of stress and dread on the eve of a big hike—specifically, a hike that involves a big mountain that I’ve committed to climbing, with a lot of reservations.
While mountains are the main attraction for outdoor adventure journalism, a lot of us (probably a majority of us) experience the mountains as occasional hard-edged treats. In the same way that a shot of wormwood-infused absinthe or a fiery bowl of Sichuan boiled fish can test your limits once in awhile—with exciting and confidence-boosting results—a grueling and exposed climb to a summit can be invigorating. And part of the thrill ride is the heebie-jeebies that can flare up beforehand, when the reality of what you’re about to do fully sets in. Some of the best mountain adventures that I’ve taken caused me to lose sleep the night before. This summer, I’m encouraging you to experience some good insomnia too; by planning to climb a mountain that scares you.
