Cairns

I love hiking. Living in Colorado affords me so many opportunities to get onto trails and explore beautiful places.

One thing Colorado is known for is “14ers” (peaks over 14,000 feet). We have around 58 of them. I started hiking/climbing them with my kids several years back and I hope to summit all of them before I’m done. So far, I have 11 under my belt.

It’s always a painful, exhausting, blister-inducing journey that ends with some indescribable views and a great story.

It is a journey. Each peak is different. Each route is different. But there are some striking similarities.

·     The journey always starts at a trailhead.
·     The first part of the journey winds through lush wilderness and the path is clearly marked. Not everyone finishes, but lots of people start. The path is well worn.
·     The closer to tree line you get, things start to open and there are less people on the trail. It’s tougher to walk. It’s tougher to breathe.
·     At tree line, there is often a beautiful meadow with flowers, a stream, and the path levels out a bit.
·     At the edge of the meadow, you run into the last stretch. The trees are gone. The path is gone. There are fewer people. It’s just rock. Sometimes it’s large boulders to scramble over, other times it’s loose scree or a talus field to plow through.
·     One of the most beautiful parts of this journey is the cairns. Simply put, a cairn is a marker that someone has left to help you find your way. Sometimes it’s a HUGE pile of rocks, and other times it’s three small stones piled up. Either way, it’s an amazing feeling to see a cairn when you’re unsure of the path.
·     And, of course, the top of the mountain is where all the trouble seems to melt away. On a clear day, there is a 360-degree view that is absolutely breathtaking.

In the #Salesforce world we have #Trailhead. People have taken the time to map out the paths and leave markers. In the #Ohana, it’s the same way. Kind people are always leaving helpful comments, tips, links, etc. to help other hikers find their way.

What a blessing! Look for the cairns!